Challenges for A&M Students with Disabilities: Advocating for Change
College Station, Texas – On a recent sunny afternoon, a group of Texas A&M University students gathered to share their experiences and frustrations regarding accessibility on campus. For many students with disabilities, the college experience is meant to be one of excitement and tradition, yet several say it has become a battleground of accessibility issues.
Post-Game Reflections
Following a tough loss to Oklahoma, the Texas A&M women’s soccer team turned their focus to a more promising challenge: taking on the No. 5 ranked Auburn. The match not only put their skills and sportsmanship to the test but also served as a reminder of the importance of support and inclusion. A similar call for understanding emerges from the accessibility challenges faced within the A&M community.
Student Experiences
Four Aggies gathered to share their stories about the challenges they’ve faced while trying to participate in campus traditions. Each account was filled with feelings of frustration and alienation, highlighting a pervasive issue across campus.
Brianna Vogel, a structural engineering graduate and president of the organization “Aggies with Disabilities,” recalls a difficult experience at Yell Practice during her freshman year. “It was such a negative experience that I said, ‘I don’t want to go to Yell Practice again,’” she said. With a condition known as POTS, which causes lightheadedness when standing, she found herself in a distressing situation where accessibility was not prioritized.
A Grievous Reality
For Vogel and the approximately 3,000 students with disabilities at Texas A&M, Kyle Field should be a place where they can cheer for their school. Unfortunately, many are forced to contend with aggressive and often violent behaviors that arise from their classmates misunderstanding their need for accessibility.
Another student, Samantha Sapp, a sophomore studying forensic and investigative sciences, vividly described how she felt unwelcome. “Guess what they did the entirety of the game? They stood in the no-standing seats,” she said, recounting a particularly frustrating game against McNeese. She noted the security guard’s overwhelmed responses and the intimidating atmosphere she faced from other fans.
Difficulties at Special Events
These experiences don’t just happen during football games. Navigating events around campus such as visiting the Bonfire Memorial or accessing Aggie Park can be challenging for students needing adaptive equipment. Ty Sutton, an agricultural leadership graduate student, described a chaotic experience during a major game. “Most of these people were drunk. It’s all chaos,” he remembered. This lack of respect leads to students facing hostility rather than camaraderie.
Ignoring ADA Laws
Despite the Americans with Disabilities Act requiring equal access for individuals with disabilities, many students report feeling sidelined in their own community. Danielle Koehler, another graduate student, highlighted a lack of accountability about seating arrangements. It’s disheartening to see people standing in accessible seating areas, effectively taking away the very support that should be available to those who need it most.
Voices for Change
Erin Jones, A&M’s executive associate athletic director, remains hopeful for the future of compliance and safety. “It would be a great learning experience for the student body, policing themselves,” she suggested. After all, fostering an inclusive environment doesn’t just fall upon a few; it requires collective effort and change.
A Call to Action
Ultimately, students like Vogel, Sapp, Sutton, and Koehler just want to feel like they belong. “We already deal with isolation and segregation and discrimination everywhere else. We just want to be able to participate,” Vogel emphasizes. It is a call for empathy and understanding directed towards not only the student body but the administration as well.
As these brave students continue to speak out, it brings hope that positive changes will come to Texas A&M, allowing everyone to enjoy the Aggie traditions that so many love.
