University, borough
By JENNIFER NEJMAN
Collegian Staff Writer
Inclement weather conditions
create many problems for those
with sight disabilities.
“Snow is always a real nuisance,
particularly to a cane traveler,”
said Doug Little of State College,
who is blind. Little said when snow
accumulates on sidewalks, injuries
such as twisted ankles may occur,
and blind pedestrians are some
times forced to climb over the
snow piles.
By law, both the University and
the borough are required to
Transgender
issues reach
switchboard
By KRISTA HAWLEY
Collegian Staff Writer
Bisexual and transgendered resi
dents may no longer feel unno
ticed.
The Gay and Lesbian Switch
board of State College recently
added the terms “bisexual” and
“transgender” to address the com
munity’s diverse needs.
■ Switchboard Treasurer Morris
Weinstock said the new Gay, Les
bian, Bisexual and Transgender
Switchboard will stress the inclu
sive nature of its services.
Transgendered people fall into
many different categories that
include transsexuals (people who
have had a sex change operation),
transvestites (people who wear
clothing traditionally associated
with the opposite sex), intersex
(people born with both types of sex
organs) and androgynes (people
who in some way identify with both
sexes).
“Calls seem to come from people
other than gay and lesbian individ
uals. Some people have questions
about gender,” Weinstock said.
“We were trying to be as inclusive
as we could.”
Weinstock said the switchboard
provides peer counseling and
referral services on a wide range
of gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans
gender issues.
The goal in changing the switch
board name was to include as many
people as possible, he added.
The switchboard takes a variety
of calls regarding gender issues,
such as men concerned about being
judged too feminine by society and
women being perceived as too mas
culine, Weinstock said.
Kimberlie Kranich, who has
been answering calls for the
switchboard for more than three
years, said she favored the name
change.
“We have already been getting
all kinds of calls. We wanted to
reflect in our name the people we
serve,” she said.
Selena Jankovitz (freshman-divi
sion of undergraduate studies) said
education about transgender issues
is important.
“A lot of people will be confused
what it means and it needs to be
identified,” she said.
But defining transgender is diffi
cult because most people probably
do not understand the term, Wein
stock added.
“These are new terms. They are
used differently,” he said.
Transsexual and transvestite
people are included in the defini
tion of transgender, Weinstock
said.
Ephraim Lopez, political co
director of the University’s Les
bian, Gay and Bisexual Student
Association, also said the term
“transgender” is not easily defined.
Lopez said transgender is “an
umbrella term an encompassing
term for all forms of gender identi
ty.”
Last year, transgender issues
received attention at the Universi
ty when LBGSA voted on two mea
sures regarding the inclusion of
transgender in both the mission
and title of LBGSA.
Although the term transgender
was not added to the organization
name, the membership felt it was
important to address education
about transgender issues, Lopez
said.
“This year’s membership seems
very encompassing,” Lopez said.
“(Transgender issues) will be
addressed in the future.”
Lopez said it was important to
acknowledge the role of transgen
dered people in the history of the
gay and lesbian rights movement.
The Stonewall Rebellion in 1969,
often cited as the beginning of the
gay rights movement, involved
transgendered individuals
specifically drag queens, he said.
Kranich also said the ties
between the transgender, gay, les
bian, and bisexual communities are
strong.
“There are differences, but
we’re all dealing with discrimina
tion based on gender," she said.
remove snow from sidewalks and
keep them free of obstructions.
There are 23 miles of sidewalks,
657 buildings and 2,500 parking
spaces on campus, said Paul
Ruskin, spokesman for the Office
of Physical Plant. With the record
snowfall this year, OPP has been
busy keeping the campus accessi
ble for everyone.
“ADA (Americans with Disabili
ties Act) legislation requires that
institutions take proactive mea
sures to ensure reasonable access
to every facility and service avail
able,” Ruskin said.
ADA was passed in 1990.
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assist blind pedestrians in bad weather
OPP gives sidewalks a high pri
ority, Ruskin said. During snow
storms, crews are out during the
night and janitorial staffs clear
walkways and stairs, he said.
Many blind pedestrians said they
think the University does a good
job maintaining sidewalk accessi
bility during winter storms.
Peggy Hoover, a blind pedestrian
who uses a cane, said that not only
does the University make the side
walks accessible in times of bad
weather, but it also provides ser
vices to help people with disabili
ties.
A number on the TIPS informa-
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tion line provides updated informa
tion on the current construction
projects and barriers on campus,
said Kay Marshall, a disabilities
service counselor for the Office of
Disabilities, 105 Boucke.
arshall said if students with dis
abilities give the office their daily
routes, those sidewalks will be list
ed as high priority list for snow
removal.
Hoover said she has used the
TIPS number and found it very
useful.
The borough also provides ser
vices to aid blind pedestrians.
Little said there are many places
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in town that do an excellent job of
clearing the sidewalks in front of
their businesses, but some do not.
Although a path is cleared, some
times the path is narrow, Little
said.
This narrow path is usually fine
for other pedestrians, but the paths
are sometimes difficult for blind
pedestrians to use, he added.
“Trying to find that little path is
difficult,” Little said.
The borough enforces a snow
removal ordinance that requires
business and property owners to
clear any snow, regardless of
amount, from sidewalks 24 hours
The Daily Collegian Tuesday, March 12, 1996
after the snow falls, said Larry
Gephart, ordinance enforcement
officer for the borough.
If residents or business owners
do not clear a pathway, they
receive a violation and must pay a
$lO fee, Gephart said. After three
violations, the borough hires a con
tractor to remove the snow and
sends the bill to the property
owner.
“The property owners are
responsible up to the curb,''
Gephart said.
Many of the residents who live
near curbs have made extra efforts
to keep the sidewalks safe, he said
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