Editor,
Zimmerman Library is not doing a very effective job of providing space for students with disabilities to study in.
In fact, during the fire at Zimmerman Library, the administration took two of the available rooms in the Alice Clark Complex for students with disabilities to provide the director of Zimmerman Library with a new, spacious office.
While the renovation was ongoing at the library, I sent a number of e-mails asking when the complex would be made available to students with disabilities. I was informed through e-mail that it was being renovated as a result of the fire. This was a misrepresentation of the truth.
I made a special effort to bring the Zimmerman administration, UNM Accessibility Services, the Governor's Commission on Disability and New Mexico Protection and Advocacy System together to address the issue of the Alice Clark Complex. Two very small rooms were provided at Zimmerman to replace the space taken away during the fire to provide the director of the library with a new office. These rooms are not adequate.
Further, I was promised a copy of the assessment performed by the Governor's Commission on Disability. I never received it. I am also reliably informed that New Mexico Protection and Advocacy System never received a copy of this assessment. When is Zimmerman Library going to provide more space to students with disabilities to make up for space taken from the Alice Clark Complex?
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Three veterans, myself included, explained to the assembled staff from UNM, the commission and New Mexico Protection and Advocacy System the problems students with disabilities are facing at Alice Clark as a result of this taking away of space used by students with disabilities for decades. We even discussed a place, available at Zimmerman right now, to substitute the space taken away from students with disabilities.
Student fees should go to services such as workshops for graduate students, and Zimmerman Library needs to improve its services to students with disabilities.
Frank Martin
UNM student
