Annalynn Peele has been in a wheelchair since she was 13.

When one of her classes was relocated for the day — to a building without an elevator — janitors had to carry her up the stairs.

But for Peele, a senior from Eastman, the University’s efforts to comply with access laws for disabled persons are commendable.

“I’m not angry,” Peele said. “You just have to learn to adapt.”

She said one important reason she came to the University was its disability services, such as the disability vans the school provides.

“They do a really great job,” she said.

Though some buildings on campus still do not completely comply with disability access laws, the University works with students to make sure they are accommodated.

The Americans with Disabilities Act is complementary to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974. Both laws are intended to protect individuals from discrimination based on their disabilities, and the laws also require accessibility, within reason, to public buildings.

“Any company, private or government, is obligated to comply,” said Steven Shi, ADA Officer for the University.

Most buildings on campus were built before the passage of either act, and Shi said historic building laws are an obstacle when trying to renovate them for accessibility.

“Some buildings date back into the 19th century,” Shi said.

Several buildings at the University, such as Peabody Hall, Meigs Hall, Joe Brown Hall and Baldwin Hall, are inaccessible or only partially accessible, meaning first-floor access only.

Some renovations needed to make the buildings compliant include providing elevators, ramps, wider doors and desks for students with disabilities.

“I’m not going to sit here and tell you we are definitely in compliance,” Shi said, adding the University fixes problems as soon as they arise.

He said cost plays an important factor in deciding when renovations occur.

“The realities are, in this world there are limited pots of gold,” he said. And he said students complain when their fees go up.

For example, the cost of putting an elevator into Peabody Hall would be anywhere between $500,000 and $1 million, and offices would be permanently lost, said Danny Sniff, Campus Architect.

In Baldwin Hall, the cost could range from $1 million to $1.2 million.

“Six to eight offices would be permanently lost in Baldwin,” Sniff said. He also said the cost of the elevator itself would only be about $100,000, but structural changes would need to be made to the buildings as well.

“The problem with older buildings is that they’re so full with offices and classrooms,” he said.

Additional renovations would need to be made for rooms lost.

“It’s hard to justify putting an elevator into Peabody,” Shi said, adding  that alternative arrangements are made for disabled students.

The University typically relocates between eight and 10 classes each semester to accommodate disabled students.

Grayson Jackson, a senior from Social Circle who also uses a wheelchair, said he didn’t have much to complain about.

“I’ve never had a class that wasn’t accessible,” said Jackson, a biological engineering major.

“The engineering building wasn’t too accessible,” Jackson said, adding ramps were put into place and the building manager asked him for his input.

However, both Jackson and Peele said they were unaware they could go to the Disability Resource Center to request assistance if necessary.

“It’s up to the student to go to the University and ask for accommodations,” Shi said.

He said some students want more help than others, and it’s the individuals’ responsibility to assess their own needs.

“I didn’t know I had to go to them,” Peele said. “How would you ever find out?”

And while the University may not have perfect accessibility, it does exceed requirements in some areas.

By law, parking lots must have at least one handicapped parking spot for every 25. At the Miller Learning Center there are only 15 spaces, with six of those marked as handicapped spots.

DRC tries to enhance the education of students by providing support groups, leadership opportunities and other opportunities for students.

“Things are a lot better now than they were before,” Shi said.