Last month marked the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark law that has significantly impacted accessibility across the nation.

What You Need To Know

  • The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) marked its 34th anniversary last month

  • New York colleges are innovating to meet ADA standards while preserving historic buildings

  • Russell Sage and Siena College are leading examples of accessibility efforts

  • Over 31,000 SUNY students self-report a disability, highlighting the need for ongoing improvements

  • Institutions face challenges in funding and retrofitting historic structures

Colleges in New York state are reflecting on their progress in making campuses accessible to everyone, with institutions like Russell Sage College and Siena College leading the way.

Russell Sage College, founded in 1916, faces unique challenges in retrofitting its historic buildings. 

"ADA came well after the founding of colleges like ours," Russell Sage College President Matthew Shaftel said. "It's important to find ways to retrofit existing buildings to meet the needs of our students." 

"You have to look at the space you have to work with," John Zajaceskowski, senior director of facilities at Russell Sage, noted. "We sit down with architects and engineers to find the best way to get somebody into the building."

Siena College takes a similar approach, ensuring new constructions are ADA-compliant from the ground up. 

"Anytime we have new construction, we're factoring in ADA," said Adam Casler, associate vice president for Student Life at Siena College.

Beyond physical structures, there's a push to modernize curricula to ensure educational materials are accessible. 

"We're going through every course material, ensuring options for alternative texts," said Lindsay Green, director of accessibility at Siena College.

Students are noticing these changes. 

"They put in a lot of work, so people can access everywhere on campus while keeping the history alive," said Russell Sage College student Brooke Martinez.

Private and public colleges across the state are working to improve accessibility. The impact of their efforts is evident in the significant number of students in need of these accommodations. The State University of New York caters to almost 370,000 students, with over 31,000 self-reporting a disability, as per a 2023 report from the comptroller’s office.