As part of yearly improvements to campus, the Office of Residential Life carried out major renovations to the River Apartments and Kappa Delta Epsilon sorority this past summer, while also working toward increasing accessibility for handicapped students.
The Maxwell and Channing Cox senior apartments were completely revamped, receiving both structural and decorative upgrades. A new addition was constructed at the back of the existing KDE building, with better handicap accessibility and an improved fire exit.
Director of Residential Operations Woody Eckels said ORL works on a 10-15 year cycle for building renovations, since most dorms are occupied in the summer, and the rest are used for seminars, conferences and other events.
Earlier this year, the College conducted a physical plant audit and in February came to a decision that all Greek houses would be required to become accessible within the next three years.
This decision was not a product of any particular legal requirements but rather a desire on the part of the College to make program spaces accessible to all students, Eckels said.
"Open parties are supposed to be non-exclusive, and we wanted handicapped students to be able to go to them," Eckels said.
At present, of the College-owned Greek houses, only Kappa Kappa Gamma, Epsilon Kappa Theta and Sigma Delta are handicap accessible.
The College imposed requirements both in terms of accessibility to a house and within it. Houses were asked to put thought into the potential for handicapped students to join their organizations.
However, some members of Greek organizations, it is financially and logistically unreasonable for the College to impose such a requirement.
"I understand where they're coming from, and I think it's a good idea to make it fair for everyone, but it's very expensive and difficult to install an elevator and ramps," said David Phillibert '05, a member of Kappa Kappa Kappa fraternity.
As part of the audit, Greek houses were required to hire their own architects and respond to the College regarding the present status of accessibility, as well as future plans.
The College also has a "barrier removal" program, through which it is trying to make all buildings on campus accessibly. It has already made necessary changes to public buildings such as the Hopkins Center, the Hanover Inn, Dartmouth Hall and the Collis Center.
Parking Operations also produces large-scale maps that indicate all the accessible buildings on campus.
The 504ADA committee, which refers to Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act, works to steer the College towards making it more accessible.
Modest funding and power, however, limit its ability to act outside of an advisory capacity, Eckels said. Presently, the College is working towards making the Canoe Club accessible. The act also stipulates that all new buildings constructed on campus are required to be accessible.
In addition, whenever major renovations are carried out to dorms, ORL attempts to make them accessible. This was done in the case of New Hampshire dormitory and the Ripley-Woodward-Smith cluster. However, in the case of the Gold Coast, ORL decided that it was simply not possible to make it accessible.
At KDE, a new accessible sleeping room and bathrooms for residents and the public were constructed. KDE also received renovations as part of yearly maintenance work by the college to improve the quality of life for students.
The major projects included adding a new section, mainly to accommodate a new fire escape, as well as a new boiler which cost to the tune of $100,000.
In the River apartments, Maxwell received an entirely new roof, and both buildings were given new furniture and appliances.
