It may not be well known, but People Understanding Disabilities serves an important purpose.The group works to help those with disabilities on the ISU campus through activities such as hosting speakers and educational forums, said Katie Greiman, president of P.U.D.”I got involved in P.U.D. when I came to school at ISU,” said Greiman, junior in communication studies and Government of the Student Body disabilities senator. “I knew that I was going to need special accommodations because of my hearing disability, and I wanted to make sure that those accommodations would be available.”The group celebrates Awareness of Disabilities during October by hosting a speaker and also hosts a program in Maple Hall about what it would be like to live without hearing, mobility or sight in November. She said the event gives students an idea of what it’s like to have a certain disability.”Activities are a very important part of P.U.D.,” said Rodney Gingerich, club vice president and a senior in management information systems. “They help show people what it would feel like to be disabled.” Other activities include a program for the Freshman Leadership Conference similar to the one in Maple and a display table and wheelchair obstacle course during Veishea. The course shows the difficulties of being in a wheelchair.To help students, faculty and staff understand disabilities better, the groups also sponsors a sign language class at 6 p.m. every Wednesday in the Cardinal Room of the Memorial Union, Greiman said.P.U.D. members want to get the word out about their organization. “Anyone can join,” Gingerich said. “You don’t have to have a disability to join.”She said 15 people are currently signed up, and 10 members regularly attend meetings. “It is important to remember that we focus on all students on campus with disabilities,” Greiman said. “There are hundreds of them, and we try to help them anyway we can.”Although the group is working to raise awareness of disabilities on campus, problems still exist. Jeffrey Thill, senior in agricultural business, said he has problems getting around in his wheelchair through all of the ice, snow, puddles and slush on campus sidewalks. “When the snow is deep and I can’t tell where the curb is, it’s really easy to just fall off the sidewalk. There are also lots of places I can’t get to because there is only one wheelchair-accessible door. If that door is blocked, I can’t get in,” he said. “The Hub is a tough place. I can’t even get into Kildee, and the incline into Heady is much too steep, but I think the worst is probably the steep downhill between Catt Hall and Curtiss.” Sometimes building entrances and sidewalks aren’t the only problem. “Bus stops aren’t usually cleared off, and that is a problem because I ride on CyRide,” he said. “It’s tough, it really is.”