UNT Students and Faculty Raise Concerns Over Graduation Parking for People With Disabilities

It's a picture-perfect time for graduates at the University of North Texas in Denton.

"I'm extremely excited,” graduating UNT student Amari Jackson said. “I've been here four years consecutively, no breaks."

But Jackson is concerned about graduation parking.

"They said that if people have mobility issues they would have to, they should probably stay home or it would be a 10-minute walk in the heat and May in Texas is extremely hot,” Jackson said. "So, I didn’t like that very much."

The wording of that message also didn't sit right with associate English professor Deb Armintor.

"I was outraged and offended for people with disabilities in the community,” Armintor said. “It's extremely discriminatory language."

It didn't make sense to them why special accommodations weren't made for people with disabilities.

"I feel like UNT prides ourselves on diversity and inclusion and that's not really inclusivity if you are excluding people that are marginalized that don't have access," Jackson said.

NBC 5 reached out to UNT about the concerns. A spokesperson said in a statement in part that UNT, “… works with partners… including the office of disability access, to ensure… a memorable commencement, accessible for everyone."

It went on to say in part, "…in addition to a drop-off spot for graduates and guests located on the east side of the coliseum, accessible parking will be in close proximity…"

Now the school's website says accessible parking including handicapped parking will be available. 

"Honestly it pisses me off cause to change it later means they could have done that from the start," UNT student Christopher Kuhn-Sosa said.

All are hoping more consideration is given in the future.

"I also want to see changes made not just to the language but to the accessibility problems the language has brought attention to."

The full statement from the UNT spokesperson reads as follows:

"Celebrating the academic accomplishments of all our students and their families is of the utmost importance to us. UNT administration works with partners across campus, including the Office of Disability Access, to ensure we offer a memorable commencement, accessible for everyone. This includes ASL interpreters, accessible seating and parking, livestreaming the ceremony and other accommodations. In addition to a drop-off spot for graduates and guests located on the east side of the Coliseum, accessible parking will be in close proximity, with an additional accessible overflow lot if needed."