Pictured are: Mr Riekie Vickers (master's student in Psychology) and Ms Hetsie Veitch (Coordinator and Head: Unit for Students with Disabilities). Photo: Mangaliso Radebe

The Department of Psychology at the University of the Free State (UFS) has officially opened the new elevator installed in the Psychology Building as part of the UFS’s plan of increasing accessibility to its buildings for students and staff with disabilities. The department has approximately 40 undergraduate and postgraduate students with physical disabilities.

“Besides offices, there are classrooms and laboratories in the Psychology Building which were never accessible to these students. To train them they need access to these venues. Now the installation of this elevator makes this possible,” said Prof. Karel Esterhuyse, associate professor in the department.

Some of the latest developments on the Main Campus in this regard include:

• A new elevator for the West Block which is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
  
   
• New ramps to both entrances of the Winkie Direko Building were completed and the paving on the sidewalks adjusted to make access to the building easy.
  
   
• During the June/July holidays the classrooms and bathrooms in the Genmin Lectorium will be upgraded to improve accessibility for students and staff with disabilities.
  
   
• There are 22 new parking spaces for students and staff with disabilities all over the campus.

Media Release
Issued by: Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt@ufs.ac.za  
1 June 2010