Dive Brief:

• Southern University will pay “several millions of dollars” over five years to make upgrades to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act as part of a lawsuit settlement.
• The 2011 lawsuit filed by Southern student Kayla Williams, a paraplegic, claimed that the school’s Baton Rouge, LA, school had classroom desks, restrooms, and sporting event venues that didn’t accommodate wheelchairs.
• Southern, which is struggling financially, will seek funding from the Louisiana legislature to cover the costs, The Advocate reported.

Dive Insight:

Southern University also has to pay Williams an undisclosed amount for damages, attorney fees, and other lawsuit costs as part of the settlement. Southern has been drawing from its reserves to fund its general budget amidst six years of state funding cuts. The university will make 34 upgrades on campus through 2019, including adding wheelchair ramps and wheelchair-accessible viewing areas, restrooms, concession stand counters, and water fountains to sports venues.