New ramp to be added to counseling center

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Hana Klempnauer Miller

’25 advocated for funding for the new ramp, but her goals to address disability concerns won’t stop there.

By SOPHIA STEWART JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Students with disabilities cannot currently access the Brandeis Counseling Center because there is no American Disability Act-compliant accessible ramp. Instead of accessing the BCC Mailman House, Brandeis students with disabilities have the option to visit the counseling center in a multi-purpose room in the library accessible by elevator or via telehealth.

On Wednesday, March 5 the Student Union passed a resolution condemning Brandeis’ accessibility policies with the leadership of Student Union Director of Accessibility Hana Klempnauer Miller ’25. Miller’s objective was to gain funding from the Community Emergency and Enhancement Fund for a new accessible ramp at the BCC.

“Historically, the BCC has faced a lot of challenges and has a significant

HOUSING amount of work to do when it comes to rebuilding student trust, but I believe that this is a first step to moving forward. I have been working closely with the students who are leading the interview process for a new BCC director and improved policy reforms, and accessibility has been at the heart of all of these conversations,” Miller said in a March 31 interview with the Justice.

Director of Student Accessibility Support Cara Streit and Miller believe that students with disabilities should not face obstacles to mental health care, and they decided to apply for funding to make changes to the disability care policies at Brandeis, according to a March 31 interview with the Justice. Miller also said that students with disabilities were struggling after the bus crash in November and could not walk up the stairs to the BCC due to their impairment.

“Individuals with disabilities have reported a higher incidence of mental health struggles, and as someone with a disability who has struggled with their mental health, I can say from a first-person perspective that it is essential we make these resources accessible and welcoming to all members of our community,”

See RAMP, 5 ☛