The DePauw community is eager to see Asbury Hall updated and in compliance with the American Disabilities Act.
Asbury Hall renovations are in line to occur a year after The Board of Trustees approved funding this past May. In a recent interview President Brian Casey said one of the primary motivations to update Asbury is to make it compliant and add an elevator to the building. According to Casey, the Board will also be exploring all of residential housing in regards to compliance.
On Sept. 7, 2015 Richard Vance, director of Facilities Management, sent out a campus wide email reporting that the enhancement of the building will include exterior upgrades to improve insulation and moisture control, as well as the installation of an elevator.
Emison is an example of a building that became more compliant when it was renovated.
“What we’ve been doing with the public buildings is slowly knocking them off,” said Casey.
DePauw students have been calling attention to this issue through news and opinion pieces featured in The DePauw since 2013. DePauw senior Zoe Grabow wrote an article published on Feb. 12, 2013 about Asbury Hall being out of compliance with ADA regulations. Then in the May 3 2015 issue, junior Susie Schmank voiced her concern about the lack of accessibility in Asbury Hall after her professor, Susan Hahn, touched on her difficulty with a serious knee injury.
“A serious injury is laboring enough, so why should the injured person have to attempt to make his or her own accommodations and feel like they are inconveniencing others by doing so?” said Schmank.
In an email Schmank expressed that she was relieved after she read Vance’s email about the renovations planned for the future.
“Reading Richard Vance's email felt redeeming and has led to me to the belief that problems like these do not go unnoticed, especially when someone gets the conversation started,” said Schmank.
In another opinions piece featured in the Aug. 31, 2015 issue sophomore Taulbee Jackson voiced his concern regarding Asbury Hall renovations and openly asked the DePauw administration to address the lack of accessibility.
According to the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights division, “The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment, State and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and transportation. It also mandates the establishment of TDD/telephone relay services. The current text of the ADA includes changes made by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-325), which became effective on January 1, 2009. The ADA was originally enacted in public law format and later rearranged and published in the United States Code.” 
However, The Americans with Disabilities act also states, “In providing program access, city governments are not required to take any action that would result in a fundamental alteration to the nature of the service, program, or activity in question or that would result in undue financial and administrative burdens...” -Chapter 28 C.F.R. Section 35.150(a)(3) of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Therefore, before the Board of Trustees approved funding for the update Asbury Hall technically met with standards, since updating it would have resulted in "undue finanancial and administrative burdens". After receiving appropriate funding, Facilities Management stated renovations would be occurring, but the process has been gradual. The only updates that have been addressed since last spring have been interior or technology enhancements. On Sept. 11, 2015, Vance sent out a progress report about these changes.
In this update, forwarded to The DePauw by professor of English Susan Hahn, Vance identified five goals for Asbury Hall. The first goal includes repairing the exterior of Asbury. Recently, Arsee Engineering identified what needs to be accomplished to ensure the building is watertight after their building envelope assessment. The second goal is to improve accessibility and add an elevator, this will occur in the first phase of the renovation.
The other three goals include enhancing capacity and classroom experience.
Vance himself was unavailable for comment.
Currently, Facilities Management is in the process of hiring an architect and the report states they plan on selecting an architect by the end of this month.
Unfortunately, the DePauw community will not see any concrete renovations until next fall.
In the email Vance reported, “Our goal is to begin Phase 1 of the work after Commencement in May and complete by the start of the school year in August as to not interfere with the academic calendar.”
