Week-long ‘Maccess’ campaign will examine accessibility on campus
Throughout the Maccess campaign, which runs Sept. 21 to Sept. 25, team members will be chalking different areas of campus during the evening hours, with different colours of chalk representing different levels of accessibility. Maccess includes an entire week's worth of events and programming, and will focus on a wide variety of disabilities. 'I'm excited to see how the university community responds,' says Spencer Nestico-Semianiw, vice-president education with the MSU.
In an effort to better understand and assess accessibility at McMaster, the MSU has launched a new campaign known as Maccess.
The week-long affair will offer a wide variety of events and programming, aimed at enlightening the campus community and boosting the University’s reputation as a national leader in the field.
“Maccess was developed with extensive student involvement,” says Spencer Nestico-Semianiw, vice-president education with the MSU.
“It aims to incorporate a wide variety of disabilities, and includes important experiential and advocacy-related programming. I’m excited to see how the university community responds.”
While campaigning for the position of vice-president education in April, Nestico-Semianiw pitched a grassroots social media movement that would allow students to highlight inaccessible spaces on campus.
In the months since, the idea has “blossomed into an extremely comprehensive campaign,” following several rounds of meetings with University stakeholders and students, including Human Rights and Equity Services and MSU Diversity Services.
All told, Maccess took roughly four months to plan and implement, he estimates.
Spencer Nestico-Semianiw
The campaign will officially begin Monday, Sept. 21 at 11:30 a.m. with an event known as “Accessibly Perspective.”
Taking place in MUSC and Mills Plaza, the event will give able-bodied students a glimpse into some of the challenges faced by individuals with physical disabilities. The overall aim is to increase awareness surrounding barriers to accessibility.
From 4:30-8:30 p.m. on Monday, the campaign’s “Low Vision Seminar” will be held at TwelvEighty.
The MSU will be hosting representatives from Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) to facilitate interactive sessions with students. The sessions will allow attendees to understand some of the challenges faced by those with vision loss.
Students will also be able to learn how to be a sighted guide, and hear about the experiences of CNIB volunteers and guide dogs.
Maccess: View the full itinerary
Throughout the week, a large banner posing the question “What Does Disability Mean to You?” will be hung in Mills Plaza, which students can sign and comment on.
Team members will also be chalking different areas of campus during the evening hours, with different colours of chalk corresponding with different levels of accessibility. The goal is to help students traversing campus to become more aware of disability barriers.
“This work is important for a variety of reasons,” Nestico-Semianiw continues.
“There is still huge stigma regarding disability on campus, especially for students with invisible and mental health concerns. Thus, this campaign aims to make all students more cognizant of disabilities on campus … moreover, all students and staff can be advocates for a more accessible world, not just those with direct and lived experience.”
Each day of the campaign, the MSU will be releasing an intimate profile with students discussing their experiences on campus regarding accessibility.
Maccess runs from Monday, Sept. 21 to Friday, Sept. 25.
Contact Spencer Nestico-Semianiw at 905-525-9140 ext. 24017 or vped@msu.mcmaster.ca with questions or comments.
Below: Chalk markings in Mills Plaza highlight accessibility issues and challenges in the area, as part of the week-long Maccess campaign. Photo by Theo Abraham.
