Mills College will be altering 296 cites on campus to make them more accessible to people with disabilities.
The structural changes are in order to bring the college up to compliance with the American’s with Disabilities Act of 1990. Mills agreed to make these alterations after a settlement was reached in a lawsuit between the college and the United States Justice Department. Though the college denies violating any disability laws, it has agreed to make such changes as more wheelchair accessibility, adding grab bars in showers, and changing toilet flush controls from the top of the toilet to the side.
Mills Hall is partially exempt from meeting legal standards due to its status as a California historical landmark. Though some doors in the building are narrower than required, they cannot be widened due to concerns about historic preservation. Instead, the settlement states that the school must relocate classes when necessary to be accessible to the disabled.
Most of the changes must be finished by the end of 2014, while others will not be required until 2023.
“We commend Mills College for its cooperation and commitment to providing people with disabilities unfettered access to its facilities,” U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag said, according to an sfgate.com article.
