Sam Walton could run UPEI better
Sam Walton, founder Wal-Mart If Sam Walton visited the Charlottetown Wal-Mart and saw the paint was gone from the disabled parking, he would have fixed it right away. When Wade MacLauchlan, President of UPEI, sees blue paint on parking spots for people with disabilities, he wants the paint removed.Wade MacLauchlan, President UPEI
Sam Walton the founder of Wal-Mart was a hands-on manager. He liked to visit the each store every month to check the books and inspect the stores for cleanliness. The maintenance crew would follow him fixing the problems. If the disabled parking spots needed painting, they got painted.
Walton speaking to Wal-Mart store staff
Compared with Wal-Mart, UPEI is un-caring. UPEI had some disability parking that was helping employees and students. They could have had more. MacLauchlan is taking away the disabled parking that is close to the buildings. UPEI set up a phony Access-Ability Committee with the intent of moving the disabled off the inner campus. MacLauchlan has hands on management but the wrong kind. Wade
MacLauchlan in photoshoot for the Guardian with a person in a wheelchair - the secret plan to remove disabled parking was made soon after this shot.
MacLauchlan is now pursuing his legacy at UPEI with the Main Quadrant project and Canada Games 2009. The Main Quadrant will make the inner campus quaint and pretty, like something out of Disney World. Canada Games will be a high profile project which MacLauchlan can preside over.
Another difference is the Americans with Disabilities Act which stipulates what accessible features buildings should have if they are open to the public. That’s why you’ll notice all the US retail and restaurant chains have the best accessible parking. They have it in their policy manuals.
Wal-Mart also learned through a series of expensive lawsuits that discrimination could cost it money.
It’s too bad Wal-Mart didn’t run a university close by. People with disabilities could get an education. Wade MacLauchlan and his management at UPEI just don’t get it on the disability issues.
