Advocates for USC’s disabled community say one campus building hinders accessibility, despite the building’s compliance with standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
A Reddit user Sunday posted concerns about Harris Hall, Roski’s Art and Design building. The second floor of Harris Hall is only accessible via stairs or an elevator across the courtyard in a neighboring building. The user noted that locked doorways and card access can make accessibility even harder for disabled students.
Under the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, buildings that are either less than three stories or have less than 3,000 square feet per story do not require an elevator. Harris Hall only has two stories.
Beyond the immediate frustration over Roski, students said that a broader gap exists in the university’s support of people with disabilities.
Lilly Grossman is a graduate student at USC and the founder of Beyond the Box Advocacy, a disability policy organization that provides support systems for Americans with disabilities. She’s written publicly about her experiences as a woman with a disability and navigating spaces in a wheelchair.
Grossman said that student concerns about Roski reflected a broader pattern of accessibility at USC being considered at the surface level, but not carried through in reality.
“Meeting technical requirements does not always translate into spaces that are usable and reliable in everyday life,” said Grossman.
A 2024 Daily Trojan opinion piece highlighted the lack of a dedicated disability-affinity center and years-long concerns about accessibility and support. USC has since expanded its accessibility infrastructure, including the creation of reporting systems and strengthening administrative offices.
USC’s “Report a Barrier” webpage allows students to report instructional, technological and physical barriers to accessibility. However, the page also states that the form is not a formal complaint and that “barrier removal may be added to a larger university barrier removal plan.”
“In my experience, USC can be responsive, but that responsiveness is often reactive with change happening after issues are raised instead of proactive design and planning,” said Grossman.
In a statement to Annenberg Media, Christine Street, Associate Vice President for Institutional Accessibility and ADA Compliance, said the university “takes campus accessibility seriously.”
Street noted that despite its age, Harris Hall is “accessible to individuals with disabilities via multiple entrances, accessible pathways, and a lift.”
“All students, including those with accessibility needs, have access via their University Cards to classrooms in the building,” Street said. “Students can reach out to the Roski Student Services and facilities teams with questions about the building, and students with disabilities are also encouraged to register with the Office of Student Accessibility Services, where they can work with a specialist to address any access issues.”
The recent Reddit post says that accessibility can still depend on workarounds, such as navigating locked routes or requesting individual accommodations.
Teo Gonzales, a senior history major and photography minor, hasn’t had problems accessing Harris’ second floor, but said that Harris is a noticeably older building, and that he believes it should be remodeled.
“The issues in Harris would definitely be related to a disparity in how old buildings are on this campus,” said Gonzales.
Alia Chand, a junior majoring in art and communications, said she has experienced an array of issues with broken facilities at Harris. She said there were entire semesters where bathrooms and water fountains in Harris were non-functional.
Chand said that students would either have to walk to the basement of Watt Hall for a functioning water fountain or ask a staff member to fill their water bottles from the staff lounge.
“We all know it’s an issue, and it’s kind of just a running joke that those things never get fixed,” said Chand.
Chand said she has spoken to faculty members before, but she did not see any changes. She said she wants a clearer, more direct way to report the issues in Harris.
“It can be really demoralizing and demotivating to students to feel like your department isn’t cared for and like your problems are swept under the rug,” she said.
Chand also said that broken facilities, on top of cuts to funding and staff, feel more significant at Roski due to fewer students and faculty and less funding.
“All of those things together create a morale problem within the program, and I wish the university would take that more seriously,” said Chand.
Grossman said she hopes the university will directly engage with affected students and examine similar barriers consistently across campus.
“When concerns lead to clear changes, communication, and accountability, trust can grow,” said Grossman. “When issues are acknowledged without full resolution, it can create hesitation among students who are directly affected.”