The Griffin: volume 65, issue 05 - Oct. 7, 1994

              "The challenge of accessibility has to do with the expense of providing it." - Patricia A. Rissmeyer dean of students by Caroline Hughes Griffin News Reporter Katie Koestner has visited college campuses in such presentations as this to educate students about date rape. Photo by Margaret del plato some advice. Her male RA took her to the Health Center. The reality was that Koestner did not get the help she needed. The nurse told her to go home and take a sleeping pill. The doctor sent her to the dean of students, who said, "Well, Katie, you look "Well, Katie, you look very upset...go home and think." -College of William and Mary dean of students to rape victim Koestner "The challenge of accessibility has to do with the expense of providing '1 had been led to believe that [the College] was looking into making Griffin [handicapped] accessible. [Residence Life] decided that nothing could be done," Scalone said. However, she added that Patricia A. Rissmeyer, dean of students, and Dr. Thomas E. Miller, vice president for Student Affairs, were not consulted on the decision. The College does have handicapped-accessible apartments in the Main-Humboldt and Main-Delavan Apartments and at 45 Hughes. Griffin Hall opened as a student residence in the 1992 Fall Semester after a summer-long renovation process. It was not made handicappedaccessible at that time because, according to Paul W. Myers, director of the Physical Plant," it was decided that it wasn't needed." The College did not need to make Griffin Hall handicapped-accessible since the renovations were less than 50 percent of the assessed value of the building. "Our opinion at the time was that we had more apartments that were handicapped accessible than we thought we would need," Myers said. "Unfortunately, we are forced to react more often than we are able to plan for these events," said Daniel J. Ryan, coordinator of Disability Support Services. Scalone chose an assignment at Griffin Hall over an assignment in a wheelchair-accessible apartment in Main-Humboldt. "I requested Griffin, because I need to be accessible to the residents. The stairs in Griffin are inside and carpeted," whereas the stairs at Main-Humboldt are outside and in different buildings. Scalone, already in a wheelchair from a previous accident, was exiting the handicapped-accessible shuttle on the second day of the school, in front of Griffin Hall, when she tripped over ripped carpeting and fell out of the van. She broke her hip and shoulder and cracked one of her ankles in the fall. The injury to her hip required surgery. While Scalone was in the hospital, she received word from Residence Life that a handicapped-accessible room in Frisch would be ready for her. "I was not part of the decision," she stated. Scalone suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease. It is a debilitating disease that renders a person susceptible to bone fractures. When senior Lorraine Scalone accepted the Community Assistant (CA) position in Griffin Hall, she had no idea she would be back in the dorms at the beginning of the Fall Semester. However, less than a month into the new academic year, she found herself back in Frisch Hall because Griffin Hall is not wheelchair-accessible. very upset... go home and think." Koestner decided to call the local Williamsburg (VA) news- Koestner decided to pursue a hearing against Peter. After the hearing concerning this affair, Peter was prohibited from the dorms. Koestner approached the district attorney, who refused to prosecute a case with only a 15 percent chance of conviction. Koestner was not able to sleep, because she was still in shock; instead she tried to study. Early in the morning Peter woke up and realized that Koestner had not had any sleep. He told her he was sorry and asked her to lay down; she trusted him and began to go to sleep. Suddenly, Peter was on top of her. Koestner did not scream or fight him- she bit a hole in her lip. After Peter was done raping her, he said, "Thanks a lot." Koestner was terrified. After telling her roommate, she decided to go to her RA and get The next thing Koestner remembers, she was on the floor, and Peter had his hands around her arms. "Peter, please stop," she pleaded. "Please stop." Peter did not understand why Koestner was not ready. She tried to explain to him that she had religious values, but Peter argued, "God will forgive you for that one time." After arguing in vain, Peter went to sleep in her bed. her, wearing only his boxer shorts and socks. He approached her again and started to kiss her neck. They went back to Koestner's dorm room to dance since her roommate was away for the weekend. They started dancing, and Peter made it through one song before he started to take Koestner's dress off. She froze and told him, "I can take my dress off on my own." After a couple of minutes went by, Koestner looked in the mirror and saw that Peter was behind Katie Koestner came to Canisius College Tuesday to talk about her experience as a survivor of "date rape." Koestner's speech, sponsored by the Campus Alliance for Rape Prevention and Education (CARPE), dealt with her sexual assault at William and Mary College four years ago, less than a month into her freshmen year. Koestner began her speech by explaining how it felt to be raped, then told the audience her story. It began when Koestner met "Peter." He was tall and very handsome, Koestner said. After a while the two became closer and spent the week together. They went to lunch, studied for the same class, and did a lot of talking. As the weekend approached, Koestner planned to do something romantic. The two of them dressed up and went to a nice restaurant, where Peter started to make Koestner feel uncomfortable. He started out by convincing her to drink champagne, which she had refused. Then, after only knowing her for a week, he said things such as, "We have a house on an island; you could stay there over the summer.... So, if you decide to come and stay, you will have to wear nice clothes when we go out.... Also, you have to have sex with me whenever I want." Trying to hide her discomfort, Koestner did not say much after that. see Survivor page 3 1994-95 freshman senators elected "Eventually this point will become moot," Ryan said. "She will recover significantly and will be able to move back in. The question is, will we be Accordingto Rissmeyer, it has not been determined what direction the College is going to take in regards to making Griffin Hall wheelchairaccessible. The College has received two estimates for wheelchair lifts, one for $22,000 and the other for $24,000. According to Myers, the estimate for a wheelchair ramp to the backdoor of Griffin Hall was $6,500. it," said Rissmeyer. Making Griffin Hall wheelchair-accessible is "not ideal," she continued. "We have no off-campus facility that is totally accessible to students that have wheelchairs." Rissmeyer added that even though the basement apartments in Main-Humboldt are wheelchair-accessible, students in wheelchairs cannot visit the upstairs apartments. "We don't get a lot of accessibility by putting an external ramp or lift on the outside of Griffin," she added. The only accessibility gained would be to the first-floor apartments. "When we build across Main St. [near the 1908 Building], our first preference is to make a building that is completely accessible," Rissmeyer said. USA Elections Chair Mary Biondo expressed her pleasure with the freshman class' interest in the elections. "Thirteen freshmen ran for office, and they all were enthusiastic in their participation," Biondo stated, adding that she is "confident that their ideas The newly elected representatives are Yolanda Beaton, Darcy Blair, Gigi DeGaines, Cathryn White, Kevin Yost and the alternate, Denise Bakowski. The alternate has all senate privileges except voting rights. On Friday, Sept. 30, five freshmen were chosen to represent their class as Undergraduate Student Association (USA) senators. The students were elected by their fellow freshmen at elections held last Thursday and Friday. The next meeting of the senate is on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at 7:00 p.m. The election brought 164 votes out of 746 freshman.Bakowski stated, 'It is a great honor to be elected to the student senate, and I will do my best to represent the class of 1998." Yost plans on "representing the freshman, within reason." He has been involved in his community in various ways in the past. will benefit Canisius." Blair stated that she wanted to do it because she "sat in on a meeting, and I really want to have a say." She also felt that the election procedures were fair. DeGaines said,'! wanted to represent everyone and to get more involved." She has "always been involved in student government... and I like getting involved and meeting people." see Griffin Hall page 2 Flex Fund (see page 7) (see page 2) (see page 11) The Griffin Serving the Canisius Community Since 1933 Air Jordan Northern Expo- sure By Julia Schell Griffin News Writer VOLUME LXV, NUMBER 5 Rape survivor shares experience FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1994 Student challenges handicapped access by Ken Kraft Griffin Managing Editor