The daily difficulties faced by students with disabilities, as well as by teaching and technical-administrative staff, are at the center of criticisms made by the basic trade union union (USB) of the University of Calabria. Through a note, Usb highlights the serious infrastructural deficiencies of the University, an institution that presents itself as a center of excellence, but which – according to the complaint – does not guarantee accessibility and inclusion to all its ‘tenants’.
“The situations that have emerged in recent days express well the heavy daily mortification that students with disabilities and also teachers and technical-administrative staff experience,” says Usb. The critical issues highlighted concern problems such as non-functioning stair lifts, unresolved architectural barriers, interrupted routes for the visually impaired and access to classrooms that are not always easy. Additional reported obstacles include spring doors in corridors, slides with excessive slopes and elevators that are only partially operational.
“We cannot witness, in 2024, in a University that claims to be excellent, problems like these. It is unacceptable that we have to face similar impediments to access everywhere,” adds USB, denouncing how these conditions compromise the quality of life of users and full inclusion, also limiting the right to study for many students with disabilities.
Usb strongly asks the University Governance for an immediate and significant change: “As Usb, we ask that a consistent and rapid change of pace be achieved by the Unical Governance and that the appropriate structural interventions be undertaken to resolve the problems exposed .”
The note concludes with an appeal to dignity and equal opportunities: “Only in this way will the full and sacrosanct dignity of all be recognised, which must be even more guaranteed and protected for those who have the greatest need. And only in this way will we be able to truly boast of that excellence which first and foremost comes from the creation of conditions of equal opportunity for everyone”.