When was the last time you considered accessibility? Maybe if you’ve broken a leg, or been sick or tired enough to appreciate automatic doors or an elevator, you’ve had a momentary appreciation for how difficult everyday activities can be without these little adjustments. Otherwise, you may find the idea of organizing your entire life around accessibility unimaginable.

But for a person with a disability who needs accommodations, accessibility is a constant consideration. When choosing which colleges to apply to, the accessibility of a campus is an important consideration. If you’ve ever read a statement of inclusivity, or any statement that an organization or company does not discriminate, it may or may not have included disability. The University’s list of considerations claims to pay no regard “to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, veteran status, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression,” but despite this statement of intent, discrimination is not always deliberate and is often institutionalized by pre-existing structures.

The design of public buildings is now controlled to a certain extent by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but ADA was only passed in 1990, long after most buildings on campus were built. The University has few fully accessible buildings. Usdan, 41 Wyllys, and Allbritton are all physically accessible.

While many other buildings have accessible features, some are deceptive. Imagine my disappointment wandering around Zelnick pavilion, which contains a ramp leading to the ’92 Theater and an elevator directly next to the stairs. One side is easily accessible by ramps, but I am stymied by the heavy and decidedly non-automatic doors at the top. Judd has automated doors and an elevator, but in contrast to the building’s three other doors, the accessible door’s ramp is off to the side—it leads only to the basement, and the elevator is tiny and painfully slow. The elevator in PAC also takes an eternity. Many bathrooms that might look accessible because they have an extra large stall have an entryway too narrow or too sharply curved for a wheelchair user to enter easily. Bikes chained in places besides bike racks can block ramps or prevent someone from using a much-needed railing on the stairs.

Some people might argue that it doesn’t matter where the ramps are as long as they exist. However, accessibility involves more than just electronic doors. Forcing someone who cannot use stairs to choose a significantly longer and more complex route creates complications and entails discrimination. Being relegated to the back door or a particular corner of the lecture hall is a form of second-class citizenry that is still considered perfectly reasonable for people with disabilities long after it has become unacceptable for any other minority.

Accessibility should be a consideration for everyone. A common idea in disability theory is that everyone is only temporarily able-bodied. With time, we all age. Many of us have accidents and illnesses, temporary impairments, and eventual degeneration of our minds and bodies. Plus, many accessible features such as microphones in large lecture halls and adjustable light dimmers benefit all students.

Think for a moment: when scheduling events, how often is disability and accessibility taken into consideration? A guest speaker, a party, a group meeting—all of these things can easily be inaccessible. The Universiy Organizing Cener, a safe space for identity groups and a great resource, is distinctly inaccessible. As a result, any group that meets there becomes inaccessible as well.

There may not be any students who use wheelchairs at the University at the moment, but maybe that has to do with the fact that they would be unable to participate fully in campus life. Other students, some with invisible disabilities, deal with these considerations as well. Students can contribute to the accessibility of our campus by contributing to various initiatives around accessibility, by getting involved with groups such as Wesleyan Students for Disability Rights (WSDR) or the Repetitive Stress Injury awareness campaign, or simply taking the needs of fellow students, staff, and professors around campus into consideration.