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TCU 360

TCU 360

All TCU. All the time.

TCU 360

Students discuss religious topics in a small group. (Photo courtesy of tcuwesley.org)
Wednesday nights at TCU’s Methodist campus ministry provide religious exploration and fellowship
By Boots Giblin, Staff Writer
Published Mar 27, 2024
Students at the Wesley said they found community on Wednesday nights.

Campus facilities not readily accessible for disabled students

Some things people take for granted: Opening doors, using the restroom or crossing the street. And for people who are able-bodied, these things are easy at TCU.

If you use a wheelchair or are even in a cast or on crutches, routine and ordinary little tasks become an activity to be planned – in some cases, dreaded.

It’s not that people mean to be insensitive or uncaring.

But living with a disability is difficult for most able-bodied people to understand.

Here are four areas administrators need to address in order to make this campus easier to navigate for everyone.

The library.

The door hidden next to the steps is not automatic and must be operated from someone at a desk inside.

It doesn’t sound like that much, unless no one is at the desk.

A disabled person enters via an elevator on the basement level, but the door separating the elevator from the books is often closed and must be opened.

This is usually a bigger issue on the way out than in.

Restrooms.

Most restrooms have accessible stalls, but the entry doors are unnecessarily heavy.

A lighter door that doesn’t shut so fast would serve the same purpose and be much easier to use.

Buttons to open those doors would be even better.

The Stadium.

Amon Carter Stadium is more than 70 years old, and disabled seating needs to move up the to-do list fast.

Seating is in the north end zone, which is on the opposite side of the stadium from the student section.

Seating is scarce at game time, and it is first-come, first-serve for family or friends who sometimes stand for the entire game.

Crossing zones.

There is only one place for disabled people to cross the street.

The university started adding a second one nearly two years ago, but it is yet to be completed.

The university hasn’t called the city on it, and a two-year delay is inexcusable.

Disabled people should not be forced to depend on the courtesy of another student to do the simple everyday things on campus.

Administrators should check on these issues themselves through the eyes of a disabled student – a student like me.

Michelle Nicoud is a junior news-editorial journalism major from Dallas.

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