Beta Sigma Iota hosted Empathy Day Tuesday, an event aimed at spreading disability awareness, where University administrators took on disabilities for a day such as using wheelchairs, crutches and walkers as well as having arms and legs immobilized and also wearing ear plugs to simulate deafness. Beta Sigma Iota, an organization for students with disabilities or those who wish to assist students with disabilities, donated proceeds from Empathy Day to Myron Wright, a Nicholls student raising money to go to a spinal cord injury recovery program in California.
Beta Sigma Iota Vice President Joe Wallace said some top officials took on disabilities for a day. If they could not complete the business day with their disability, they would have to donate $25.
Wallace also said during the course of the day if any of the “disabled” administrators were caught without their wheelchairs, walkers, ect., they would be fined $5; however, all participants kept their commitments and their disabilities for the duration of the day.
Wallace said among others, University President Stephen Hulbert and University College Dean Al Davis used wheelchairs, University Relations Director Renee Piper walked with a walker, Carroll Falcon, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs had his arm immobilized in a sling and Eugene Dial, vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services, walked with a cane.
Hulbert said he gained a better appreciation of the challenges people face when they are disabled.
“When you are wheeling across campus, people don’t even make eye contact,” Hulbert said. “They were not acknowledging I was there.”
He also said cracks in the sidewalks presented obstacles for him.
Falcon said wearing the brace on his left arm, while being left-handed, restricted his ability to do things like type, and he now sees why students in similar circumstances need accommodations like longer testing time.
Director of Parking Services Tommy Ponson, who wore earplugs all day, said he could only hear his own footsteps walking on campus and couldn’t tell if someone was talking to him unless he was looking directly at the person.
Students, faculty, staff and administrators also participated in simulations of brain injury, stroke and dyslexia in Bollinger Memorial Student Union.
