After years of fighting for a more accessible location, Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSP&S) has been granted the entire front portion of the current administration building, with the exception of one office space which has been allocated to College Relations for an extra storage area.
“Students are happy that we’re moving,” said Sam Alvarado, DSP&S Rehabilitation Counselor. “They’re very happy that we’re going into our own area.”
Just weeks ago, about three quarters of the front portion of the current administration building was allocated to DSP&S while College Relations was supposed to get the remaining quarter. That decision had ignited accusations and discussions about how to better accommodate the services for students with disabilities.
Cynthia Azari, president of Fresno City College, recently revisited her former decision to split the space between DSP&S and College Relations. She met with staff in the DSP&S and College Relations offices and listened to individual staff members, and changed her mind. Azari called a meeting with DSP&S on Nov. 18 and announced her final decision.
This recent decision makes a huge difference for DSP&S. “I think it’s going to improve DSP&S’ functioning 300 percent,” said Janice Emerzian, Director of DSP&S. She explained that the additional space allows DSP&S to house most of their services under one roof. “It’s going to be like a one stop shop,” said Emerzian. “The students don’t have to be running back and forth, up and down stairs, back and forth, across the campus for services.”
Emerzian explained that DSP&S currently has more students in wheelchairs than ever, so mobility is very important. There has also been an increase in the number of blind students who are attending FCC, making the one stop shop concept very convenient for these students. For the DSP&S staff, it will be easier to communicate quickly with other staff members. Now counselors can walk across the hall to talk to the LD (Learning Disability) tester or inquire about alternate media for students. “All of these kinds of services that the counselor has to coordinate will be right in there,” said Emerzian.
While DSP&S staff is thrilled about the increased allocation of space, some are questioning why the president assigned one room to College Relations and whether there wouldn’t be a better storage place for that office. “I’m glad with what we got, but I still believe that we needed the whole building,” said Sam Alvarado who said that at the meeting between President Azari and DSP&S on Nov. 18, he had tried to explain his discontent with the arrangement when the president had asked how the department felt about the new location arrangements. Alvarado said that he thought that the president wasn’t interested in listening. According to Alvarado, Azari cut him off while he was speaking. “I was a little upset about that,” he said.
The College Relations office will remain in its present location, on the bottom floor of the Student Services building across from the nurse‘s office. Regina Uribes, College Relations Specialist, said the College Relations department does not have any negative feelings about remaining in the same location. “We have no particular thoughts about being here or there,” said Uribes. She noted that some in her office have a concern of visibility, that College Relations is currently tucked away and hard to find on campus. But as far as Uribes is concerned, she and other college relations specialists have only two main concerns on the topic of relocation: storage and easy access to that storage. “We do need more storage space,” said Uribes. “Right now the space we have in Admissions/Records is very small and hard to maneuver in; in fact I find it hazardous.”
Uribes explained that college specialists travel to over 30 different high schools a year to present information to high school students about college. Their job demands them to lug stacks of presentation materials around regularly, and because of this, it is important that they have space to store their materials, and that they can haul the materials out of the office with as much ease of access that is possible. The new storage space in the administration building is an office nestled inside of what will be the primary DSP&S testing area. College specialists will walk through the testing area to store or retrieve their materials.
“We have testing going on all day long,” states Emerzian about proctored testing. “When she [LD specialist] tests a student, she’s determining their future, because their entire future in college and in work lies on the results of her assessment,” said Emerzian. “This assessment helps indicate what accommodations a student needs, not just for FCC, but for other levels of education, such as a future law school or medical school.” DSP&S is concerned that this arrangement may cause some disruption in the future.
Uribes feels that the arrangement will be fine. When College Relations was located above the bookstore, their storage space was in a conference room occupied by three programs. There were times where Uribes and her colleagues could not access their materials because of confidential meetings. “I’m sure we will have adequate access to the storage room this time,” stated Uribes. “It appears open enough for us to pass through.” The Administration Building is also close to the parking lot, making it easier for College Relations Specialists to load up their cars with materials.
Emerzian said that if Azari had not revised her decision and granted DSP&S the front half of the current administration building, DSP&S would not have been able to place all counseling and learning disability services in the same space. Emerzian is unsure of where the counselors and adequate testing space would have been located. The department is currently holding meetings about where to place specific staff members for the best benefit of the students. “We would have been severely impacted,” said Emerzian.
DSP&S has been informed that there is no money for retrofitting, but some design changes are necessary. The President has given her word, however, that upon DSP&S moving in, the building will be in top shape; rugs will be shampooed, floors will be cleaned, and the walls will be repainted. DSP&S will have clear signage on the outside of the building and on the inside. When people walk into the building, they will immediately see a sign directing them toward the check-in desk. This will help DSP&S properly direct walk-ins to the services they are seeking.
The DSP&S staff is elated and grateful for the president’s change-of-heart. “DSP&S has always followed the rules of all the committees that the proposal had to go through,” said Alvarado. Now, there is a feeling that it’s all worth it. The department will be stationed in an accessible and respectable area. DSP&S does not have a set move-in date at this time, but they are looking to be settled into their new location sometime in the spring semester.
“Our students come first, and that’s why we’re here,” said Alvarado. “It’s not for our own personal need; it’s for our students and to make it comfortable for them to want to come and see us and to get the help and assistance.”
