The Campus Environment office, in collaboration with Students for Disability Justice (SDJ), is collecting responses from students, faculty, and staff with mobility impairments for a survey that assesses which kinds of paving are the most accessible.
Staff, students, faculty, and community members who are interested in participating in the survey or getting involved in SDJ’s initiatives can reach out to sdj.uchicago@gmail.com or tpjohnson@uchicago.edu. According to SDJ, anyone who fills out the survey will be compensated $100.
The University began working with SDJ on developing this survey in spring quarter of 2023, and they released the survey in the autumn quarter of 2023.
Third-year Theo Johnson, a member of SDJ, said interest in a paving survey began last year when many people involved in the group voiced that those with mobility impairments experienced difficulties navigating campus. After discovering that the Campus Environment office was already working on a survey to assess paving accessibility, SDJ worked with the office to review and promote the survey.
“It’s often frustrating to see the University replacing the grass beside the main quad walkways at the end of the school year for aesthetic reasons, but not replacing the cracked and broken sidewalks with that kind of diligence. We’re hoping this survey will contribute to persuading the relevant administrative offices that paving accessibility could be a bigger priority,” Johnson said. “I don’t want to be too quick to cast blame on anyone in the administration, though. We don’t know the details of how these decisions are made by admin, and the Campus Environment office has been very willing to collaborate with us.”
Currently, the Campus Environment office and SDJ are focused on getting word out about the survey. In a statement to The Maroon, a University spokesperson said, “The collected results will help inform direction and priorities for future paving projects (new and maintenance of existing).”
“After we reach more people, we hope the information will remain on file so that, when the University replaces pieces of paving, they’ll have a better idea of what kinds of paving work best for people with mobility impairments,” Johnson said.
The University said that they are still in the process of collecting responses to the survey, but based on previous feedback, students and employees indicated a preference for level surfaces that minimize puddling and slickness when wet.
“We are open to collaborating with SDJ in the future,” the University spokesperson said. “Facilities Services also regularly consults with the Accessibility Design Review Committee on paving projects.”
