Disabilities resources on campus discussed

By Genna Tan

Students with disabilities come in all shapes and sizes at Santa Clara. Some have wheelchairs, others dogs.

They also have varying views on the policies of the university toward the disabled.

Mary Valleau, an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute student, commutes for her four classes and said she is upset that Santa Clara requires her to pay for a disabled parking permit.

Osher offers "intellectually stimulating learning opportunities for a mature audience."

Valleau, who is in a wheelchair, pays $3 every time she needs to park on campus for an Osher event.

"For me, it's not the amount but the principle," said Valleau. "Santa Clara invites Osher members to campus, and some of them are not going to be as healthy as the average Santa Clara student."

Charles Arolla, director of campus safety services, said Santa Clara is allowed to charge a fee for disabled parking because the university is a private organization.

"Private entities are allowed to require a disabled placard as well as a permit in order to park in a disabled parking space," said Arollla.

Valleau said she doesn't have to pay for parking at public universities or colleges.

Stanford University, a private institution, honors any state disabled placards, according to their Web site. Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles states a similar policy on their Web site.

"By inviting older students, you may be inviting their frailties," said Valleau. "I think helping them feel welcome is a part of the invitation to Santa Clara."

There are no plans to make parking free of charge for disabled visitors, according to Arolla.

People with physical disabilities who purchase parking permits pay a discounted rate of $165 for an entire year, instead of the regular price of $250.

Sophia Badillo takes her dog Sugar, who helps her regulate her blood sugar, everywhere she goes, even to her classes at Santa Clara.

"She'll come up to me to whimper and hit me with her paw, signaling me that it is time to go out or time to eat something," said Badillo, who suffers from medical problems and a learning disability.

"Around campus I haven't had any issues, but outside of campus I think a lot of people don't really know that it's the law that you can take a service dog with you to places," said Badillo.

More than 500 students at Santa Clara qualify for help from the Office of Disabilities Resources, said Ann Ravenscroft, co-director of disabilities resources.

Junior accounting major Jennifer Sullivan uses a note taker, receives extended time on exams and has priority registration for classes.

"The professors are really easy to work with and disabilities resources are very good about providing accommodations," said Sullivan. "This is a very accessible campus, too."

Sullivan, who is in a wheelchair, said at times, it is difficult for her to open doors.

"Many of the blue disability buttons for opening doors are too high for me to reach or in a difficult place for me to reach," said Sullivan.

She had to miss class a couple of times when an elevator wasn't working. However, the university worked to quickly correct the problem, she said.

Also, when she joined choir, she had to be lifted onto the stage due to the lack of a ramp.

"They're actually in the process of building a ramp now though," Sullivan said.

The Office of Disabilities Resources serves approximately 30 law students, 20 graduate students and the rest are undergraduate students, according to Ravenscroft.

"About 90 percent of the services that we provide are for students with invisible disabilities," said Ravenscroft. "They are things like learning disabilities, psychological disabilities and attention deficit disorders."

Contact Genna Tan at (408) 554-4546 or gbtan@scu.edu.