He places both crutches a step or two above him and shifts his weight so that his body follows, one step at a time.
For two weeks, junior Max Guenther has been attending three classes in Asbury Hall, two on the third floor and one on the second floor. He hasn't reported his injury to Student Disability Services and maintains that he doesn't plan to.
"It's mostly the distance," Guenther said. "Stairs aren't that bad, you just have to go one by one. It's inconvenient, but it's not terrible."
Asbury Hall is out of compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act. The absence of an elevator causes it to be less accessible to students who are physically impaired.
"I love Asbury, but it needs to be updated," said junior Jennifer Dickman, who was on crutches last year. "There are a lot of health problems; besides the elevator issue... the building's just outdated and obviously not up to par with student concerns and needs."
There are architectural issues that make adding an elevator difficult or impossible, but Academic Support Services does its best to work between the confines.
Pamela Roberts, academic success coordinator and coordinator of Student Disability Services, cited Asbury Hall's age as the main reason installing an elevator would be difficult.
Even though an elevator isn't feasible, Student Disability Services compensates by helping students in other ways.
"We couldn't require a disabled student to go to the third floor on Asbury," Roberts said. "Our job is to make sure that classroom is accessible, so by moving to make it accessible, that is the legally required thing we do. We take care of that as quickly as we can."
Although Dickman did not have classes in Asbury, she did live on the third floor of her sorority last year. Access to a car and a staff parking pass helped minimize travel time, but getting around still posed a challenge.
"It's really hard to be on crutches walking across campus," Dickman said. "It's exhausting, so when you finally get to where you're going, you're distraught and not prepared for classes."
Cases of temporary impairment, including those of Guenther and Dickman, were not covered under ADA law until Sept. 2008.
"George Bush signed an amendment that expanded the ADA law to include temporary impairments and episodic conditions and things such as broken legs, broken ankles, concussion, that are temporary in nature but impact students greatly when they happen," said Roberts. "We provide accommodation for those students, as well."
Students can request or accept an offer to be moved, or they can decline and stay where they are.
"We can't make someone take accommodations," Roberts said. "We can only offer them...but we must make an effort to do that."
Guenther has not taken accommodations.
"I'm able to get to all my classes. It may take five extra minutes, but that's okay," Guenther said. "I don't want to be a burden to other students in the class."
Students, professors and student life all refer cases of temporary impairment to Roberts. She said they are handled on a case-by-case basis.
"Case-by-case individual meeting is critical for every university in the country to meet the needs of students," Roberts said. "I have to work very hard to make sure I know the changes in the law, that I know what the legal thing to do is, that we meet the needs of our individual students."
In addition to university-owned property, Roberts also takes disability cases concerning privately-owned Greek houses even though ADA doesn't require it.
Last year during graduation, a lift was installed at the side of the stage so that a student in a wheelchair could receive her diploma then sit with her peers. ADA law maintains that physically disabled students must have the same rights as their peers.
Temporary impairment cases are among four accommodation categories-the other three are housing, dietary and academic.
"It's critical, important and the right thing to do in addition to being the legal thing to do," Roberts said. "I don't want [students] out there struggling on their own."