Office of Accessibility Services

Current Campus Accessibility Barriers

Elevator outages or construction projects may affect physical access to classrooms, office, meetings, or residence halls. Along with opt-in email notifications, this page provides updates and guidance for students, staff, and faculty.

Current & Planned Elevator Outages or Construction Notices

Last updated May 28, 2026.

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Planned Construction

There are currently five active construction projects taking place on the UVM campus:

  1. Morrill Hall Elevator maintenance (May 20 - July 3)
  2. Entrance Gratings Upgrade (June 1 - June 5)
  3. Davis Center entry concrete replacement (May 18 - June 8)
  4. Given "B" elevator maintenance (May 26 - June 2)
  5. Waterman elevator repairs (June 9 - August 3)

Here's how each of these projects could influence accessibility.

1. Morrill Hall Elevator maintenance (May 20 - July 3)

The Morrill Hall elevator will be down for maintenance starting Wednesday, May 20, and running through July 3 this summer.

2. Entrance Gratings Upgrade (June 1 - June 5)

Problematic gratings outside the entrances to several campus buildings are being replaced with smooth concrete. The buildings getting these upgrades are Kalkin/Ifshin, Old Mill / Annex, and Lafayette. Please anticipate temporary closures to building entries and exits, as well as the typical noise and commotion associated with construction work. We do not anticipate any disruption to regular office or class schedules in these buildings.

During this time, the Old Mill, Annex and Lafayette buildings may be accessed from the east entryway; the Lafayette elevator may be used from there. Kalkin/Ifshin may be accessed from any of the entryways on the north side of the building(s).

3. Davis Center entry concrete replacement (May 18 - June 8)

The eastern entry to the Davis Center (by the turnaround) will be closed May 18 through at least June 8, 2026, to replace the concrete. This may involve road closures; more information will be posted here as soon as it becomes available. 

While the eastern entry to the building is closed, please plan to use the UVM Bookstore's emergency entrances for regular entry and exit to the Davis Center instead of the eastern entry.

Partial street map of the UVM Davis Center, showing that the eastern entry will be closed, and there will be no access to the turnaround.

4. Given "B" elevator maintenance (May 26 - June 2)

The Given "B" elevator will be out of service for routine maintenance May 26 - June 2. 

5. Waterman Building Elevator Maintenance (June 9 - August 3)

The elevator in the Waterman Building will be unavailable from June 9, 2026 through approximately August 3, 2026, for maintenance. During this time, the UVM Print & Mail department would like to remind people to refrain from ordering any packages that you are unable to physically carry from the Print & Mail department (in the Waterman basement) to your office. Storage space in Print & Mail is limited, and they will not be able to accommodate large or heavy items during this time.  Additionally, delivery services from other vendors (UPS, FedEx, DHL, or Staples) may not deliver directly to offices during this period. While Print & Mail may accept these items, they will still need to be picked up promptly.

Please note that there is also a roof replacement project in Waterman during the same dates. The roof replacement should not impact accessibility. 

Employees whose work may be impacted and who may require an accommodation due to a disability are encouraged to contact the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) to discuss available options. Where job duties permit, temporary accommodations may include modified work arrangements, including consideration of remote work.

For questions or to set up an accommodation request, please contact OAS by emailing access@uvm.edu, calling (802) 656-8610, or filling out our online contact form.

Elevator Outage Information

If an elevator outage or construction project prevents access to a class, office or meeting:
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Physical accessibility barriers (such as elevator outages) may occasionally affect access to classrooms, offices, or meeting spaces. If you are unable to reach a classroom, workspace, or meeting due to a physical accessibility barrier, please take the following steps:

Students: Contact your instructor or Student Accessibility Services specialist as soon as possible to notify them that you are being prevented from accessing class. See below for additional information.

Employees (staff and faculty): Contact your supervisor, department, or meeting organizer, to notify them that there is a physical accessibility barrier preventing access to your workspace or meeting location. Departments should relocate meetings or make temporary arrangements whenever possible.

Accessibility assistance: Individuals who require disability related accommodations may contact the Office of Accessibility Services at access@uvm.edu or (802) 656-8610.

If you are currently stuck in a building:
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If you are currently in a building and cannot safely exit because the elevator is out of service, or another construction issue is occurring, please contact UVM Police Services for assistance: call (802) 656-3473

If you become stuck in an elevator, use the emergency call button to reach building security or emergency responders.

Additional Information for Students

Residence Hall Elevator Outage
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Residence Halls Without Elevators

Please note that the following buildings do NOT have elevators:

  • Simpson
  • Hamilton
  • Coolidge
  • Redstone
  • Hunt
  • McCann
  • Ready
  • Richardson
  • Sichel
  • Living/Learning Buildings
  • Converse Hall
  • The Cottages

If you are a UVM student who needs an elevator for accessibility, please work with Student Accessibility Services to make sure that you're placed in housing that meets all your needs.

Students Unable to Access Their Room

  1. Student Actions:
    • Contact the Resident Assistant (RA) and/or front desk staff.
  2. RA/Front Desk Staff Actions:
    • Contact the RET team or appropriate personnel to determine the availability of an alternative room for the student.
    • If a room is available and accepted by the student:
      • The RA or designated person will assist the student in retrieving items from their original room.
    • If a room is not available or not accepted by the student:
      • Explore the possibility of the student staying with a friend.
      • Consider other available options.
    • Determine if University Housing & Dining can provide transportation to the new location. If not, during hours of 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, check with the OAS Specialist to see if CatsRide is an option.
  3. Note: Depending on the situation and the duration of the repair, the student may be required to relocate for life safety reasons.

Student Unable to Leave Their Room

  1. Student Actions:
    • Contact the RA to update the RET team or appropriate personnel.
    • Fill out the Meal Request Form, designating a friend or RA to pick up meals.
    • Contact their SAS Specialist.
  2. Student Accessibility Services Specialist Actions:
  • Contact faculty if the student is unable to attend class in person
  • Work with faculty to explore options for remote classes, recording classes, and providing note-takers in courses.

Academic Building Elevator Outage
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Notification

  •  Student Notification: The student will contact their Student Accessibility Services Specialist regarding the elevator outage.

Student Accessibility Services Specialist Actions

  1. Contact faculty and the Registrar’s Office if the student is unable to attend class in person.
  2. Explore the following options:
    • Convert the class to a hybrid format to allow remote attendance.
    • Temporarily or permanently relocate the classroom, depending on the duration of the elevator outage.

Faculty Guidance for Elevator Outages

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  • Elevators are essential for students who cannot use stairs to access classrooms or offices. If an elevator outage prevents a student from attending class, please do not penalize the absence.
  • Physical Plant Services usually inform us of outages, and we attempt to contact all professors with affected students. Even if you are not notified by our office, consider the student's communication as valid notification to excuse the absence and assist with acquiring missed materials.
  • You can verify the date and time of elevator outages with the Office of Accessibility Services or Physical Plant Services.
A hand pressing an elevator button for the lobby

Email notifications of physical accessibility barriers

Getting notifications in your email is a two-step process:

1. Please email listserv@list.uvm.edu with the following format: subscribe ELEVATORS [first_name] [last_name]
2. You will receive a confirmation email. Click the link in the confirmation email to activate your subscription.

Or sign up via the Office of Accessibility Services contact form

Email notifications of physical accessibility barriers

Getting notifications in your email is a two-step process:

1. Please email listserv@list.uvm.edu with the following format: subscribe ELEVATORS [first_name] [last_name]
2. You will receive a confirmation email. Click the link in the confirmation email to activate your subscription.

Or sign up via the Office of Accessibility Services contact form

Report an Accessibility Barrier

Use our online form to report physical accessibility issues on the UVM campus.

Report an accessibility barrier