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Section Edit
Campus renovations
alters accessibility
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; this time last year.. The ongoing constructtorven campus is
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KATIE DEVOE
News Staff Writer
kdevoe@unca.edu
Renovations on Highsmith Student
Union and construction of the new resi
dence halls directly impact the accessi
bility of buildings for students, staff and
visitors. Founders Drive and the bridge
into Highsmith closed during the sum
mer, further limiting access to the build
ings.
“The campus population in gener
al and how we move around has been
affected by construction,” said David
Todd, associate vice chancellor of cam
pus operations. “I think we’ve made
concerted efforts to focus specifically
on people that have any kind of different
or special need for their mobility con
cerns to try to address that.”
People on campus must adjust the
way they move around due to the con
struction on Highsmith and the new res
idence halls. Campus operations plans
to accommodate people with disabilities
during the period of construction. The
Director of Housing and Student Life
Operations, Vollie Barnwell, consulted
with the construction contractor about
the availability of Founders Drive.
“I think having Founders Drive closed
has presented issues starting back in
the summer with students moving into
Founders Hall for summer programs.
We have done our best to work with
those groups to provide extra assis
tance whether that’s moving in through
Highsmith, increased signage and then
for move-in weekend having Founders
Drive open for new students,” Barnwell
said.
Barnwell worked to make sure
Founders Drive was open to move stu
dents and visitors into Founders Hall at
the beginning of the semester. Follow
ing move-in day. Founders Drive closed
once more.
“The accessible parking for Highsmith
is right along University Heights. The
accessible ramp would then lead down.
Those right now are the closest per
manent parking to Founders,” Barn
well said. “We haven’t had an issue yet
where someone has contacted us about
needing accessible parking at Founders
Hall.”
Parking outside of Founders Hall re
mains closed, including handicap park
ing. Accessible parking is available in
front of Highsmith Student Union. The
ramp and stairs outside Highsmith pro
vide access to both buildings.
“The other way would be to come
down the ramp at the butterfly gardens
and come behind Mills Hall and around
that way. If you’re at the Ridges, Gover
nors Hall, or Overlook that would be an
easier way to access Highsmith,” Barn
well said.
Another way into the area Barnwell
offered as an alternative is the ramp that
goes between Mills and Highsmith. The
plans for the renovation of Highsmith
Student Union and the new residence
halls comply with ADA design stan
dards according to David Todd.
“Everything that we’re building new
construction wise, which would be the
residence hall buildings, the multipur
pose building and the new multipurpose
room that’s part of Highsmith, all of
those pieces will be built to the current
accessibility codes,” Todd said.
The plans for Highsmith renovations
on the student life porch include easy
accessibility. Christina Jaeger, associ
ate director of Highsmith operations,
helped decide the amount of levels for
the student life porch.
“Everything is one level so it’s not
like there will be an accessibility issue if
a student wants to go from the walkway
on the porch, to an office on the porch,”
Jaeger said.
The university plans to go above the
ADA design standards of accessibili
ty by incorporating universal design.
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