Construction on campus has been inconvenient for a lot of people on campus, but it has become a serious obstacle for some disabled students.
It (campus construction) is one of these unfortunate situations," said Susan Te Paske, the director of Student Disability Services. "It is a particular problem for students with disabilities."
The physical plant has notified Student Disability Services about the construction on campus, so that SDS can pass the information along to all of the students registered with them.
"We do everything in our power to accommodate disabled students," said Pam Cash, the coordinator of facility projects. "When there is going to be any kind of closure or change in path, I notify Student Disability Services."
The physical plant tells SDS about the exact spot of the construction and closure, options for alternate routes and what the time frame for construction is going to be, Cash said.
"I've had to change my normal route," said Amber Carter, a freshman communications major. "I've had to go places that I've never been before, and I get lost."
Some of the problems for disabled students could be solved by leaving more flat areas open and working on smaller parts of the project, keeping less space under construction at a time when it is feasible, Carter said.
"I have to take the long way around to get places, but the real problem is the debris that gets scattered everywhere," said Nathan Pugh, a senior creative writing major. "I have to roll through that mess."
The physical plant asks all the contractors to keep paths open when possible.
The construction could be better planned by taking disabled students' needs into consideration before starting the work and by keeping the job sites more orderly and contained, said Pugh.
"They do a little, but it's not enough," he said. "This stuff could be done between semesters or during breaks."
The construction hasn't affected all students equally though. Heath Biggs, a senior paralegal studies major, said the construction on campus hasn't been a problem for him.
"I just go around it," he said. "I'm sick and tired of people parking in the handicap parking spaces though."
A lot of the problems could be avoided if the work crews would just put something, like sheet metal, down over the sites when they aren't working, Biggs said.
"No one would have assumed that it would take this long to get certain areas repaired," Te Paske said. "It wasn't caused by The U of M that I'm aware of."
All of the Veterans Avenue construction is basically done, but there are still places waiting on change orders for construction to be completed. Change orders have to be issued whenever there are extra expenses in a project.
"They delay the job, but they are protocols that every project has to follow," said Cash. "The contractors have to send the orders to Nashville and wait for approval before they can finish the work."
The construction does have positive sides, though, because it has made more people aware of disabled students' problems, Te Paske said. People in certain buildings, especially the library, have made sure there are other ways for disabled students to get in and out when construction has made mobility difficult.
"It gets on your nerves and makes a whole lot of mess," said Carter. "I've gotten stuck in one too many potholes."
The construction has been inefficient, but there have been steps taken to help disabled students, said Will McElroy, a sophomore recording technology major.
"It's slightly inconvenient, but it hasn't affected me too much," McElroy said. "They (SDS) do a good job sending us e-mails to lets us know what's going on."
