Measure 48: Universal Access
By Nikki Pritchard

Penned by Beth Diesch and Jeremiah Jimeno, the Universal Access measure is a new $5 fee that will provide additional funding for support services, expanding transportation options, and any other project needed to improve accessibility for students with disabilities.

This includes the installation of ramps, power-assist door openers, and program-based changes like sign language interpreters and captioning.

The fee is projected to produce approximately $244,980 in the academic year 2011–2012, the first year it is in effect. Allocation decisions will be based on collaboration between the director of the Disability Resource Center and the campus Americans with Disabilities Act officer, who collect information from student need survey data and meet regularly with a small advisory of students.

The fee includes a return-to-aid component, which requires 33 percent of all fees collected to be contributed to students who are on financial aid and who need help covering the expense of the fee. This will be approximately $80,843 per year.