Issuing Office

Office of Disability Accommodation Support

Affected Parties

Faculty and students

Policy Language

Faculty must provide requested academic accommodations to students with documented disabilities unless the accommodations would fundamentally alter the nature of the program or the academic requirements that are essential to a program of study or to meet licensing prerequisites.

Policy Rationale

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by the 1981 regulations implementing the Act, prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability against students in universities benefiting from federal funds.  Section 504 mandates reasonable accommodations to provide equal program access to all students with disabilities.

Definition of Glossary Terms

Reasonable accommodations are defined as individual changes to programs of study that do not fundamentally alter the nature of the program or the academic requirements that are essential to a program of study or to meet licensing prerequisites.

Procedures

First, the student with a disability must document their disability and fill out the academic accommodations request form.  Second, either the Director or an Advisor of Disability Accommodation Support will notify each professor in writing of the university approved accommodations.  Finally, each professor will then carry out the requested accommodation. 

Sanctions

Students with disabilities who believe that reasonable accommodations are not being followed must notify the Office of Disability Accommodation Support in a timely manner.  Then each claim of discrimination will be investigated by notifying the professor in question and reviewing the circumstances.  Grievances will follow the appropriate chain of authority to include the professor, department chair, school dean and Provost, if necessary.

Exceptions

Academic accommodations do not have to be made if they fundamentally alter the nature of the program or the academic requirements that are essential to a program of study or to meet licensing prerequisites. Faculty are not required to provide accommodations unless the student with a disability has followed proper procedures and made the accommodation request through the Office of Disability Accommodation Support.

Date of Last Review

8/26/2019