Inaccessibility issues surrounding the bookstore and co-op leaves SAS workers in an awkward spot
Sophie Suzuki, Student Accessibility Services (SAS) volunteer and fourth-year psychology student, decided to take action around the inaccessibility issues in both the University and Co-op bookstores.
Before this proposal, SAS guides would have to, at times, handle students’ money or come up with a solution on a case-by-case basis to determine how textbooks should be purchased for the student.
In her experience, Suzuki would have to go up and down the stairs at the bookstore to collect the books, returning down the stairs if she grabbed the wrong one, or having to go to the Co-op Bookstore if a textbook is not available at the University Bookstore. Once at the Co-op Bookstore, the student would have to wait at the bookstore for Suzuki again.
Details remain unclear, but Suzuki is proposing a mandated, blanket solution that will leave students with disabilities and SAS guides with policy-driven direction.
“How this is exactly implemented will be up to the CSA once the motion passes. They can do it in the way that works best for them based off the research they have,” Suzuki told The Ontarion.
One proposal Suzuki mentioned was having paid, trained employees to be authorized to handle money to help students with disabilities.
“Like [the CSA] hires bus pass distribution people, they can just hire a few people to do textbook pickup. Then they can go buy it for them and even have a table set up where students can pick it up from the UC or the SAS office and it could be so much easier and simpler for everyone involved,” Suzuki said.
Bookstores on campus confusing for students requiring accessibility
Suzuki said in her experiences getting textbooks can be difficult, challenging, and even degrading for students with a disability. Suzuki notes that for students with disabilities, the University Bookstore isn’t clear or manageable to navigate particularly during the busiest hours and in peak season at the start of the fall semester.
“In general the university so far isn’t doing anything to make the bookstore accessible, they shut down the bookstore last summer to renovate it so they have money to renovate, but they didn’t make it accessible,” said Suzuki.
“It’s gotten to the point, ‘if not now then when?’, especially when it has to do with textbooks,” she continued.
Will Hope, manager at the bookstore notes that the University Bookstore takes accessibility seriously, and noted that the bookstore accommodates students when they ask for help at the information desk.
“The elevator that we have in the back is mainly used for lifting freight, but from time to time (and mostly at rush) we are afforded the opportunity to help students that may require the use of the elevator,” Hope told The Ontarion. “The elevator is not directly publicly accessible, and requires a staff member to operate it and then guide the student to the textbooks.”
Hope also recognizes that the infrastructure at the McLaughlin Library, which was built in 1969, does not allow for completely autonomous accessible space.
“It’s regrettable, but an escorted freight elevator is the best solution we have come up with so far,” Hope said.
The CSA annual general meeting was scheduled for Feb. 6 but has been delayed until Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 5 p.m. in Peter Clark Hall.
Photo Courtesy of Dana Bellamy