Campion renovations continue
A whole hole full of possibilities/ Brett Nielsen
Newly accessible campus being the end goal of the project
Authors: matt wincherauk — editor-in-chief
& john loeppky — sports editor
On May 5, 2015 Campion College announced plans for a two-step renovation project aimed at improving the level of accessibility available to students of the institution. As of this writing, construction has begun in earnest, but what effect will this project have on students who choose to take classes from Campion faculty? Director of Differently-Abled Students Nicole Bear, says the impact will be substantial.
“These renovations will mean that differently-abled students will have more independence. It will be a lot easier for them to pick classes because they won’t have to worry about whether or not they can get to the classroom.”
The project consists of a new elevator in a different location, the creation of a direct access point into the college as well as what Campion College’s Director of Communications and Marketing, Joanne Kozlowski, calls “the addition of spacious entryways at each level.”
Kozlowski goes on to say that the need for improvement was highlighted three years ago.
“The delivery of quality academic programs and services to our students is the top priority for the College. To do this effectively, we need to provide an environment that is safe and accessible for all. Following a full assessment of the 50-year-old College building in 2012, building improvement needs were prioritized and the objectives of this project were identified as the highest level of importance.”
With a price tag of $3.3 million, the Building Enhancement Project, as it’s known, won’t come cheaply, but Bear hopes that its completion will alleviate some of the concerns that some have held in the past.
“I think the Campion renovations are long overdue. I remember having a class on one of the upper floors and not being able to reach the buttons or turn my chair around inside the elevator. The buttons inside the elevator were way over my head. I always had to make sure I met a classmate or the instructor to help me.”
Kozlowski says that these barriers to entry are something that the College is consistently mindful of.
“The College continues to work in consultation with students, staff, and faculty to identify building improvement needs and address concerns whenever possible.”
In the same vein, Manager of the Centre for Student Accessibility, Teri Phillips, says that the University of Regina’s campus as a whole (including the federated colleges) is making a tangible contribution when it comes to accessibility.
“My perception is that we have a community that genuinely wants to be more accessible, and looks to find ways in which to do so, within our current fiscal reality. We care about our students, and Campion is demonstrating this by making their renovation project an internally valued process.”
Recently, it has come to light that the project will allow for a connection between the Campion entranceway, through a tunnel, to the residence towers, another improvement that signals a positive move towards further inclusion on campus and another instance of accessibility improvements across campus, to go along with earlier equipment installations that improve the lives of all students while in class.
