Tell us once, early
Anyone can request an accommodation for a tour, a Preview Day, an information session or an event. You do not need documentation or a reason. Check the access box when you register, or call Visitor Services at (715) 555–0144. These are the lead times we need:
| Request | Notice | Arranged by |
|---|---|---|
| Accessible van around the tour loop | 2 business days | Visitor Services, using the accessible campus transportation vans |
| ASL interpreter or live captioning (CART) | 5 business days | Disability & Accessibility Services, via the interpreter request form |
| Large-print or braille visit materials | 5 business days | Visitor Services |
| Loaner wheelchair at the Welcome Center | None; two on hand (reserve to be sure) | Welcome Center desk |
| Smaller or slower tour, or a private tour | 3 business days | Visitor Services |
| Dietary needs at a Preview Day lunch | 3 business days | Dining dietitian, through Visitor Services |
The route and the buildings
The standard tour is about 1.2 miles. It is paved, lit and step-free, running from the depot along the Millrace path to Founders Hall, Founders Union and a residence hall. There are benches every few hundred feet and accessible restrooms at the Welcome Center, Founders Union and Halvorsen Library. Every multi-story building has at least one elevator. The accessible campus map shows elevator outages live and flags the two places a marked route does not reach: the older wing of the Applied Arts Building and the Millrace overlook near Founders Union. Tour guides know the detours and will take them without being asked twice.
If a mile is too far, a guide can ride along in the accessible van and give the tour at each stop. You can also ask for the 40-minute “core” route, which covers Founders Hall, Founders Union and one residence hall model room.
Sensory and other access needs
- A quiet room. The old stationmaster’s office in the Welcome Center is kept as a quiet room with soft lighting and a door that closes. Ask at the desk. Noise-reducing earmuffs are available to borrow.
- Preview Days are loud. Check-in from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. is the most crowded part. You can check in early at 8:15, and staff can seat you at the edge of the Founders Union Great Room.
- Service animals are welcome everywhere on the tour, including the dining hall and labs. In labs, staff may ask that a service animal stay behind a safety line.
- Lab and shop stops require closed-toe shoes. If you cannot wear them, the guide will describe the space from the doorway or open a window view.
- Virtual option. The virtual campus tour is captioned and works with screen readers. A live virtual appointment with an admissions counselor can replace an in-person visit entirely.
Games, performances and events
Millwright Stadium has 64 accessible seats on the home side with companion seating and an accessible drop-off at Gate A. Ironclad Fieldhouse has courtside wheelchair positions on both sidelines. In the Applied Arts Building, Heritage Auditorium and Thorsen Theatre both have wheelchair positions and assistive listening receivers; the box office can book them and arrange ASL-interpreted theatre performances on request. Accessible parking is on the accessible parking page. State placards are honored in every accessible space without a campus permit.
For students who will enroll
A visit is a good time to meet the office that would support you as a student. Disability & Accessibility Services, directed by Faye Gunderson, is on the second floor of Halvorsen Library. Coordinators will meet visiting students for 30 minutes on any weekday if you ask when you book your tour. They can explain how accommodations work in college, which is different from an IEP or 504 plan. More information is on accessibility services and the accessibility services FAQ.
Fictional information
UW–Porter Falls is a work of parody. The quiet room, loaner wheelchairs, accessible van, stadium seating counts and everyone named here are invented. If you need a real accommodation somewhere, ask that real place; this one cannot provide it.