Covenant is battling a tension between two powerful forces: the needs of those living with disabilities, and limited resources to provide for those needs.
This month, I spoke with Luisa Monteiro-Oliveira ’25, Covenant College’s last theatre major and first blind student. We met to discuss this battle, long felt by the student body. The particular challenges of a person living with disability will (of course) vary, but Luisa’s specific experiences offer helpful insights into Covenant’s general atmosphere surrounding disability.
Photo from workwithchrysalis.org
Luisa praised the efforts of individuals who work hard to provide accommodations, but her testimony indicates that much is lacking on an institutional level. Specific examples of this include issues like braille postings around the campus, and information in emails, posters and chapel slides not being shared. The time clock system in Banner is impossible for Luisa to fill out on her own, making on campus employment inaccessible for her.
These are the small, but vital issues that often fall by the wayside if no one remembers to implement them. Additionally, if an effort is made halfheartedly, it can be difficult for students with disabilities to benefit from them. “I discovered a [braille] sign that said ‘restroom’ next to the bathroom, but it was in a place that I was like, ‘I never would have looked all the way up there…I’m not even that tall.’”
Luisa’s story highlights how implementation of accessibility features on campus is unhelpful if not done with consistency. For students facing the challenge of any disability, lack of accessibility risks taking away independence, as the absence of accommodations forces a person to rely on others. One organization which acts to protect students from such loss of accessibility is known as the ADA.
The ADA – for those unfamiliar – is the regulatory body enforcing the “Americans with Disabilities Act.” Covenant falls under the Title III section of this policy. Feel free to visit the ADA website: it details the specific requirements that make a facility or organization “accessible” and the various protections for individuals with disabilities.
Covenant certainly has shortcomings when it comes to following these regulations, but Luisa’s experiences indicate that these shortcomings are not intentional, at least on an individual level. “I don’t think anybody is actively trying to be not disabled friendly. It's just people don't think about it. And the fact that we’re not thought about isn’t an act of attack, it's not hostile—” but it is not much comfort either. Discussing issues like oft-forgotten image descriptions around campus, Luisa stated, “even if that’s not a groundbreaking thing, it’s a simple pleasure that people get to have,” and losing access to things others might take for granted is discouraging. It is something our community should care about.
This issue is something the administration is certainly aware of. An interview with Robert Wyncoop, the new Vice President of Operations and Finance, revealed encouraging plans for Covenant’s accessibility situation: Mr. Wyncoop has a vision for the campus that specifically relates to making the architecture better and more accessible: last semester, he walked around campus, photographing all of the problematic things on campus to present to the Board of Directors, and is formulating plans for improvement.
Mr. Wyncoop shared that he has discussed these issues with President Voyles and his Cabinet, as well as Student Development. Covenant’s long term “Master Plan” is being updated, and Mr. Wyncoop stated that “accessibility would absolutely be part of kind of the starting point of getting that a little more organized.” He continued, sharing that when these problems are identified, it shows what “at an overall level needs to be done, and we can address those things more appropriately.”
Mr. Wyncoop shared that in his plans to improve campus architecture, “accessibility is front of mind to me.” But money is the main limiting factor in how soon those improvements will come. Regardless, Mr. Wyncoop encouraged students with concerns to speak to members of Covenant’s administration, so they can be aware of specific challenges.
So if wider accessibility problems require time and money to implement, what can we as a community do right now to support those with disabilities? Aside from legal issues that could arise if ADA regulations are not met, our responsibility as a Christian community is to care for those in need. Luisa shared that before coming to Covenant, she would not have thought or known to expect better. But she is thankful for the professors and conversations at Covenant which showed that things can and should be improved. Rather than settling on issues of accessibility, we should make the effort to know what is needed and what can be done. Luisa captures the sentiment well: “I’m really not demanding much. It's just that I think I really appreciate thoughtfulness and intentionality, and that's what's lacking.”
Luisa understands the financial limitations that might prevent things like braille signage for the entire campus. She’s good at adapting, using stickers to mark her door, and recognizing friends’ rooms using landmarks like rugs and tapestries. However, Luisa emphasized that when things that cost nothing to implement are forgotten (such as alternative text), therein lies the hurt. “I feel like institutionally, as a whole, it’s really more like if you are a disabled student who is nice and people like you, then you’re lucky. And they’ll probably go out of their way to do stuff for you.” But for students with disabilities who are not comfortable speaking up, or not yet a part of the Covenant community, providing needed accessibility before they experience a deficit would make a world of difference.
Maybe we can’t fix the Kresge hill or add an elevator to the Chapel basement today, but we can do better (students and administrators alike) to preemptively see needs in our community, especially of those who we don’t know or have relationships with. So let's keep the conversation going! Ask questions, advocate for those in need, and look for ways to show thoughtfulness, even if it's in the little things.
Thumbnail photo from workwithchrysalis.org