Club to Address Disability Issues Planned
BY EMİRHAN KAYA (IR/III)
Plans are underway to found a new student club next semester. The proposed club would organize disabled students and volunteers into a group, making it possible to identify and address needs and issues through direct communication. Leaders of the project, including Reyyan Ayfer, chair of the Department of Computer Technology and Programming (CTP), are hoping to obtain input from students regarding ideas for the club and for ways to raise awareness of disability issues.
To learn more about these issues, Bilkent News met with some disabled students studying at Bilkent. They drew attention to matters ranging from the physical facilities of the campus to the question of how they can participate more equally in social and academic life at the university. It was emphasized that the first priority is not removing physical impediments - rather, it is raising the awareness level of the Bilkent community. The students also had a number of ideas about how existing problems can be solved. Here are some of their comments:
Canberk Sağnak (MAN/I): There are only a small number of disabled students on campus, and therefore it's hard to develop disability awareness. However, if the campus facilities are improved,
more disabled students can be attracted and thus our voices will be more likely to be heard. Forinstance, it would be good if the STARS system could be set up so that physically disabled studentscan have course schedules in which they don't have to move from one building to another. Plus, improving the transportation facilities would help to promote interaction and better integrate disabled students into campus life.
Halil Yasin Telli (CTP/I): Although people seem insensitive to regulations -- like the rules that forbid blocking the ramps that have been built to ease access -- the right kind of campaign or project can make a difference regarding the needs of the disabled. For example, the "blue cap" campaign to purchase a wheelchair for every five thousand plastic bottle caps collected has spread across the country with the assistance of schools, municipalities and various nongovernmental organizations. The point of any effort to improve conditions is to succeed in reducing insensitivity without bringing about antipathy toward the disabled.
Selim Dospatlı (IR/I): I believe that in order to increase awareness, disabled people must organize and act as a unified body. I would like to ask why disabled students haven't taken part in any serious organization on campus. In this regard, the representation issue and having a well-organized group are of critical importance.
All those who would like to help in organizing a club that will unite students interested in promoting communication and addressing disability issues are invited to participate in brainstorming sessions to come up with the club's name, logo and slogans on Tuesdays at 10:45 at GZ-24. All students who are sensitive to the needs of their disabled friends are welcome. engelsiz@bilkent.edu.tr