CAMPUS / AREA
University Daily Kansan/Friday, January 31, 1992
3
Kristen Petty/KANSAN
Shakespeare in the sun
taking the natural, therapeutic approach to curing her winter cold, Suzy Conley, Evanston, ill., senior, basks in the unseasonably warm sun near Potter Lake — but not alone. A drawing class, upper right, sketches lake scenes.
New federal law mandates accessibility for disabled
By Svala Jonsdottir
Kansan staff writer
Disabled people wanting to go to a restaurant or store in Lawrence may run into problems despite federal and state laws guarantee their rights.
But enforcement will require formal complaints
The Americans with Disabilities Act,
which became effective Sunday,
requires all businesses and places open
public to be accessible to the disabled.
Businesses that conform to the law can get state and federal tax credits. Those who do not comply could face fines or lawsuits.
State Sen. Wint Winter Jr., RLawrence, said the amended Kansas Act Against Discrimination, which became a law in 1991, was in accordance with federal law.
"We just applied the rules earlier than we had to." Winter said.
Although federal and state laws ensure the accessibility rights of the disabled, one one seems to be enforcing the compliant complaint is filed against a business.
City Manager Mike Wilden said it was the city's responsibility to make sure the buildings it owned were in compliance with the federal law.
Although federal and state laws ensure the accessibility rights of the disabled, one on one seems to be enforcing the regular complaint is filed against a business.
"We just applied the rules earlier than we had to." Winter said.
City Manager Mike Wilden said it was the city's responsibility to make sure the buildings it owned were in compliance with the federal law. The city also enforces a building code that is being a guide to include a new chapter on accessibility.
"We are not here to enforce the federal law for businesses in the city," he said.
The Kansas Human Rights Commission in Topeka enforces the state law for
Freda Riley
Manager of Kinko's Copies
accessibility of buildings.
Robert Lay, assistant director of the commission, said the commission did not have field inspectors to check building accessibility.
Ray Petty, executive director of Independence Inc., a Lawrence non-profit advocacy and living group, was one of the people who testified before the Kansas Senate when the state law was being considered.
"To get us involved, a person needs to fill in the problem. Lay said,
"We did a survey in 1989 of 37 buildings in Lawrence that were all built in the last 10 years to see if they were in compliance with the state law," Petty said. "Sixty percent of the buildings were lacking a significant number of the required features to accommodate disabled persons."
Bob Mikesic, advocacy coordinator for Independence Inc., said Kinko's Copies, 550 W. 23rd St., was in a shopping
center where the ramp from the parking lot was too steep for wheelchair users.
Freda Riley, manager of Kino's, said she was not aware of the new disability act.
"A regular customer here explained to me how difficult it was for people in wheelchairs to get into the store," Riley said.
Riley contacted the owners of the Riley and, another ramp was built, she said.
But the new ramp lacks handicapped parking spaces next to it. Mike saisid.
Glen White, training director of the Research and Training Center for Independent Living at KU, said he suggested that students last year to Bank IV, 900 Ohio St.
"Even though there was a ramp, it was too steep for wheelchair users," White said. "I also looked at the bathrooms, and I couldn't use them in a wheelchair."
After he contacted the bank, one of the bathrooms was made accessible for wheelchairs, and the ramp is being worked on, White said.
Other businesses in Lawrence also need to make changes, White said.
Steve Carrier, Ottawa senior, said he had run into some difficulties using his cell phone.
"Even if it is only a curb cut that is not there, that is a major obstacle for someone in a wheelchair," he said. "Most stores and restaurants are pretty easy to find, but some restaurants, for instance, the bathrooms are not big enough for a wheelchair."
Becerros restaurant, 2515 W. Sixth St.
does have a ramp to allow wheelchair
access.
"We added handicapped parking spaces this summer, but there is not a ramp," said John Davis, manager of Becerros. "I am not aware of any new law, but if there is a need to put a ramp there, I think we will."
City commissioner pitches recycling
Six-week study to determine feasibility
By Andy Taylor
Kansan staff writer
Lawrence City Commissioner John Nalbandian wants to curb the amount of recyclable items that people throw away.
Nalbandian, KU associate professor of public administration, proposed at Tuesday's commission meeting that city management conduct a six-week feasibility study on a community-wide, curbside recycling program.
The study will examine several aspects of recycling in the community. Nalbandian said.
"It's not just a matter of saying Yes, we want to do this program," he said. "There are a lot of questions that have to be thought out, and that's what city employees are there to do."
City management will ask for a city recommendation from the city's recycling and resource reduction committee appointed by the mayor.
Nalbandian said interest in the environmental movement had grown in Lawrence.
"Eighty percent of the responses to a recent survey by the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce favored some kind of recycling," he said. "That'skind of starting. I think this town is more interested in recycling, and it's the job of the city commission to explore the alternatives that we have to make it happen."
Nalbandian also urged expansion of the Earthbound program, a local project that composts leaf and grass clippings for landscape use.
He said many residents needlessly piled bags of lawn clippings with their regular garbage.
"The grass clippings put in all of the other trash," Nallbandian said. "And the problem is that grass and leaves occupy a humongous space in the landfills. So what we are trying to do is get the grass and leaves picked up separately."
Nalbandian said residents could voluntarily take bags of iawn clippings to several drop-off sites in Lawrence, including Centennial Park, Holcomb Park, and "Dad" PerryPark.
Chris McFarland/KANSAN
JeffWicina, Lenexa graduate student, uses disabled access ramps to reach his apartment at Jayhawer Towers. The Towers is one of six living establishments on campus that is equipped with facilities for handicapped students. Stauffer Place Apartments, Pearson Scholarship Hall, and Ellsworth, JRP and Oliver Halls are the other establishments.
Students with disabilities can approach University for housing adjustments
By Chris Jenson Kansan staff writer
When Jeff Wicina decided to attend the University of Kansas, he had to make special arrangements.
Wicina, a Lenexa graduate student who entered the University in 1986, uses a wheelchair, and many campus residence halls at that time were not equipped to meet his needs.
Wicina said that before he came to KU, he made arrangements through the Student Assistance Center and that the center modified an apartment in Jawhawk Towers.
"The key is going in ahead of time, because they do everything on an individual basis." Wicca said.
Bob Turvey, associate director of the Student Assistance Center, said the University was
"More diversity is needed," he said.
making strides to offer more options for people with disabilities.
Different living options need to be available so students can live wherever they choose, Turvey said.
He said several University housing options were accessible for people with disabilities.
"Ellsworth, JRP, Oliver, Jayhawyer Towers, Pearson Scholarship Hall and Staffer Place all have handicap accessibility in at least one room," he said.
Turvey said the University was taking steps in the right direction by building Amni Scholarship Hall, which will be completely accessible. The hall is scheduled to open Aug. 1.
"Everyone seems to be working in the same direction," he said. "We are on the way to get
Lip-Chai Soh, a Malaysia junior who also uses a wheelchair, recently moved into an apartment at Staufer Place. At first, he had difficulty getting his apartment properly equipped.
Soh said he also had worked with the Student Assistance Center. The main problem he had to face was that no curb cuts had been made leading from the parking lot to his apartment.
Curb cuts are depressions in the curb that level it with the street, providing access to the sidewalk.
Soh's problem was resolved Tuesday when curb cuts were installed in the parking lot near his apartment. He said that before the cuts were installed, someone had to help him over the curb.
ting things done."