With a department funding decrease of 41 percent in the 2009-2010 fiscal year, the Bakersfield College Disabled Student Programs and Services Department is adapting to its new budget and services outsourcing, as well working with Maintenance and Operations to secure disability accessibility around the main campus.
DSPS director Angelica Gomez spoke on the changes and their outlining effects to the department and its services.
“It led to changes that included testing accommodations now being administrated through the assessment center, the courtesy cart service now being under public safety and moving DSPS from its original location, which was in the FACE building, to its current location in the Counseling Center,” she said.
Along with the outsourcing of services to other BC departments, DSPS saw the loss of its Memorandum of Understanding, its Learning Disabilities Specialists and the relocation of counselor Skip Hill.
Entering the 2010-2011 fiscal year, the changes to the department, as well as the funding decrease, still remain imposed upon the department, but the need for disabled accommodations by students is on the rise.
According to the Oct. 13, 2010, DSPS advisory committee minutes, which outlines the bulk of the current funding concerns, department changes and priorities, it states that there has been a 42 percent increase from 2005-10 in the number of students requiring DSPS services.
“Although DSPS continues to be in the red, ultimately the college is responsible in providing the accommodations to students with disabilities,” said Gomez. “The allocation alone does not meet the needs of DSPS students on this campus.”
With receiving the new allocations in March, that still hold the 41 percent fund decrease, Gomez pushed for additional funding from BC in attempt to keep the department applicable to students.
“Given that DSPS cannot live within the means as it has been directed, the college’s general funds are being used to supplement the shortage,” said Gomez.
In addition to providing adaptive educational services, DSPS, along with now resigned Student Government Association Vice President Brian Rathfelder, sought to bring supportive services to BC club meetings and SGA-sanctioned events.
“SGA club events requiring accommodations for students to participate in cannot be financially supported through DSPS categorical funds,” said Gomez.
The American Sign Language interpreters required to fulfill these requests will cost the school $75 per hour, with a two-hour minimum. If the event exceeds two hours, then a team of two interpreters is required.
Prior to his resignation, Rathfelder spoke on the mechanics of the request.
“Bringing the accommodations for SGA sanctioned events, I’ve gotten with our activities liaison and we’re going to be putting [a notification] on the bottom of our advertisements, regarding if people need accommodations for these events, who to get in contact with, as well as communicating that with the activities board, which are all the club representatives,” said Rathfelder.
“The main focus is getting those accommodations out to those students in a timely fashion. That is the ultimate goal regardless of the cost of it.”
Students are encouraged by Rathfelder to give a two-week notice in advance of each event.
DSPS plans for upgrading, repairing and renovating handicap accessibility are also underway. Working with Maintenance and Operations Manager Paula E. Bray, DSPS is currently in the process of upgrading and repairing the elevators, porch and stair lifts around campus.
The elevator inside the Language Arts building has been inoperable for the majority of the 2011 spring semester and Maintenance and Operations has been working to get it functioning again.
“We began having problems early last semester,” said Bray. “On the first day of spring semester, it died and we could not get it going again.”
“There are a number of issues and right now we are moving forward,” said Bray. “We have just recently completed some work on the fire alarm system upgrade that was required in order to bring the elevator up to code.
“One of the big problems that occurred was that we were concerned about some asbestos that they were going to need to go through.”
A specialized company was contracted to deal with the material and the work has been completed, and the elevator is expected to be operational by the end of April.
The elevators located in Student Services and the MS buildings are also scheduled for upgrades and repairs.
“There are no problems right now in either of those elevators,” said Bray. “They both function just fine, but they do need to be upgraded to meet new code, and because of this, we’re trying to finish the LA elevator, then we will be moving forward with Math Sciences and Student Services.”
The stair lifts located in and around the Science and Engineering, Language Arts and Student Services buildings are currently inoperable and scheduled to be removed. The lift inside the SAM building is operable and will stay during the building’s renovation.
Infrared sensors and automated sliding doors, according to Bray and the DSPS advisory committee, will be installed.