LLEGE CHIPS
ures
December 6, 2012
7
Is Luther handicap accessible?
Carrie Juergens
Staff Writer
&
Jessy Machon
Features Editor
Nick Rohde (‘13) has been in a wheelchair for most of his life. Over the years, he has learned to adapt. “I would say that [being in a wheelchair] has forced me to be more creative … I just have to Rohde said. “I have to plan ahead a lot more than others do.” Rohde’s everyday schedule has to accommodate for the extra time required to take a handicap accessible route.
Carrie Juergens/Chips
Raising awareness. Nick Rohde (‘13) has worked with the Student Senate to bring accessibility issues to light.
Rohde gets up at 7:45 to make his 9:15 class in Valders. He has to go around the building, though, because of the steep hill between Valders and Baker Village. In order to make his next three classes, Rohde
“If I could change one thing about campus, it’d be getting between lower and upper campus,” Rohde said. “Farwell is one way to travel to lower campus, but I feel like there should be another method, like an elevator to a path from the Union to Regents.” The path from upper to lower campus is not the only issue, though. Some buildings on campus, like Towers and Larsen, are completely inaccessible to him. Other times, he can’t access a building simply because of a broken handicap accessibility button. “The handicap buttons will be there, but not functional,” Rohde said. “Also, just because something’s lawfully acceptable to be handicap accessible doesn’t mean it’s logically accessible, and Luther could work on understanding that difference.” Even aspects of life in Baker Village are “Within my apartment, everything is wonderfully accessible, but my unit is the farthest up on the hill, thus the furthest away from the street and campus,” Rohde said. “I have to cover the most sidewalk to get to my dorm. It just doesn’t make sense.” Rohde brought up his concerns when he was a member of the Student Senate. He believes that his work on the Student Senate has raised awareness of accessibility issues among both student leaders and the campus at large. “I think that certain bodies are more consciously aware of accessibility, and therefore are taking measures to improve the situation,” Rohde said. Although he wants to raise awareness of
Graphic by Carrie Juergens and Noah Lange
handicap accessibility issues, Rohde makes it clear that awareness is not the same as special treatment.
st: And the winners are...
owa River” , biology major
Third place: “Pollination” Photographer: Meghan Owens (‘15), chemistry major
“Don’t make assumptions,” Rohde said. “Be aware, but don’t treat me any differently, or I will prove you wrong.”