As part of the Quinnipiac University’s Mount Carmel Campus remodel, the former school of business has been renamed to The DOME. However, in changing room number plaques it currently lacks accessible Braille signage, violating the Americans with Disabilities Act regulations.
The ADA defines temporary as “7 days or less.” However, more than two weeks have passed since the first day of the semester and the building is still without proper Braille signage.
Outside each classroom, temporary cardboard plaques have the room number printed in Braille; however, these plaques are flat.
“Raised characters shall be 1/32 inch (0.8 mm) minimum above their background,” according to the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design.
“We are in the process of updating all signage in the DOME as part of the current renovation project,” said John Morgan, associate vice president for public relations in a statement to The Chronicle. “The new signs, which will be installed in the coming weeks, are designed to meet all accessibility standards and will include Braille. Making sure that our facilities are accessible so that all students, faculty, staff and visitors can navigate our three campuses with confidence is a top priority.”
According to Quinnipiac’s official website,“Quinnipiac University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.”
“Braille provides individuals with visual impairments and disabilities equal access to information, such as room names and numbers,” The Disability Student Union wrote in a statement to The Chronicle. “Instead of maintaining and updating this accessibility, tape was placed over the original Braille and the corrected room names were written with Sharpie. Signs with printed, non-raised dots also fail to serve this purpose and further demonstrate that accessibility was not prioritized in the redesign of The Dome. A building that is not fully accessible and inclusive should not be in use, and we are deeply disappointed in Quinnipiac’s failure to ensure that all facilities are accessible to everyone.”
Though the building’s name and thus room numbers have been altered, the ADA requires “altered portions of existing buildings and facilities” to be accessible.
This is not the first time the campus did not have proper Braille signage.
In 2022, an investigation done by The Chronicle revealed 240 Braille signs that did not comply with the accessibility standards defined by the ADA.
“Quinnipiac University is committed to ensuring that all students, faculty and staff are supported and enabled to access the technology, information, programs, services and facilities they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom,” Quinnipiac’s official website states. “We strive to make these resources accessible in accordance with applicable law.”
