2008 Woodie Awards
Shuttle: Why Not Hobart?
Tara Golebiewski
Issue date: 4/14/08 Section: News
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This building is the furthest away from on-campus housing and on the opposite side of campus from lot six, where commuter students sometimes must park. Despite this, the shuttle does not stop there.
To the average student this might not be a big issue, but what about disabled students?
Senior psychology major Elizabeth Cohn, who recently under went major foot surgery and has a cast up to her knee, thinks this is a problem.
Cohn uses crutches to get from class to class, which is very tiring, she says.
"The biggest problem is getting from Hobart to Ben Shahn," said Cohn. "I have 15 minutes to get from one end to the next. And to make matters worse, from the foot-bridge to the atrium is up hill. After that I'm exhausted."
According to Director of commuter services Allen Williams, the reason the shuttle does not stop at Hobart Hall is that the traffic pattern does not easily accommodate a shuttle to pull into that lot and to change the route would extend the loop time.
"It's not conducive to maintaining a frequent schedule," said Williams.
The university does have a disability services department designed to aid and support students in need. They offer assistance with course registration, note-takers, audio taping, extended time for tests, parking referrals and alternative testing accommodations. Where buildings are inaccessible, the department will offer to have a student's class relocated to a more accessible building, as in Cohn's case.
"I can understand moving a class for students with permanent disabilities, but for temporary injuries it doesn't make sense," said Cohn. "I don't want to disrupt a class just because I'll be on crutches for a month."
Even non disabled students find the fact that there is no shuttle route for Hobart Hall unfair.
"As a communication student, I feel that the school doesn't care about me," said Rob Sporer, a senior.
Some students also say that taking the shuttle to Wayne hall and then walking to Hobart Hall does not get them to class on time.
"When I lived on campus, if I took the shuttle to Wayne Hall and then walked the rest of the way I would always end up getting to class a few minutes late," said Leacy Leaming, a communications major. "I just started walking everyday, which is not a problem for me, but I can't imagine how someone does it on crutches."
While William Paterson does provide many opportunities and assistance to the disabled, where does that leave students with unplanned injuries? Accidents happen, and the current system does not completely take that into consideration.
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