Universities across New York will install politically correct parking signs for drivers with disabilities on their campuses.

The project, which began over the summer and will continue for the next 18 months, will replace signs featuring a stationary stick-figure sitting in a wheelchair on all 64 State of New York (SUNY) institutions with a new look designed to focus on the person, not their disabilities, Campus Reform reported.

The new symbol will also feature a stationary stick-figure in a wheelchair, except it will "[appear] to be moving forward."

"They wanted to show that most people with disabling conditions are still active and engaged members of the community," Dr. Michele Carpentier, assistant vice president for student affairs and director of special programs at State University of New York at Plattsburgh, told WPTZ News.

In addition to the new icon, the wording on the sign will be changed from "handicapped to "reserved."

"'Handicap' suggests that there is something wrong with the person. It's kind of a derogatory term," Carpentier said.

Malka Edelman, director of Disability Services Center at SUNY Farmingdale, told Campus Reform she is supportive of the decision to change the image.

"It's a good thing. If the community thinks it's time that we change that image because the image is a sort of stagnant image. It assumes that everybody in a wheelchair is the same, well that's crazy," Edelman said. "From a historical perspective when there were no signs ... the world was so terribly backwards, [signs] were progress. Now it's time to move to the next step."

Despite support from administrators at SUNY campuses, students' reactions have been mixed.

"There are people in my family who have to use handicap stickers. I've never really seen a problem with the picture or the word," one SUNY Plattsburgh student told WPTZ News.

"When I looked at it, I get a different vibe but I don't know if it's good or bad yet," said another student.

Carpentier said she hopes the change will encourage thoughtful dialogue.

Anytime that you bring to fore a discussion about what's going to be good for the population, and you bring people's awareness to something, there's positive benefits," she said.

The signs will be replaced at no cost to the taxpayer, WPTZ reported.