UNC student protest mirrors time spent stuck in dorm rooms; they demand working elevators
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill sophomores Laura Saavedra Forero and Eleanor Bolton were stranded last year for more than a day in their dorm rooms after an elevator broke.
A year later, the two students, who both use wheelchairs, spent the same period of time camping outside the Chancellor’s Office calling for change.
“We haven’t seen much change, and we’re ready for something tangible,” Forero said.
Bolton echoed Forero’s sentiment.
“That was just a really disheartening, and I guess, inhumane moment,” Bolton said. “I really hope people can see the desperation and outrage that we’re feeling and hopefully also become activated on this issue.”
On Feb. 26, 2022, Bolton was left stranded on the third floor and Forero was stranded on the fourth floor of Koury Residence Hall when the elevator there broke. Neither can use the stair because each uses a wheelchair.
Bolton and Forero have a list of demands. It includes:
- Annual elevator and escalator inspections
- Accessible desks in classrooms
- Power buttons on classroom and external doors
- Ramps on external doors
- ADA-compliant bathrooms
- Move classes to an accessible location if a wheelchair user cannot make it to class for over a week due to accessibility concerns
- Provide ADA lab bench tops
- Establish evacuation plan for disabled students
- Teach Point-to-Point bus drivers on how to use accessible equipment
On Friday, Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz met with Bolton and Forero. The university said it is in the process of replacing elevators in several buildings and residence halls, but the age of the equipment and supply chain issues have made the process challenging. Carroll, Dey and Hamilton halls, as well as the Brinkhous-Bullitt Building, Lineberger Cancer Center and Morrison Residence Hall are on the list for updates.
“The university is committed to accessibility and to the safety of all students,” Guskiewicz wrote in a statement. “Accessibility is an important consideration in every undertaking at our university.
“I am deeply grateful for the advocacy of our students on this critical issue. We will continue to make progress and work with students and key campus partners to further examine our processes, policies and procedures.”
Also, the university is developing a notification system through the Carolina Ready Safety app to notify students of elevator outages on campus before next fall.
“It’s a full-time job to be a disabled student at Chapel Hill,” Forero said.
Forero and Bolton said the lack of equity is affecting their education.
“On a daily basis, we often cannot get to class because elevators are broken, or classrooms are inaccessible, or accessible doors are locked,” Bolton said.
The two sophomores told WRAL News that they want to change the status quo for other students coming behind them.
"We like to claim Carolina for all, but it's currently not accessible for all, especially disabled students,” Forero said.
