Student faces uphill climb in dorm

Robert Henry Becker Arizona Daily Wildcat Catherine de Bantel, an art history and dance sophomore who lives on the second floor of Kaibab-Huachuca Residence Hall, broke her leg in a skiing accident over winter break. Because of her injury, she needs help getting between floors.

de Bantel, an art history and dance sophomore, fractured her tibia and fibula in a serious skiing accident Dec. 29. The injury left her with an open leg wound that will force her to get around on crutches for at least three more weeks.

"The bone came through the skin into my boot," de Bantel said.

Even though de Bantel's orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Dana Jamison, has said a slip on the stairs could cause further damage if the wound becomes infected, the Department of Residence Life has prohibited the injured student from using a freight elevator, the only other way to access the upper floors of the four-story residence hall.

When de Bantel returned to the University of Arizona one week into the spring semester, Kaibab-Huachuca Residence Hall Director Nicole Loughman told her she could use the hall's freight elevator during her recuperation, de Bantel said.

Loughman attempted to get a temporary copy of the elevator key made for the injured student, de Bantel said.

The request for a new key, however, was halted by the Department of Residence Life.

Jim Van Arsdel, director of Residence Life, said de Bantel's use of the elevator created a safety hazard.

He said his office could not permit de Bantel to use the elevator because there is no emergency phone in the elevator and the door requires a great deal of effort to open.

"It doesn't make sense to put the student in a dangerous situation," Van Arsdel said.

Van Arsdel said de Bantel has been offered alternatives to resolve her situation.

de Bantel said the alternatives included moving to the first floor of Kaibab-Huachuca, although that option was eliminated when it was discovered no first-floor rooms were available. de Bantel was also given the choice of moving into a handicapped-accessible hall for the time that she will be on crutches.

"It (moving) would resolve the problem that she has," Van Arsdel said.

de Bantel said she did not want to move because of the great inconvenience. Moving would also pose a problem physically because of de Bantel's disability, de Bantel and Jamison both said.

"She has to have someone with her at all times, it is really hard for her," said Sallie Edmondson, a business freshman and de Bantel's neighbor.

Becky Schofield, a psychology sophomore and another of de Bantel's neighbors, said, "I don't think it's a good idea (for de Bantel to move), she has support here (at Kaibab-Huachuca)."

de Bantel's roommate and other residents of her wing have helped with day-to-day activities, such as going down the hall to use the bathroom.

"We have explained options to the student and she has declined those options," Van Arsdel said. "We feel we have made a good faith effort to resolve the situation."

Van Arsdel said that, to his knowledge, de Bantel "is fine with the situation."

de Bantel said, "I am not fine with the situation. I am dealing with it out of necessity." Calls from the Arizona Daily Wildcat to Van Arsdel to discuss that discrepancy were not returned.

Schofield said she thinks de Bantel should be allowed to use the freight elevator until she can safely walk up and down the stairs.

"She (de Bantel) is really faint and weak," Schofield said. "Who knows if she could pass out on the stairs. That would be worse."

"I think that in 1997 there are ways of getting around not having a phone in an elevator. Are there no cell phones in Tucson?," Jamison said.

"My recommendation was that the university provide her with as much help as possible."

Loughman said she could not comment on the situation. A Residence Life policy requires employees to direct questions from the media to Van Arsdel.

Kaibab-Huachuca Hall, constructed in 1957, is not fully handicapped-accessible, nor is it required to be because of its age, according to the American Disabilities Act of 1990.

Susan Free, associate director of the UA's Affirmative Action Office, said that de Bantel's condition is considered temporary and the ADA does not cover a temporary condition.