Viewpoint: Where are the Elevators?

It was 2 a.m. when we got into the car and drove toward Mt. Timpanogos. Hiking began at 3 a.m. as we trudged through the sinewy trail up the never-ending switchbacks. Scrambling for a foothold, I struggled to reach the top while slipping on the loose gravel.

We scaled the rocks to reach the top just as the sun rose in the distance. Later, we slowly descended the mountain wishing for a ride down. We finally got back to Stover Hall and, as I dragged my legs through the door, I looked up at the stairs and all strength left me.

At BYU, two halls in Helaman Halls contain elevators: Budge Hall for the boys and Hinckley Hall for the girls. The other six halls in this complex do not. Can anyone explain why?

I realize that these select halls are handicap accessible but why can't the physically able, who live in the same hall, use the elevators? Elevators in the halls of Stover, Taylor, Chipman, David John, Merrill and May would provide much happiness and many advantages for us as students. Elevators are helpful because they provide equality for all students, and they have great advantages over stairs. Equality on campus is directed to those who are physically impaired. Those with disabilities must live in the halls with elevators. Thus, they don't get the experience because they don't have the freedom to choose where they live.

I know of a disabled student who took great care in making sure he could access all the resources he needed when he choose a college to attend. At the time living in Spokane, his choice of school was Eastern Washington University because he could be close to his family if he needed help and there were sufficient accessible areas for him. However, he was still limited to where he could go on campus because elevators or ramps for his wheelchair were sparse. It is an advantage for the physically disabled to have elevators everywhere, so they can also have the same college experience.

Not only would elevators provide equality for all, they would provide great advantages over the stairs. Moving in and out of BYU freshman dorms can be very dangerous without an elevator. Many students at BYU have younger siblings who wish to help move belongings in and out. Usually, they carry more than they can handle or in essence 'bite off more than they can chew.' For example, upon moving my older brother into BYU two years ago, my youngest brother tripped and bruised his shinbone on the stairs while he and I hauled a large hockey bag to the third floor. During the trek, he actually said, 'Man, I wish we had an elevator!' This injury was quite minor, but it also could have been a lot worse. It is obvious that an elevator would have eliminated this injury, as well as others. Adding elevators would be safer than risking injury on stairs.

In conclusion, we all want elevators, and we sure joke about how hard it is to climb the stairs, so why don't we try to make our wish come true? Elevators would help us greatly, but they are only provided by the administration. If we really want elevators, let's express our opinion to the Administrative Advisory Council (AAC) by emailing to: aac chair@byu.edu. We can show that elevators would help out all students on campus. This project of elevator installation would only make BYU a better place. By providing a happier campus, everyone would be affected for the better.