SSCB elevators leave students stranded

Two students in wheelchairs were stranded on the Student Services and Classroom building’s (SSCB) third floor Sept. 13 from approximately 6:30 p.m. until 9 p.m.

The UHCL police department confirmed two students, both with disabilities that confined them to electric wheelchairs, were stuck on the third floor of SSCB after their evening classes ended when both elevators malfunctioned due to a possible short-circuit. It is believed a motor went out and tripped the breaker for both elevators, rendering them inoperable.

Staff from the Office of Counseling Services were among the first to arrive and offer assistance. Disability Services, Facilities Maintenance and Construction (FMC) and police personnel were called for help.

Pam Groves, FMC director of maintenance and utilities, called a service company to fix the elevators.

The two students were not carried down because, among several reasons, neither could go home without their wheelchairs.

“The danger with that,” Darlene Biggers, associate vice president of student services, revealed, “is responders have to take individuals down since the wheelchairs are too heavy to carry by hand and risk injuring the student if they are untrained.”

Biggers said she received a call from Cindy Cook, executive director of counseling, health and career services after staff attempted to resolve the situation for over an hour.

“There was a part where no information was being relayed to reassure the students that someone from FMC was on the way,” explained Cook.

Gavin Steiger, director of disability services, arrived after 7 p.m. to assist.

Since the situation was not life threatening, emergency services were not notified.

“If it was an emergency, a different course of action would have been taken,” Steiger said. “Emergency responders would respond, get them out of the wheelchair…get them outside to a safe location.”

Around 9 p.m. both elevators were fixed.

After the incident, Biggers asked Tim Richardson, executive director of academic support services, to bring together everyone involved to develop a communication plan between different departments for faster response times.

“There was a little confusion as to what was the police role, what was FMC’s role and what was Disabilities Service’s role,” Biggers explained.

SSCB has one set of elevators and no alternative routes for students with disabilities that prevent them from taking the stairs, other than emergency options. Currently, there are no ramps, manual lifts or generator-operated elevators/lifts stationed in the building.

“Sometimes I think we see if something isn’t a problem for a large number of people it doesn’t rise to the top as much,” Biggers said.

Steiger said there are methods to build ramps halfway, but current interior designs for UHCL buildings would not support interior ramps that would comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility guidelines.

Steiger suggests a concept called “universal design,” which strives to create an environment that is as user-friendly and accessible as possible to everyone that could be used in future construction.

Steiger explained the principal using automatic doors at a grocery store as an example; it helps individuals using wheelchairs, families with strollers or people with grocery carts equally.

“Incorporate that mentality and thought process to make things more user-friendly for everyone not just those with disabilities,” Steiger said.

Allen Hill, interim chief of UHCL police, said if the elevators are out of service, students should contact the police department at 281-283-2222.  The police dispatcher will contact FMC, who will come out and assess the situation. If FMC is unable to get the elevators working, they will call out a service company.