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FSU COVID-19 Guidelines Not Accessible To All Students

The main building entrance to Doak Campbell Stadium, home of Florida State University Football.
Chad Robertson/C5Media
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Adobe Stock
Florida State University has released COVID-19 guidelines for students to follow. But the format those guidelines are presented may not be accessible to all students.

Florida State University has posted signs on campus and inside buildings asking students to wear masks and practice social distancing. But some students are having a difficult time accessing all of Florida State University's COVID-19 guidelines.

When Reahna Robinson stepped into an elevator inside her dorm, and another person joined her, something didn't feel right.

"I was kind of feeling a little bit uncomfortable just because it was a tight space," Robinson says.

In the dorms, only one student can ride the elevator at one time. Signs are posted, but Robinson is blind and says those guidelines weren't accessible for her.

"The signs that are posted in the residence halls are—they're all print, and so I can't see them, and they weren't emailed out to everyone, and the website that the guidelines are posted on it's a picture with text and I'm completely blind, and so my screen reader doesn't read that picture either."

Robinson says online, FSU has posted some of its guidelines on images or PDFS. That means her screen reader can't interpret them. Shannon Staten, with FSU's Housing Office, says students with concerns like Robinson's should contact the Office of Accessibility Services.

Robbie Gaffney graduated from Florida State University with degrees in Digital Media Production and Creative Writing. Before working at WFSU, they recorded FSU’s basketball and baseball games for Seminole Productions as well as interned for the PBS Station in Largo, Florida. Robbie loves playing video games such as Shadow of the Colossus, Animal Crossing, and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. Their other hobbies include sleeping and watching anime.