Alyssa Cabrera ‘25, Tess Conroy ‘22, Kathleen Miller ‘22, Sam Poyant ‘23, Hannah Walsh ‘22

Recently, there have been a few articles in “The Spire” addressing accessibility at College of the Holy Cross. It is no secret that the campus is physically challenging to navigate due to its location on the side of a hill. There is definitely work that needs to be done to help make our campus more physically accessible. That being said, we would like to take this opportunity to highlight some of the existing resources that are in place. As DREAM (Disability Rights, Education, Activism, and Mentoring) peer educators, we have some insight into the Office of Accessibility Services and believe that we may be able to provide some information on the current initiatives at Holy Cross.

The Office of Accessibility Services provides reasonable accommodations for eligible students on campus, including temporary services for students with injuries. Specifically, the office can help to arrange shuttles with Transportation Services or other accommodations for physically disabled students. 

Another exciting initiative is a campus accessibility map, which was created by a dedicated group of students within the SGA. This map aims to highlight routes through campus that avoid stairs and will be accomplished by the College soon. There is also an existing map that notes single occupancy public restrooms: https://www.holycross.edu/sites/default/files/files/maps/single-bathrooms.pdf. 

The Office of Accessibility Services regularly processes requests for academic, housing, dining, and temporary accommodations. It can also refer students who would like to seek diagnostic testing for a disability. Please visit their page on the Holy Cross website to view a comprehensive list of the services available and reach out to the staff with any questions you may have: https://www.holycross.edu/health-wellness-and-access/office-accessibility-services.