U-M, Michigan Paralyzed Veterans settle dispute over stadium's handicap seating

By ROBIN ERB • FREE PRESS EDUCATION WRITER • March 10, 2008

The University of Michigan's Big House will have at least permanent 329 handicap-accessible seats in the bowl area of the stadium by the kick-off of its 2010 football season, settling a legal dispute between the university, the Michigan Paralyzed Veterans, and the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education.

The terms of the proposed settlement were in a consent decree filed today in U.S. District Court in Detroit, and confirmed in a statement from the University of Michigan, potentially putting an end to a legal case and public relations nightmare for U-M.

The school began a $226-million overhaul of the 80-year-old stadium late last year. At the close of the football season, the stadium had fewer than 100 wheelchair-accessible seats. U-M planned to add wheelchair-accessible seating through construction, but the Veterans group agued that the stadium would have to have at least 1,000 such seats to be compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

U-M balked, and the U.S. Department of Education and eventually the U.S. Department of Justice stepped into the fray, also arguing for more seating. In the meantime, students and faculty and staff became increasingly critical of the planned renovations.

In an earlier compromise proposed by the university, the stadium would have featured temporary handicap-accessible seating on portable platforms. The consent decree filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Detroit makes the 329 seats all permanent. Starting this year, 96 new accessible seats, plus seats for companions, will be available along the east side of the Stadium at row 54. Eventually, there will be 329 accessible seats and an equal number of seats for companions.

The agreement filed was signed by officials of U-M, U.S. attorneys representing the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights division, and the Paralyzed Veterans group.

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