Disability Services Takes Action to Support Student Access

Photo by Olivia Slack

On Nov. 17, Disability Services announced that they had created a Google Form that “anyone may use to submit access issues identified or experienced across campus” according to Carolyn Koning, Assistant Director for Disability Services. Disability Services also announced that a Disability Services Student Advisory Council, the formation of which has been in progress since summer 2021, will hold its first meeting in the coming weeks.

Koning said that the Google Form has already received a few reports about automatic door opener buttons and elevators, and that following these reports Disability Services notifies Facilities Services. Disability Services said they will also follow up with the individual who reported the concern to ensure the issue was resolved.

Any student, regardless of whether they identify as an individual with a disability, can join the Student Advisory Council. For more information about the council, email disabilityservices@meredith.edu.

Koning expressed appreciation for the individuals in Meredith’s community who have spoken out against access barriers on campus, including the Angels for Disability Advocacy (ADA) club, SGA and College staff. “We in Disability Services, College Programs and the College as a whole care deeply about equal access and disability inclusion. While our efforts may not always be apparent, we are working to make Meredith accessible to everyone,” Koning said. “Everyone deserves equal access.”

By Olivia Slack, Co-Editor in Chief