Association of Disabled Students

Executive Board of Directors

To:

From: University of Oklahoma Association of Disabled Students

Date: February 24, 2009

Subject: Parking Regulation/Accessibility Issues and Suggestions

To Whom It May Concern:

Throughout our time on the University of Oklahoma Norman campus, we, as a small
group of disabled students, have noticed some small but significant issues with parking around
the majority of the campus. These issues include a lack of handicapped accessible parking as a
result of an inadequate amount of spaces and also because of non-disabled persons filling needed
vacancies. Additionally, certain parking and accessibility issues and suggestions regarding
extracurricular events will be addressed.

Section A: General Campus Parking Issues

As a student entering the University of Oklahoma for the first time, students who wish to
park on campus are required to purchase a parking pass, whether they live on campus or not. As
an organization, we acknowledge this policy and comply by purchasing a parking pass annually.
However, with this purchase, we should also have complete access to all available handicapped
parking spaces with the appropriate placard. Within the last year, we have noticed an increase in
the amount of people who park in these vacant spots who a) do not have any kind of parking
permit and b) who do not have an authorized and approved handicapped placard. These
individuals have not appeared to have been ticketed by the University of Oklahoma parking
office or the Norman Police Department. As disabled students, we know that there is a fine
upwards of $250 to $1,000 and revocation of the handicapped placard available to those to
violate the law. Instead of having the required materials to park in these handicapped spaces,
students, faculty, and staff display a blue gate card that hangs from their rear view mirror that is
supposed to suffice as an acceptable substitute for not having the correct documentation. It also
appears that the OU parking officers only check for on-campus parking permits and not for
people who are parked illegally in handicapped accessible spaces. Some disabled students have
reported receiving parking tickets for not possessing an on-campus parking permit while parked
in a handicapped accessible parking space but did have the appropriate placard (Sarkeys Energy
Center and Catlett Parking Facility). Those who have received those tickets have remedied the
situation by purchasing a parking permit. Those who do not have a handicapped placard receive
nothing and that is unacceptable. We realize that the Norman campus is of descent size and it is
not possible to monitor the entire campus at the same time. However, the frustration grows when
we make sure to comply with the regulations set upon us and persons without a need for those
spaces go unpunished. A blue gate card DOES NOT constitute as an acceptable substitution for
not having a handicapped placard displayed.

All of the handicapped accessible parking spaces on the campus are essential to the
success of a disabled student at the University of Oklahoma. Disabled students are instructed to
plan their schedules to ensure that they have adequate time to get from class to class in order to
reduce class disruptions. Those spaces are placed strategically to make sure that they are as close
to the building as possible which makes it easier to get to class on time. The problem comes to
light when all of the handicapped accessible spaces are filled by non-disabled students, faculty,
and staff, and even construction crews. Unfortunately, we do not have many options when it
comes to where we can park because all of our disabilities require different things from us. Some
students have vision impairments and the closer they can get to the building they wish to enter is
potentially safer. Other students have walking impairments and can only walk short distances
before running out of energy. The main objective here is to utilize all of the accommodations
available to ensure that a disabled student has as equal of a chance at success as any other student
at the University. People who wish to park in handicapped spaces who do not need them throw
off the planning and timing of the student because of the chance that he/she will have to relocate
their vehicle to another parking lot and walk the extra distance. Tardiness and disruptions are not
the keys to success.

At the same time, we acknowledge that everyone needs somewhere to park on campus
and sometimes it can be difficult to find one. The difference lies in the fact that a non-disabled
person has an option to park somewhere else and generally will be able to walk the extra distance
without any problems at all. A disabled person, however, does not have this option. We are
forced to make plans early and even though we try to be as flexible as we can, there is only so far
we can bend. With this, we suggest that the University of Oklahoma parking officers identify and
ticket those who do not have an on-campus parking permit and/or authorized handicapped
placard. Disabled students are more than willing to fulfill their parking requirements and follow
the regulations set by the University. In turn, we expect others to honor these requirements and
fulfill their obligations as well.
 Section B – On Campus Special Event Parking/Accessibility Issues and Suggestions

One of the best phrases that University of Oklahoma students cannot wait to here is “It’s
Football Time in Oklahoma!” Football season is a time for all OU students to get together to
have a fun and relaxed time to get together with friends after a busy and stressful week. It is a
time that everyone needs to prepare for the week that is to follow and everyone should be
allowed to attend.

Tailgating is a lot of fun but indirectly creates some problems for the disabled
community. Unfortunately, roads are blocked off which eliminate some of the available
handicapped parking spaces. Those parking lots that are not blocked off by the Norman Police
Department are inaccessible because they are used for people to charge for parking or to tailgate.
The problem with this is that, as mentioned above, for some disabled people, the shorter the
distance from point A to point B, the better. On game day, the only way to get even somewhat
close to the stadium before kickoff is to a) pay inflated prices in a parking lot or yard or b) park
your vehicle somewhere and walk all the way to the stadium. This in itself is an issue because a
large number of sidewalks and ramps for handicapped use are either badly cracked or non-
existent. The perfect example of this problem is on Parsons Street (coming from Chautauqua
Avenue going towards Elm Avenue). In this particular area, the slabs of concrete that make up
the sidewalk on both sides are cracked into a minimum of three pieces. It is not hard to imagine a
student walking with a walker with three inch wheels struggling to stay out of the cracks.
Additionally, an individual with a 250+ pound, semi-wide power wheelchair does not have the
option to travel this route because a) the sidewalk in too narrow b) there are ramps that have a
sending end but no receiving end when a person crosses the street or vice-versa or c) the standing
water left over in the street after a rain cycle does not allow for a disabled person to travel that
way safely either. Luckily, the University is slowly making progress fixing this and other unsafe
areas, but there is another, faster way to complement these efforts.

We propose that one of the available parking lots be reserved for handicapped persons
only. This includes but is not limited to current students, faculty and staff, and alumni. The
parking lot does not have to be of enormous size but should be proportionate to the number of
handicapped seats within the Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium and be a reasonable distance
from it so that everyone is able to travel safely to and from the stadium, enjoy the football season
with friends and family, and also support the Oklahoma Sooners towards another National
Championship.

Section C – Maintaining Continuity and Equality

 Along with making sure everyone on campus is in compliance with the University of
Oklahoma parking regulations and allowing everyone attend the football games or any other
extracurricular activity, we feel that there is one last issue that needs to be address, and that is the
handicapped seating limit policy. As the current policy stands, disabled persons are allowed to
have one person accompany them during the event. This is an understandable policy of which we
are more than willing to comply with. The only problem we have noticed is that other individuals
who are not disabled are allowed to sit in the handicapped designated area (i.e.: family members
of the ROTC, cheerleading, and pom squad). Again, we see that we are forced to comply with a
policy that is not evenly and equally applied to everyone. To be clear, we do not think that
because of this, we should be granted the right to have all of our friends accompany us during the
game. Our only request is that the parking and seating policies be universally applied across the
University of Oklahoma campus so that everyone is held to the same standard and expectations.

We request that the necessary changes be made as soon as possible so that new policies
can be implemented if needed and so that the University of Oklahoma will be more accessible to
all that attend this wonderful educational institution.

Sincerely,

University of Oklahoma Association of Disabled Students

Executive Board of Directors

_____________________________ _____________________________
Austin T. Slaymaker, President Colin B. Bober, Vice President

_____________________________ _____________________________
Robert W. Gates, Director Kyle R. Morrison, Director