May 2, 2018
UW, plaintiffs reach agreement on ADA lawsuit regarding parking facilities on campus
The University of Washington announced today it has reached agreement with a group of three plaintiffs in an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) lawsuit alleging violations in the University’s parking facilities on the Seattle campus.
The University and the plaintiffs agreed to a consent decree, which outlines a commitment and process to meet ADA standards over the next 15 years.
“The University of Washington is committed to providing equitable access to all members of the community, including students, staff, faculty, and the public with disabilities,” said David Anderson, interim associate vice president for compliance and risk services. “We look forward to ensuring that the terms of the agreement are met.”
In connection with the lawsuit, the University performed assessments which revealed the need for changes to many of its parking facilities. A number of remedial changes were made during the course of the lawsuit and additional remediation will continue into the future. The University has committed to ensuring 77 parking facilities are compliant with the ADA over the course of the 15 years, 35 of which will be completed by September 2020 and 43 completed in the next five years. In addition, the University will ensure the number of accessible parking spaces meets legal requirements.
The University has committed to hire a full time ADA coordinator to organize access for all members of the University community. The University also has convened an executive committee with responsibility for developing plans and directing resources and funding to meet its goal of equitable access for all.
The UW was represented by David West and Seth Berntsen with Garvey Schubert Barer, and the plaintiffs were represented by Darrell Cochran with Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala and Conrad Reynoldson of Washington Civil & Disability Advocate.
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Tag(s): University of Washington
