Student body support of disabled students after the shutdown of Carleton University’s Attendant Services Program (ASP) is promising, but the response from Carleton and able-bodied students leaves something more to be desired.
Carleton’s ASP pairs physically disabled students with an attendant so that they’re able to live and study on campus. The program was shut down for the fall semester, a decision met with outrage from program clients, able-bodied allies like myself and student leadership organizations.
Despite advocacy efforts, the university did not reinstate the program for the remainder of the fall term. While ASP is planning for a winter term return, I wonder—and worry—about the lasting consequences of Carleton’s decision for my disabled peers.
Suspending university programming for COVID-19 health and safety reasons is an understandable course of action. However, as ASP clients pointed out, when huge events such as the annual Panda Game are green-lighted but necessary accessibility measures are not, Carleton’s decision is questionable at best.
It seems like Carleton values sporting events over accessibility.
This comes as a marked contrast from Carleton’s previous presence at the forefront of accessibility programming and infrastructure among Canada’s post-secondary institutions—something the university boasts.
The ASP has been around since 1987 and is unique to Carleton and Algonquin College—no other post-secondary schools in Canada have programs like this that provide this extent of accommodation for physically disabled students. Carleton’s extensive tunnel system has allowed students to move around campus with relative ease for decades.
Until now, Carleton has provided what seems like a solid blueprint of what accessibility can look like on a university campus. When any organization or institution is in a position where they’re seen as a model for what’s possible, a responsibility to continue to do well comes with that.
When Carleton presents itself as a role model, others will see what action or inaction it is taking, and that will have an impact on their own action or lack thereof.
But now, Carleton can no longer hold that title.
Carleton choosing to suspend the program for the fall term—despite reinstating other campus programming—sent a message. Carleton being inflexible with clients trying to find alternate solutions that would still allow them to be on campus in the fall sent a message.
Other institutions will see this apparent lack of regard for disabled students and their rights, which will serve as an allowance for their own disregard for accessibility.
I worry Carleton’s firm decision on the ASP for the fall term, despite an abundance of protest, has decreased the pressure placed on other universities to create—and maintain—accessible campuses.
The university cannot simply resume the program without taking further steps.
Actions have consequences. What is Carleton going to do to amend these implications of its actions? More importantly, how is the university planning to regain the trust of its disabled students?
Carleton’s able-bodied community must make amends and learn from this. We must listen to the disabled student community. We must listen to what they want to see from the school and work with them.
Able-bodied students also have work to do. We need to continue to educate ourselves on the importance of accessibility and on disability justice. We need to listen to our disabled peers and show up for them.
Many students, including myself, were able to return to campus this fall. We need to do our part in holding Carleton accountable for not allowing many of our peers the same opportunity.
This ordeal has revealed how much room there still is for Carleton to grow. The fall term serves as a reminder to Carleton—and to its able-bodied students and faculty—that getting too comfortable with the amount of progress that has been made is a dangerous mindset to have.
As the winter semester approaches, Carleton needs to hold on to the lessons learned in the fall.
There is always room to make the world more accessible and more inclusive.
Featured image from file.
