Policies & Procedures

If you have a question or a grievance about a decision made by the University related to reasonable accommodations, you should first communicate with DRC Director.

• Students are encouraged to discuss the matter in person or in writing with the DRC Director.
• If the DRC Director is unable to assist in informally resolving the concern(s), the student will be referred to the formal process and/or appropriate resource.
• If the DRC Director is involved in the concern(s), the student should report to the Vice President of Inclusion, Access, and Belonging to follow formal grievance procedures. The Vice President of Inclusion, Access, and Belonging has the discretion to designate an appropriate officer to review the appeal (“designee").

The University and the student may agree to resolve any grievance informally at any time during any formal or informal process

A student or the University may elect to proceed to a formal grievance process at any time.

Step One:

Students who wish to formally appeal accommodation decisions must submit a written appeal letter to the Vice President of Inclusion, Access, and Belonging, or designee. Written appeals should clearly define the basis of the appeal and a proposed resolution to the situation. Any relevant documentation should be enclosed with the appeal. The Vice President of Inclusion, Access, and Belonging, or designee, will develop an appropriate investigational process depending on the circumstances surrounding the reasonable accommodations grievance. The Vice President of Inclusion, Access, and Belonging, or designee, will respond to the student filing the appeal in writing within 15 working days of receiving the appeal.

Step Two:

If the response of the Vice President of Inclusion, Access, and Belonging, or designee, is not satisfactory to you, you have five (5) working days, following the receipt of a response, to file an appeal with the Vice President of Inclusion, Access, and Belonging. All prior written responses related to the appeal should be enclosed with this appeal. The Vice President of Inclusion, Access, and Belonging will respond to the student filing the appeal in writing within 15 working days of receiving the appeal. The decision of the Vice President of Inclusion, Access, and Belonging is final.

Student Rights

• Students with disabilities have the right to self-identify to the Disability Resource Center (DRC) and seek classification as a student with a disability by following the DRC's procedures for Registering For Services.
• Students with disabilities have the right to request reasonable accommodations, auxiliary aids and services, and/or modifications to University policies, by initiating such requests with the DRC by following the DRC's procedures for Requesting Accommodations, Modifications, Aids, and Services.
• Students with disabilities have the right to be approved for and receive reasonable accommodations, auxiliary aids and services, and/or modifications to University policies, as related to the impact(s) of their disability(ies) and which do not impose a fundamental alteration to the nature of a service, program, or activity, and/or an undue financial and administrative burden to the University. Commonly requested reasonable accommodations, aids and services, and modifications may include, but are not limited to: extended time for completing timed course assessments (tests, quizzes, etc.); alternatively formatted course materials (enlarged handouts, texts in audio format, texts in Braille, etc.); access to sign language interpreting services; and approval for priority registration.
• Students with disabilities have the right to initiate, terminate, and request changes to their accommodations, auxiliary aids and services, and/or modifications plans, as approved by the DRC, at any time during their enrollment at the University by contacting the DRC.
• Students with disabilities have the right to appeal any and all decisions made by the DRC by initiating the Student Grievance Procedures for Decisions Made by the DRC.
• Students with disabilities have the right to confidentiality regarding their disability(ies) and disclosure of information, except when required or permitted by law.

Student Responsibilities

• Those students with disabilities who wish to request accommodations, modifications, aids, and/or services, as related to their disability(ies), are responsible for following the DRC's procedures for Requesting Accommodations, Modifications, Aids, and Services, in a timely fashion.
• Students with disabilities are responsible for meeting with their professors and relevant University staff, in a timely fashion, in order to communicate the accommodations, modifications, aids, and/or services for which they are eligible, as approved by the DRC, and to discuss plans for implementing them in the classroom or other environment. During these meetings, students with disabilities are responsible for providing their current Memorandum of Accommodations, as issued by the DRC, to the professor or University staff member. Additionally, students with disabilities are responsible for engaging with their professors and University staff in an ongoing basis, as needed, in order to maintain the implementation of their accommodations. Testing accommodations are one type of accommodation that often requires eligible students to engage with their professors on an ongoing basis (as tests dates approach during the semester) so that appropriate logistics related to the administration of each test can be carried out by both the student and the professor in timely manner.
• Students with disabilities are responsible for meeting and maintaining the University's fundamental academic and technical standards, either with or without use of accommodations, modifications, aids, and/or services as related to their disability(ies).
• Students with disabilities are responsible for notifying the DRC staff of any questions, issues, or concerns that they may have, regarding their accommodations, modifications, aids and/or services in a timely fashion.