Last year, St. Thomas University Accessibility Services recognized a need for changing tables for student parents and installed three more on campus.
Natalie Carrier, acting manager of Student Accessibility Services, said that the changing tables are now spread across men’s, women’s and gender-neutral bathrooms.
The changing tables are located in Sir James Dunn Hall, Edmund Casey Hall, Brian Mulroney Hall and George Martin Hall.
Carrier said that since STU is an undergraduate university, it doesn’t get many student parents every year.
Accessibility Services isn’t able to quantify the student parent population on campus as not all of them use its services.
Sarah Somerville, parent and third-year student at St. Thomas University, said she has never needed a changing table for her four-year-old. She does know people who have had to use changing tables and have had little to no problems.
She has already brought her four-year-old to class with her this year and said how supportive her professors are in welcoming children to class if they need to.
“I’ve never had [a professor] say ‘no.’ I’ve never had one be like ‘you have to leave.’ One of my friends this morning actually brought her son. He’s wandering around on campus right now,” said Somerville.
Somerville said that professors are accommodating with her and she has had no issues in instances where her kids have been sick. She said it is important for student parents to be open and inform professors early in the semester.
Services for student parents are available and soon, Carrier hopes to release an infographic on available services.
“If parents are looking for any sort of accommodations regarding their children, just come to our office,” said Carrier. “We are more than happy to meet with them.”
Carrier said that STU encourages parents to come to school and to not let having a child stop them. She said breastfeeding on campus and parents bringing kids to classes are issues that Accessibility Services plans on addressing in the future.
“We do wish that more parents would come to us when it comes to accessibility … I know that there have been talks about breastfeeding where they want a private spot and that’s something that we can arrange for parents.”
With files from Spencer Thorne
