Construction in Hamilton Hall has left a great deal of the building blocked off to students. From the outside looking in, the building is surrounded by cement barriers and chain link fences to keep visitors away from the construction work. From the inside looking out, there are only a few entrances and exits, and even fewer restrooms or direct routes to offices within the building.

Hamilton Hall is the home of the Greenlee School of Journalism and Mass Communication. It’s also the home to the Iowa State Daily office. But the issues that have arisen due to the construction there affect more than just Iowa State’s 1,000 journalism majors – it speaks for the necessity of thoughtful planning for all construction projects.

As of last week, only two entrances to Hamilton Hall were left open – one from Wallace Road that leads to a stairwell, and another that leads directly into the Daily offices. Neither of these entrances are handicap accessible. Both entrances are beyond steep flights of stairs, and the handicap accessible doorway is out of commission.

The Americans with Disabilities Act does allow leeway to temporary construction projects such as this. Although the construction on Hamilton Hall will extend throughout the year, the project is breaking no laws. Officials within the Greenlee School understand the need to prevent disabled students from feeling ostracized – they should be prepared to provide software in other computer labs and other equipment in other facilities on campus.

While construction at the Greenlee School is technically in compliance with the ADA, the situation is indicative of the gap between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. Visitors, prospective students, people suddenly nursing a broken leg and professors all may need accommodation in compliance with ADA, and the inconvenience they will experience may reflect on the Greenlee School. Rather than blocking access to handicap entrances, restrooms and elevators in the midst of a semester, construction planned for lower-traffic times, such as summers and breaks, would have been a thoughtful step in minimizing the inconvenience not only to those individuals with disabilities, but to every student of the Greenlee School.

Students at the Greenlee School will benefit from and enjoy the new facilities when work is completed. However, as long as the current situation persists, the Daily, computer classrooms and Greenlee advisers’ offices will all be off limits to students, faculty and visitors with impaired mobility.

There is a big difference between forced compliance and a commitment to excellence. Let us hope the Greenlee School chooses the high road.

Editorial Board: Cavan Reagan, Amber Billings, Rachel Faber Machacha,

Charlie Weaver, Zach Calef, Ayrel Clark