Page 8 THE BATTALION TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1978 Handicapped students at A&M. Life travels on campus easier with special help By KAREN ROGERS Battalion Staff Steve looked at his watch. Only three minutes to make his 10 o’clock. He rolled his wheelchair past the seal on the Academic Build ing floor toward the elevator marked "For Handicapped Students Only. He reached for the button and waited while the elevator slowly creaked down to the first floor. Un expectedly, the doors flew open when the elevator reached its desti nation. Steve wheeled his chair into the elevator, but as swiftly as the doors had opened, they closed again, catching him in the middle. Fortunately, another student saw him and helped Steve untangle himself from the persistent doors. Although this particular situation is hypothetical, it happens each day across the Texas A&M University campus as handicapped students at tempt to get to classes. About 17 students attending the University this fall are in wheel chairs, says Ted Elliott, campus counselor for the Texas Rehabilita tion Commission. For those students living on cam pus who require special living facilities, eight rooms in the Com mons area have been specially de signed to allow students in wheel chairs better access. The rooms, six in Aston-Dunn and two in Krueger, are designed to put everything within easy reach of the student. Ron Sasse, assistant director of student affairs, says the rooms are built with wider doors, low light switches and thermostats, tilted mirrors, sinks that allow a wheel chair under them and a shower with low faucets that is wide enough for a wheelchair. Roddy Dunnell, a sophomore en gineering technology major who lives in one such room in Dunn, says there are still some problems. "The thermostats are way up high, he says, "and you can t see how hot or cold it is. The wall plugs are real low and they’re usually be hind the beds. "Also, the two highest priced men’s dorms are the only two mod ified.’’ YV. G. Ferris, area coordinator for the Commons dorms, explains this is because the needs of the hand icapped students were just being realized at the time the Commons complex was being built. Sasse says, “Were looking at other resident halls to expand the options. Legett will base some spe cial rooms when it’s finished. The Legett renovation is scheduled for Fall 1979 completion. Gary Gray, a sophomore political science major, also lives in a special room in Dunn. "I feel ANM has done a more than adequate job in providing facilities for handicapped students, he said. “It’s really quite nice," Gray says of his room. "It’s kind of small for a wheelchair inside. To make the bat hroom larger, they had to squash the rest of the room together. Roth men agree there are some places on campus they wish were more accessible. "A lot of the ramps and curb cuts are too steep. Dunnell says. ‘They’re there, but they’re not too convenient to use. Dunnell has a manually operated wheelchair. Gray, who uses an electric wheel chair, says, "If the ramps aren t just right, then the wheelchair won t pull it. He adds that most of the ramps on campus are "designed all right." Elevators, a nocess ity to the handicapped student who has a class on an upper floor, also are a source of discontent. "A lot of tin' elevators are out dated, Dunnell said, "like the one in the Halhouty (geology) building, It’s an olil freight elevator and to close the door, you have to set a big iron gate.’’ Gray is quick to point out (be worst elevator on campus for hand icapped students is in the Academic Building. "The reaction of the door is very swift and if you’re not as swift, tbe door closes on you. ’ Tlie elevator in the animal science building, which he describes as "an old 1900 freight elevator, ’ nnb works half the time, he says, whicb makes it difliciilt to get tolmdass on tlu 1 second floor. Some of the elevator controls art just out of reach for students in wheelchairs. Gray said. I le adds he h as "more praise than any thing for Texas A&M s hand icapped facilities. The University'o( Texas is the only campus he saysht thinks might be better equipped, but that campus is hig, which doesn t lend itself to easy travelina wheelchair. Here, he says, he leaves only5to 10 minutes before his class to mala it on time. "Tlie main reason I came to Tens AiscM, Cray said "is because it’s the best university in Texas that had what I needed — easy accessibility and understanding profs.” State agency assists students Oscar Cardenas, a freshman accounting major from McAllen, moves up the ramp pro vided for the handicapped at the library. Cardenas says that there are still a few minor problems in attending classes and getting around campus, but for the most part, facilities for the handicapped are good. Handicapped students, who need financial or physical aid, can find it at the Texas Rehabilitation Commis sion (TRC) branch on the Texas A&M University campus. TRC, a state and federally funded organization, assists students by giv ing scholarships, job placement in formation and medical help. “YVe pay for the tuition and non- A