VCU celebrates 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

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Virginia Commonwealth University students and employees turned out last Friday to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Marian Vessels, director of the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center and keynote speaker for the event, said VCU has a rich history of accommodating the disabled. Vessels was invited to VCU on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the act’s passage.
Marian Vessels, director of the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center and keynote speaker for the event, said VCU has a rich history of accommodating the disabled. Vessels was invited to VCU on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the act’s passage.

Those gathered reflected on efforts by VCU to accommodate the disabled and discussed work that remains to be done. The event was sponsored by Equity and Access Services, which leads, coordinates and supports civil rights compliance and ADA services at the university. 

“VCU has a rich history of trying to accommodate people in the community,” said Marian Vessels, director of the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center and keynote speaker for the event. “There are a lot of historic buildings on campus that can be made accessible. Maybe not fully but the ADA allows you to use creativity.”

People are reluctant to admit to having a disability. We need to change that. And you’re doing it here at VCU.

The original ADA was signed into law on July 26, 1990, and was amended in 2008 to clarify and broaden the definition of a disability. The act requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees and places accessibility requirements on public accommodations. ADA disabilities include both physical and mental conditions, which are not necessarily severe or permanent. 

During the 2010 U.S. Census, 57 million Americans identified as being disabled, according to Vessels. Even so, not everyone is comfortable sharing their disability. 

“People are reluctant to admit to having a disability. We need to change that. And you’re doing it here at VCU,” Vessels said.

The updating of hydraulic lifts and added test-taking sites for the disabled are some of the best-known accommodations by VCU, which also celebrates Disability Awareness Week in October. 

A panel of university and community leaders and advocates discussed the importance of the Americans with Disabilities Act and took questions from the audience.
A panel of university and community leaders and advocates discussed the importance of the Americans with Disabilities Act and took questions from the audience.

The campus celebration of the ADA anniversary was another way to create awareness. The event featured a panel of university and community advocates, who discussed available resources and took questions from the audience. 

“The future of the ADA is up to each and every one of you,” Vessels said. “You can make a difference. You can engage. You can talk to businesses that you work with. Make the promise of the ADA a reality. Commit to doing one thing that will make a difference.”

 

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