Test Policies 2

Issuing Office:

Office of Disability Academic Support

Policy Author:

Director of Disability Academic Support

Contributing Offices:

Enter Contributing Offices here.

Affected Parties:

Faculty and students

Location where Existing Policy can be Viewed:

Faculty Handbook

Complete Wording of New or Revised Policy:

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.

SACS Criteria:

Enter SACS Criteria here.

Other Regulatory Criteria:

Enter Other Regulatory Criteria here.

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.

 Students with disabilities; academic accommodations

Implementation Description:

Students with disabilities who request academic accommodations must do so through the Office of Disability Academic Support.  This includes providing appropriate written documentation of the disability and filling out the academic request forms every semester.  The Office of Disability Academic Support will then notify each professor of the approved academic accommodations.

Policy Administrators:

Director of Disability Academic Support, Disability Academic Support Advisors

Policy Review Cycle:

Every five years or as needed

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 Academic 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 Academic 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 Academic Support.

Other Policy Link Locations:

www.liberty.edu/disability