LETTER TO THE EDITOR: USC strives to provide accessibility to all students


By
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This letter is written in response to the April 8 Letter to the Editor that ran in the Daily Trojan.

USC takes great pride in its efforts to provide substantial services, aids and academic adjustments for its students with disabilities. The staff in the Disabilities Services and Programs office work closely with students in need of accommodations, providing not only the adjustments requested but often additional accommodations, in order to create a better USC experience for all who contact that office.

In addition, the university spends over one million dollars each year in construction, both on existing buildings and newer ones, related specifically to barrier removal and easier access and mobility for students in wheelchairs, or with other mobility-related challenges.  This construction is prioritized with the input from facilities leadership and staff, access and universal design experts and administrators from Disability Services and Programs, the Office of Equity and Diversity, and the university’s Accessibility Advisory Committee.

The university aims to exceed code requirements for accessibility.  The new University Village project will have more residential units with accessible mobility features than required by code.  USC Housing voluntarily renovates units each summer, increasing the number of apartments with full mobility features.

We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with our students and broader university community partners to address these critical issues.

Edward Roth

504 Coordinator and Director of Disability Services and Programs

Jody Shipper

Interim ADA Coordinator and Executive Director of Office of Equity and Diversity