Recently at Truman State University, many of the accessibility doors on campus have been out of order, with signs posted on the doors or buttons stating they are broken with parts out for repair. While the problem had started small, being mostly localized to one or two doors only, it has increased significantly since the semester began in August. As of currently, most of the doors along Ophelia Parish, including the art wing elevator, have been broken or in need of maintenance.
These problems, however, are not new to the University campus. Many of the other buildings on campus are either lacking in or have less than ideal accessible entryways or methods of traveling to different floors. McClain has a smaller elevator than most buildings, and the ramp between the two levels of the first floor is not flat, which can lead to problems. Ryle Hall’s accessible entryways often have broken buttons, and the entryways are along the back of the building. Blanton-Nason-Brewer Hall has only one accessible entrance and it leads directly to stairs and an elevator, but if the elevator breaks down there is no way in or out of the building if you aren’t able to take the stairs. Barnett’s accessible parking is in the back and it is not wheelchair accessible from the front, since the ramp is located down the sidewalk from the rest of campus, and there is a step-up required to reach the ramp. While the Student Health Center entrance has an accessible door button, the Counseling Services door does not.
Many students, including those who are wheelchair bound, crutch or cane reliant, or suffer from invisible disabilities like chronic pain, find themselves frustrated with the current state of the disabled and wheelchair-accessible entryways. This is mostly due to the lack of communication from the departments of the buildings and from the physical plant who, despite providing emergency numbers in case of broken elevators & leaving signs about the doors being broken, have not provided proper statements regarding the full situation. This forces students to try and uncover information in other methods, such as through YikYak, a social media app that acts as an anonymous message board that can connect students at their colleges, including Truman.
“We are now coming to a place in time in our society where we can have open conversations about these things,” says Alexander Walcott, a music major who frequently visits Ophelia Parish who regularly relies on accessibility doors. “I just feel like we’re in the dark here – like, we talk about it, but the only time we talk about it is YikYak. I have had to go on YikYak multiple times to see if the OP doors have been fixed or if the elevators have been fixed, because no conversations are public.”
The reason for the lack of progress and communication is due to several reasons. The current Physical Plant Manager, Kenny McKim, is temporarily filling in for the previous Plant Manager who is currently on leave, and due to the recency of it all McKim had only recently been informed of the state of the doors and elevators a couple of weeks ago.
Another contributing factor is at play here; Truman cannot work on the doors and elevators themselves, nor can the parts be sold directly to the campus. Truman’s responsibility, therefore, is sourcing contractors from nearby locations to give them a quote on pricing before deciding on a company. Then and only then can the process of maintenance begin. Right now, Truman is currently in the first step.
“I’ve just been aware of this over the last few weeks, and you can see where I’m trying to jump on it,” said McKim. “I can see how this would be frustrating, so we’re trying to take this seriously to make this happen over the next few weeks. I’ve got a couple quotes, and hopefully within the next few weeks have something taken care of.”
According to McKim, they have reached out to two contractors, but only one of them has given them a quote as of the interview on the 26th. They’re waiting for the other company to arrive Sept. 27th or the 30th. The idea is that, within a couple days after their visit, the Physical Plant can get the quotes back, compare both quotes, and think about construction set up after deciding which company to choose. The company they choose can then order parts and get started on fixing the doors and elevators.
The projected completion date is within 2-3 weeks after the decision has been made, so students can expect the problem to be handled over the next month or so. Communication between departments, the Physical Plant, and to the students themselves will be critical in the future in order to make sure that setbacks, minor or otherwise, will be reduced for all future Truman students, whether they need the accessibility doors and elevators or not.
Should a student find themselves stuck in an elevator they are advised to call 911, especially on weekends. For non-emergencies, they are advised to call the Department of Public Safety at (660) 665-5621.
For future maintenance requests, students are advised to call the Physical Plant at (660) 785-4200, or Residence Facilities at (660) 785-4687, or visit https://physicalplant.truman.edu/services/ to contact a specific department based on their situation.