Firstly I must apolgise for my lack of posts recently. I have had a very busy few months. I undertook my undergraduate research project/ dissertation and managed to somehow get 85% on it. I have also just got married 2 weeks ago. Things have been a bit hectic. However, I have just found something to rant about and so here I find myself back at my blog.
It has taken me ten long years to get to this point. Every conceivable (and inconceivable) barrier has been placed in my way to get to the point where I can actually graduate with an actual proper degree. Yesterday I got confirmation from my university. I am going to graduate in november 2013 with a first class honours degree.
As you can probably imagine I am extremely excited about this prospect. Whilst some people have no interest in their graduation ceremony, I have spent the last 7 years looking at the graduands every year with envy thinking one day that'll be me. This year it should be. Until I had the audacity to request some adjustments to my graduation office.
I asked for level access to the stage (IE by a lift) or if that involved too much walking in comparison to the stairs for my husband to assist me on the stairs. I also asked for an end of aisle seat.
The reply I got has rendered me effectively disabled and barred from my own graduation. I was told that I can request an end of aisle seat whilst booking. That bit was relatively simple. However, what I thought was a relatively simple request about level access to the stage seems beyond my university to comprehend.
I was told that the lift was only suitable for wheelchair users, but they suppose they might be able to let me use it if i really needed to, and that it was impossible for my husband to assist me on the stairs but that a member of staff would be on hand to assist. I was also advised that there would be some standing around and waiting backstage.
The email seemed to assume I have some mobility related access needs which is not true. I don't see the need to relay my reasons for needing level access or a specific person to assist me on stairs during stressful occasions, I expect people to be able to just accept.
It would appear that because I am not in a wheelchair that my needs can not be accommodated, or if they will be, it will be at the reluctance of the university rather than at their pleasure. If I had received an email saying that there will be no problem with me using the lift and that they could simply place a chair on it, it would have made me feel like I was actually welcome at the ceremony.
Now, I feel unwelcome and somewhat of a second class citizen. I will be utterly distraught if I don't get my chance to walk across the stage to get my degree but at the moment I can't see a way forward.
It is just typical that the university that told me so many times that I couldn't graduate is still now refusing me that privilege even when I have every right to be there and attend.
I don't know what to do, whether there is any point in fighting this, but with my degree being in education and disability studies it would seem somewhat futile not to use the skills I have learnt to win this battle.
Disability doesn't exist in a wheelchair and sometimes people have unusual access requirements. I have known all along how bad things are at my university but I didn't expect this.
