Our work to gain access to academic buildings and faculty offices was successful because of the support of other students. In my class, the involvement continued to graduation when the senior class and associated students provided a gift of six thousand dollars to pay to install a wheelchair lift in the Chemistry, Physics, and Math Building. Increased access ensures that more students with disabilities will attend Mills, bringing different perspectives to the classroom. Other advantages exist as well. For example, the installation of elevators and ramps makes it easier for nondisabled students to move in and out of their dorms every year.
Elderly alumnae can move more easily around the campus.
I always made an effort to point out these areas of common interest. Students with disabilities, like all people with disabilities, constitute one of the largest minorities. Ten to 15 percent of students have a declared disability. These range in type from cerebral palsy to dyslexia. With such a large percentage of students needing some kind of accommodation, it is crucial that colleges become proactive, responsive, and creative in addressing student concerns.