Randall named ADA facilities specialist for Augusta University

woman sits on sidewalk
Colette Randall, ADA facilities specialist in Planning, Design and Construction, sits on the smooth new sidewalk in front of the Stoney Building. She pushed to have it replaced during building renovations to make it safe and accessible for everyone.

Colette Randall is working to make the Augusta University campus more welcoming and accessible for everyone, regardless of their abilities.

She joined the university Facilities department six months ago as a project manager in Planning, Design and Construction. But given her background in mechanical engineering and her work experience in the highly regulated nuclear industry, she was a logical choice for the university’s new ADA facilities specialist.

“I see this an as awesome new opportunity,” Randall said. “It is incredibly important for equality purposes at Augusta University. We don’t want anyone to miss out on the experiences we have to offer because of a physical challenge. We also don’t want to miss out on an individual’s contribution because of a physical challenge. We want to ‘Be Boundless.’”

Randall, who assumed the ADA role on June 1, will focus primarily on promoting and maintaining a physical environment that supports the Americans with Disabilities Act. She has plans to evaluate the university — building by building — in an effort to assess compliance.

“A medical building will have different ADA standards than an office building,” Randall said. Each evaluation will depend on the building’s purpose and who is served by the facility.

“An inspection starts once you arrive at a building. You have to think about your clients when they park and how they will get to the entrance, not just accommodations inside the facility,” Randall said. “Even if a person can access parking, a wheelchair ramp may be misplaced, or the slope could be too steep. These are things I will be looking for.”

Randall will identify barriers to access for students, faculty and staff and make recommendations for removing these barriers.

“A barrier could be identified as simply making the false assumption that all wheelchairs are motorized,” Randall said. “This is one of the main reasons why the slope of a ramp must be carefully considered.”

woman stands with hands on porch rails
Colette Randall, ADA specialist in Facilities, says the slope of a ramp can be a barrier to entry on campus. Ramps are one of many physical structures she will evaluate for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as she works to help make Augusta University accessible for people of all abilities.

Randall will also review design documents for new construction and renovation projects to ensure ADA compliance with current codes, such as the Annex I renovations.

Randall will be a sounding board for faculty, staff and students who want to share specific needs and opportunities related to the design and function of buildings, parking lots and other physical spaces across the campuses.

For example, a building manager approached Randall with concerns about the sidewalk in front of the Stoney Building during recent renovations of the historic structure.

“The walkway was originally constructed of pebbles, so it wasn’t smooth,” Randall said. “In addition, it had several cracks in the surface, which made it uneven. Both of these issues made it unsafe for our staff and our patients. Repairing the sidewalk was not part of the initial project scope, but we completely removed and replaced it. It was the right thing to do.”

woman stands in front of history Stoney Nurses Home sign
Colette Randall said working on renovations at the Stoney Building was an incredible experience “as a black woman and a female mechanical engineer, given its history of housing black nurses in the Lamar School of Nursing.”

Randall has also completed project enhancements at the Goss Lane parking deck adjacent to the Student Center.

“For pedestrian safety, we now have a designated pedestrian entrance, which was really needed,” said Randall. “In addition, we installed a chain link fence at the vehicle entrance to keep pedestrians from darting out in front of moving vehicles.”

A native of South Carolina, Randall earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering in 2008 from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro. She moved to Augusta in 2009 to work at Plant Vogtle in Burke County as a nuclear steam supply system engineer.

In December 2019, Randall earned a Master of Business Administration from Augusta University’s Hull College of Business and joined the Facilities team.

“Learning and applying new codes and standards is something I am very familiar with,” said Randall, who spent six years at the nuclear power plant and four years at a local restaurant. From the local health department and the Food and Drug Administration to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Randall has worked with several agencies on code enforcement and compliance issues.

“I am excited to be able to use my unique history, background and skills to make a difference at Augusta University.”

Contact Randall via email or call 706-721-8436.

Like
Like Love Haha Wow Sad Angry
6211
Avatar photo
Written by
Denise Parrish

Denise Parrish is Director of Communications for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement at Augusta University. Contact her to schedule an interview on this topic at 706-721-9760 or mparrish@augusta.edu.

View all articles
Avatar photo Written by Denise Parrish

Jagwire is your source for news and stories from Augusta University. Daily updates highlight the many ways students, faculty, staff, researchers and clinicians "bring their A games" in classrooms and clinics on four campuses in Augusta and locations across the state of Georgia.

graphic that says download jag mobile with icon buttons below that say download on app store and download on google play with a picture of a phone