AUSTIN FOLKERTSMA
senior editor
austin.folkertsma@my.tccd.edu

People with disabilities are often kicked to the curb because they’re “different” or not deemed to be “normal,” so society doesn’t want to take a chance on them because they’re the way they are. 

Society’s definition of “normal” isn’t a person with a disability, but what is “normal” anyway? 

According to Webster’s Dictionary, normal is something that is considered to be usual, ordinary or average.

What is true and “normal” for someone may not be for someone else. All of us are human. 

Student Accessibility Resources has done wonders in my academic career thus far in accommodating me being in a wheelchair. If some professors I’ve had would adhere to the accommodations I need, my experience would’ve been better. 

One professor, in particular, was a thorn in my side during the semester. They will remain unnamed, but they didn’t adhere to any of my accommodations. Not to mention that they completely embarrassed me in front of the entire class and made a snarky remark to me as I was leaving after taking the final exam.

In a way, TCC is very accessible, but in other ways, there’s room for improvement.

When I traveled to the NW Campus for the Celebrating Strides event, there was no button to open the door automatically, so I had to manually open it. Having to get the door open while pushing my chair was a nightmare. 

There were people around, but it feels burdensome to ask for help sometimes.  

In my business and speech communications class, all of the students sit in these round desks that have wheels on the bottom of them, and the desk as a whole looks like it’s made of flexible plastic. It’s not sturdy at all. I would fear that if a heavier student sat at the desk, it wouldn’t be able to support them. 

It’s also on wheels. Sometimes I feel like I have to chase it around and make it stop rolling so I can sit in it. It’s very hazardous for someone with bad balance.

The alternative is rolling up to this desk with an adjustable table that acts as a desk. The problem with this is if any weight is put on it, the table falls and crushes my legs. My MacBook has almost fallen off of said desk a few times because of this. I’m sitting there with no desk, so I have to use the table behind me to put my laptop on it to take notes. 

TCC needs to upgrade its equipment for students with disabilities. Just because the buildings are really old, doesn’t mean the equipment has to be. 

I don’t know what needs to be done in that area, but maybe investing so much money into the TR Campus needs to cease for a while. There are, in fact, other campuses. Spread the wealth to other campuses across the district.