Elevator Outages on UNC Campus Concern Disability Advocates

On the University of North Carolina (UNC) campus in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, there were more elevator outages than elevators during a five-month stretch in 2025, a situation that raises accessibility concerns among disabled individuals and advocates, The Daily Tar Heel reports. Between August 1 and December 31, 2025, the campus experienced 374 elevator outages among 368 elevators. As of January 12, 2026, 11 elevators were reported as out of service, including three in buildings that lack an alternative available elevator. Disabled advocates and students say this prevents wheelchair users from getting to class on time and curtails participation in campus life. As a recipient of federal funding, UNC is required under the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure equal access for all. A university spokesperson said UNC works to identify and address elevator outages as quickly as possible and shares notifications about outages on a safety app. UNC “is committed to a safe and accessible campus,” the spokesperson said.