Wheelchair exchange program announced

The upcoming Temple Student Government election and student disability issues were on the agenda at Monday’s meeting.

The deadline to pick up election petition packets has been extended to April 4, TSG elections commissioner Denica Beaton announced. The deadline to turn in the packets is 5 p.m. on April 5.

Students running for TSG president and vice presidents of academic affairs and student affairs need 100 signatures; those running for vice presidents of academic affairs or student affairs and Main, Ambler and Tyler Campus representatives need 30 signatures.

Beaton said official candidates may campaign between April 9 and April 23. The debate schedule is as follows: April 10 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Ambler, April 18 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and April 22 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Main campus. Locations will be announced.

Beaton is also seeking poll workers for the election dates. Students will be paid $6.50 an hour.

TSG Vice President of Student Affairs Nicole Viscomi announced that Temple’s Tomlinson Theatre would have better wheelchair accessibility within the next year.

Viscomi, who has been working with Disability Resources, also said that renovations to the bathrooms in Annenberg to improve wheelchair access were being looked into.

TSG President T.J. Baker gave details on a wheelchair exchange program to help increase awareness of disability issues. Students will be able to sign out a wheelchair starting on April 8 at the TSG office in the Student Center at 8 a.m. and use it for the day to go about their daily campus routine.

Baker said that he would be taking part in the program.

“This is an opportunity to see what it is like to [have to use a wheelchair], and also to see what we are neglecting to provide for students [with disabilities],” he said.

Baker gave an update on his ongoing talks with Campus Safety about the shuttle situation on campus. He presented a new shuttle schedule that Campus Safety is making available to students.

TSG allocated $13,000 to Spring Fling events. A skating party to take place on April 16 at the Philly Fun Factory was allocated $5,000. An additional $8,000 is being used for a celebrity basketball tournament on April 21. The money raised from the event is going to Bebachi, a Philadelphia AIDS organization. Details on the participating celebrities were not available.

Brian White can be reached at zapata@temple.edu