Over multiple semesters, American River College’s Students of American River with Disabilities (SOARD) club has advocated for students like themselves, who they say feel invisible on this campus and within society.

“We as disabled people, we feel as if we’re shut out and as if they don’t care,” said Rudy Fox, who is a member of SOARD. 

In February 2018, SOARD club members surveyed the ARC campus for safety and accessibility issues from the perspective of the student population with disabilities.

According to SOARD’s mission statement, the club aims to “give students with disabilities a voice on campus” and assist them through their college experiences and help them develop leadership skills.

According to club president Jason Lisic, many of SOARD’s club members noticed areas on campus that posed safety and accessibility risks to students with limited mobility. 

Under the advice of Disability Services and Programs for Students (DSPS) coordinator Nisha Beckhorn and previous SOARD advisor Raye Maero, SOARD members split up different sections of the campus and checked everything from doors, bathrooms and ramps to elevators and emergency call boxes.

One of the most common issues members found across campus was with accessibility to buildings and restrooms. 

SOARD reported that many of the doors were heavy and difficult to push open, especially for someone who is in a wheelchair or carrying an assistive cane, walking stick or walker. 

They also found that while there are many automatic doors across campus, the buttons to open them often don’t work. Members in SOARD also said that there are not enough automatic doors throughout campus. Lisic explained this is difficult for students with wheelchairs, since they have to change their route to find a door with an automatic button.

Members additionally reported issues with the elevators in the ARC parking garage, specifically the buttons being broken, making them unable to push to operate the elevator. Lisic said that when he attempted to report the issue via the intercom system provided in the elevators, he did not get a response after multiple attempts to contact someone. It wasn’t until he informed a maintenance worker from the P.E. Department that the issue was resolved.

The club also found that many restrooms on campus, specifically in the Technical Education and Horticulture Department buildings are too small and difficult to get into and maneuver inside of and did not have automatic doors. Lisic said he was informed by Beckhorn that not all bathrooms are required to have automatic doors, and this is an issue for many students with physical disabilities.

In addition to accessibility issues, SOARD also documented a number of safety risks including areas that drain water onto the walkway outside of the library and large holes in walkways around campus where bollards have been removed and not replaced.

They also found various places on campus that were lacking in enough ADA accessible desks and where printers where too high for people in wheelchairs to use.

Following their report, SOARD invited ARC President Thomas Greene to speak at one of their meetings on safety and accessibility. According to Lisic, when Greene attended the meeting and heard SOARD’s complaints, he expressed strong interest in SOARD’s report and making changes on campus to improve on the issues presented.

“They told us that they were going to see about making some changes; double check everything and they would try and fix all those issues,” Lisic said. “It’s been about a year since that meeting.”

On Dec. 2, SOARD held its last meeting of the semester and the subject of the report was addressed again. Many members expressed frustration because since the meeting with Greene, they said they haven’t heard or seen any progress, and while the campus has been addressing some issues, members of SOARD believe they aren’t being addressed quickly enough.

Laticia Landeros was one of the club members who was most expressive at the meeting.

“I know it takes time, but there’s a hole out there that we can fall through, and there’s different ramps that we can’t get through doors,” Landeros said. 

In March, Parrish Geary, the dean of student services and ARCs Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance officer, assessed SOARD’s report and organized the findings into easy fixes, and long-term projects. 

“I oversee the campus compliance with 504 Federal Regulations and Board approved policy to ensure nondiscrimination on the basis of disability,” Geary wrote in an email interview with the Current. “I serve as the first level grievance/complaint official when discrimination on the basis of disability is alleged. I will impartially investigate any complaint.”

Geary submitted the report to Cheryl Sears, the college’s director of administrative services, who said the campus has since begun to address the issues despite not communicating to SOARD directly. 

Geary, who was scheduled to speak at the Dec. 2 SOARD meeting, but was unable to attend, said he was made aware of the clubs frustrations.

“Going forward, I along with other administrators will work to engage more with the SOARD Club,” he wrote. “The members of SOARD can always engage with any Administrator or Faculty member to get assistance to their questions. We appreciate their input and voice.”

According to Sears, it’s a constant battle for operations to keep up the maintenance on campus, making the short-term fixes a still lengthy process. 

When it comes to automatic doors, Sears said that because of the building codes, the campus isn’t required to instal automatic doors at all.

“There’s nothing in the code that stipulates we have to install any of those ADA buttons,” she said. “Nothing says that we even have to do that at all.”

In order to be in compliance with ADA standards, the force needed to open campus doors must be 5 pounds or less, unless the door is a fire exit, in which case the weight increases to 8 pounds, according to Sears.

Campus Operations checks the weight of every door on campus twice a year, according to Sears, but because of the amount of traffic on campus she says their calibration can easily change.   

Sears said that because many of the buildings on campus are so old, their building codes don’t meet modern ADA standards.

“In 1967 [when it was built], Davies Hall was to code. Well that was a heck of a long time ago,” Sears said. “So we’re required to maintain that code, and we do increments of improvements as we go to make it as accessible as possible, but there’s no requirements in the building code.”

Sears said many complaints are regarding older buildings on campus, but students will have to wait for those buildings to be torn down and replaced before any improvements can be made. 

Sears also said that Operations keeps a running log of ADA complaints with projected completion dates.

Sears explained that Operations evaluates any concerns that they are made aware of, but that some of SOARD’s suggested changes are regarding things that would be disruptive or impossible. 

Lisic said one of the struggles students in wheelchairs face is the bar that divides the double doors on campus. According to Sears, the doors could not be secured if the bar was removed and despite student’s continued struggles, the doors are up to ADA standards.

“When these requests come in, we have to assess overall,” Sears said. “So what we try to do is collectively get as much information as we can, and do what’s best for the majority of the people.”

In terms of the safety concerns, Sears said they’re working closely with groundskeepers to make sure water doesn’t pool up anywhere on campus. They also designed caps to cover the holes in walkways where bollards have been removed.

According to Sears, the best way for students to address their accessibility or safety concerns is by talking with a professor, Geary or contacting Operations. 

Landeros said that among the frustrations she faces on campus, her future is dependent on her education. 

“Even though we’re disabled, we want to be successful,” she said. “Even though I’m 58 years old, I still see a future for me. I still see that there’s something out there that I could work in — that I can do, that I can provide for myself, that I could provide for others. A lot of us feel that way, you know?”

SOARD members all reiterated that they would continue to speak up for students with disabilities, despite their personal frustrations. 

“We’re not dead. We’re here,” Landeros said. “And if we have to continue to raise our voice, that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

Ariel Caspar
arielcaspar.home.blog
arielcaspar@gmail.com
916-607-0580

Education:

AMERICAN RIVER COLLEGE – Sacramento, CA
Studying journalism and mass communication 2018 – present

J300 NEWS WRITING & REPORTING: Student writer – Fall 2019

• Learned the inverted pyramid style of writing and proficiently applied to assignments
• Learned different styles of writing leads and proficiently applied to assignments
• Learned interview techniques for gathering accurate information
• Wrote an article on a covered event
• Wrote two feature articles

THE CURRENT: Staff Writer (arcurrent.com) – Spring 2019

• Pitched various story ideas to editorial team
• Contributed news, scene, feature, opinion, and arts & culture stories for online and print publication
• Contributed six stories for print publication, including a cover story
• Provided photos for stories and assisted other staff writers with photography
• Interviewed various sources for quotes and accurate story information

Skills Summary:

• Proficient with Mac and PC operating systems
• Proficient in WordPress and Medium blogging
• Proficient in photography
• Proficient in photo editing programs such as Bridge and Photoshop
• Efficient in meeting deadlines and communicating otherwise
• Creative, cooperative, helpful, and diligent

Awards

General Excellence – American River Current – JACC spring 2019

Living at home while trying to get through college can be a blessing and a curse.

As someone who lives at home, I’ve found it can be challenging, but I’ve also come to appreciate my home and my family. Living at home has been a period of my life that I am grateful for and has helped me to mature as an adult.

For the students out there who may be struggling to do the same; who are frustrated with the lack of privacy and who are over the feeling of never going to be able to really make it, I’m here to tell you that every con can actually be a pro, depending on how you choose to see it. Maybe you’ll finish reading this with a little more appreciation for your experience.

Undoubtedly, the lack of privacy is a struggle, especially if you live in a larger household like me. There are five other people who live under my roof, and it can get cozy. It can be hard to find space to be alone without shutting myself in my room for a few hours, which really can’t be good for anyone.

Getting alone time is not impossible though. Take advantage of the times when the house is totally empty. Sit in your favorite spot, sing as loud as you want to, dance like no one’s watching, get your work done. Knowing that you have limited time with the empty house can be a great motivator to get things done while you have the peace and quiet.

As much as I appreciate the alone time, I am grateful I don’t have to be alone as much as I would if I was living on my own.

I lived on my own once, and it was hard. When you leave, the house is empty and when you come home, the house is empty. Living alone requires an internal strength to be OK despite the fact no one may have asked how you were at the end of the day.

Living at home, I know someone is always going to walk through the door, someone is always going to ask how I’m doing or how my day was, and I’m thankful for that in my current stage of life.

Sometimes living at home can make you feel like you’ve dropped down to a child-like level. It’s not your household, so everything you do at the house is usually on someone else’s terms. You may have rules to follow, parents or parental-like figures to answer to or there may be tough conversations you just don’t want to have.

But think of it this way: All of the things that frustrate you about living at home are actually preparing you for a mature adult life of your own. You are learning to be respectful even when you feel it’s not deserved. You are learning to be humble and thankful. You are learning to communicate and cooperate well with others, and you’re learning the value of healthy relationships.

You are also in a position where you will probably be as close to your family as you will ever be, so be positive about it and don’t let disagreements or arguments get in the way.

Living at home while trying to get through school can sometimes feel like this saga that will never come to an end. It can leave us discouraged and worried that we will never truly make it on our own. And this feeling can enable us to stay comfortable and to keep living at home for a longer time than necessary.

This type of thinking can be a trap. Let your time of living at home be your greatest motivator to become a self sufficient adult. Take this time to focus on saving and securing your finances for future endeavors. Learn to manage your time well and to be a responsible person. This is a time to prove your maturity. If you can’t be mature while living at home, it probably won’t be any different while living on your own.

While living at home, remember to be thankful and respectful to the people who are letting you live with them. They don’t have to be generous, but they’re choosing to be.

Remember all your time living under someone else’s roof is preparing you to have a household of your own someday. And always remember living at home is just a season. We are all working towards self sufficiency. If you are focusing on your goal, you will eventually succeed, but don’t forget to live in and appreciate the now.

Living at home during college is valuable experience

Getting hired for a job is an exciting, nerve-wracking part of life that everyone will go through at some point. Whether you’re a student looking for a part-time job, or you’re graduating and heading off into the workforce, going through the interview process is unavoidable.

As nerve-wracking as interviews can be, the more preparation you put in beforehand, the better and calmer you will feel during the interview, and the more likely you are to impress your possible employer, according to Mike Robinson, an American River College student personnel assistant.

Executing a good interview is not as simple as plugging numbers into an equation to get a certain end result, but is more so about using customized strategies during your interview to impress your possible employer.

According to Laura Adams, ARC student personnel assistant, the first step is to create a professional resume and fill out the job application without any errors. Most employers will not even consider you for employment if your application and resume are a mess.

Adams said employers pay close attention to detail. Professionalism is important to your employer and they expect to see a clean, precise application and resume.

“It’s highly competitive,” Adams said. “Employers will look for inconsistencies in formatting, fonts and grammar, so it’s important all your documents are in tip-top shape.”

Adams also said it’s important to be aware that in today’s job market, the customization of the resume is what every employer is looking for. Doing your research beforehand by checking the job description on the company’s website will help you find keywords to include in your resume that will stand out to your employer.

“What I’m finding is a lot of students don’t know how important keywords are,” Adams said. “You really need to speak to the job description in your resume. It’s the applicant’s responsibility to show their possible employer that they are the best candidate for the position.”

Once an employer calls you in for your first interview, don’t shy away from preparing right away. There are many actions you can take to prepare that will boost your confidence.

According to Robinson, before even turning in a resume and especially before going into the interview, it’s important to do your research. Robinson suggests knowing the company’s mission statement, checking its website and social media and being informed about any recent news involving them, as it will make you look like you care about the company you may end up working for.

Most importantly, Robinson said to know the employee attributes the employer is looking for and make those the highlight of your strengths.

It’s beneficial to present yourself authentically and show your true self, according to Robinson. Lying may impress your employer during the interview, but it’s not worth it in the long run. Share your genuine experiences and what you learned from them. Robinson suggests using your storytelling to sell yourself.

Robinson also said showing up late to the interview is a mistake that you can’t afford to make. Showing up 15 minutes early is professional and looks good to a future employer. It shows your reliability and promptness early on.

Remaining calm and keeping a clear head during the interview is important, especially if you struggle with nerves, according to Robinson. Open body language is a strong indicator that you are listening well and engaged in the conversation.

For those who struggle with nerves, Robinson suggests keeping your back straight, and breathing deeply from the diaphragm. He also said preparation is key.

“Being prepared will really help you. Generally people stumble on their words because they haven’t practiced saying their responses beforehand,” he said. “Think of questions you may be asked beforehand, and verbally practice what you’re going to say, almost like giving a speech.”

When it comes down to it, your future employer is just trying to get a better understanding of who you are and is hopeful that you will be the best candidate for the position. As the interviewee, it’s your job to prove them right and show the best version of yourself.

ARC Career and Pathways offers interview success and resume workshops starting in the fall semester. For more information and resources on resumes, interviewing, job preparation and event dates and times, visit www.arc.losrios.edu/Careers, or visit the Career and Pathways office in the Welcome and Support Center on campus.

A guide to nailing the interview

At American River College, a network of police officers, campus patrol, staff and faculty are taking advantage of continuously modernizing technology to make the campus a safer environment for students and staff.

Over the past year, Los Rios community colleges have undergone technological updates, according to Scott Crow, ARC’s public information officer, to improve student welfare on campuses. From security camera upgrades to the new Rave Guardian app, the Los Rios Community College District is creating a network of systems that work together to ensure ultimate safety for its campus community.

Crow said the Rave Alert system has gone through processes of evaluation to improve its functionality and ability to reach people districtwide.

“It used to be that if there was something going on at ARC, it would only go out to ARC,” Crow said. “Our population has become so mobile and we have students taking classes at multiple colleges that it just didn’t make sense. We made the change a couple semesters ago to have those alerts go out to everybody now.”

Crow said it is important for students to keep their information current on their eServices account, so they can get the alerts when they are sent out.

Rave has also created the Rave Guardian app as another safety feature for students. According to the company’s website, the app was designed by Rave Mobile Safety, a software company based out of Massachusetts. Rave customized the app for Los Rios community colleges.

Crow said that in addition to the new app, which has been active since last semester, the Rave Alert system will remain in place. Rave Alerts will continue to be sent out as usual and the app is an additional tool for students to use.

The app has many features that allow users to discreetly contact security, access emergency procedures, receive alerts even without a cell signal, access a custom call directory and set virtual safety timers when walking alone.

“The safety timer is a piece that we want to let people know about because we hear from students that have night classes and are walking in the dark. Some students just want that extra security feature,” Crow said.

According to Crow, Rave Guardian allows students to create a list of “guardians” through the app. The list of guardians is similar to a favorites list, with trusted friends or family.

Users can set a safety timer and select a guardian to track their movements. It is encouraged that the guardian contact the user right away if they have not heard from the user after the timer has gone off.

Not only is the Rave Guardian app up and easily available for download, but various security cameras are being upgraded to create safer areas throughout LRCCD campuses.

Charles Uhlmeyer, a facilities planning and engineering specialist with LRCCD, said that the camera upgrades are occurring districtwide.

Uhlmeyer said the main purpose of the project is to update an aging camera system with newer, high-resolution cameras, which will provide a more robust Video Management System (VMS).

“This will provide more complete coverage,” Uhlmeyer said in an email interview. “This project is part of the district’s ongoing efforts to improve safety and security on all our campuses.”

Uhlmeyer said that the new security camera system will be placed according to the identified camera placement standards set by the district. These standards call for camera coverage in all parking structures, parking lots, central campus quads and main pedestrian thoroughfares.

ARC’s police captain Christopher Day said that the more camera coverage there is throughout campus, the safer it is for students. Day said the cameras are a tool for officers to pull up live footage of suspicious persons or activities and to go back and view footage to get more specific information.

“The more cameras we have on campus, the better off we are being able to provide some type of proactive or reactive security to that person,” Day said. “I’m looking forward to new stuff coming in. Technology is constantly upgrading. It’s just going to help us in the long run to follow up on crimes or events on campus.”

Day also said students should be aware that the campus shuttle is a resource to utilize when prioritizing safety. The campus shuttle runs Monday through Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and is available to all students.

“I mean it won’t drive you right outside your classroom door, … but it’ll get you from the edge of campus out to your car in the parking lot,” Day said.

Day said the campus shuttle circles through the lots on campus. Students or staff can wave down a campus patrol officer on duty or call dispatch, and campus patrol will contact the shuttle to pick them up at their location. Pickup areas include Lots B, D and G.

English major Isaac Kelly said he has used the shuttle to get around campus.

“I feel very safe on campus. A couple semesters ago I was taking night classes that got out at 9 p.m,” Kelly said. “I’ve used the shuttle more than a few times to get around campus. I really like it and thought it was a very good idea to make ARC a safer campus.”

Another safety initiative that has been implemented over the last year is the standardization of body-worn cameras (BWCs) for all sworn-in police officers on duty. According to Day, all Los Rios officers are required to wear their body cams daily. Officers have their own body cams with their own docking stations and any footage taken is then stored in the docking station.

Day said body cams are part of moving forward and taking advantage of the best technology.

“It’s technology, it’s law enforcement, it’s society, it’s protection of the public as well as the police officers,” Day said. “Technology is growing with society and its something our department decided to take on for everyone’s benefit.”

Crow said it’s important for students to know ARC is continuously working towards instilling entire safety networks, where everyone in the community is contributing to safety and emergency preparedness.

“It’s not just this one thing, … it’s all of us working together to make the campus safer. One thing we’ve been trying to emphasize is the phrase ‘see something, say something,’” Crow said. “We really mean it because we would rather get a report that turns out to be nothing, than not get a report on something that turns out to be a serious issue.”

Day said as technology continues to improve, creating a safe environment will only be made more possible.

“I think with the more things that are available with cameras, technology and cell phones, the more ability we have to head things off,” Day said. “The more technology and skill set that’s out there, the more we can all work together as a team throughout the district and our campus to make sure everyone is safe.”

Advancing technology makes ARC a safer campus