Disability and Accommodation Services Policy and Instructions
A student who seeks accommodation services should submit his or her request in writing to the Dean of Academics. A student self-identifying should describe to the best of his or her ability the nature of the disability. The Dean of Academics will then provide to the student forms the student should provide to his or her qualified professional to assist that professional in describing the nature and extent of the student’s disability. The student will also be given a copy of our Accommodation Services Handbook and of the brochure “Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities.”
Once the student has received a diagnosis from a qualified professional, the student must return his or her documentation to the Dean of Academics. The Dean of Academics will then set an appointment with the student and the student’s Program Director to discuss with the student appropriate and reasonable accommodations, auxiliary aids and services given the student’s diagnosis and the nature of the student’s program of study and/or specific challenges the student may face in a given course.
Both student and college will work together to create an Accommodation Plan to assist the student. This Plan will be committed to writing, and will be revisited each quarter to ensure that it remains responsive to the student’s needs. The student will be asked to authorize disclosure each quarter to the student’s Instructors of accommodations, auxiliary aides, and services to which the student is entitled under his or her Accommodation Plan. The student should be aware that an Instructor may contest a given accommodation if, in his or her professional opinion, the accommodation would substantively or fundamentally alter the course at issue. If an Instructor does contest an accommodation, the student will be notified in writing. The Dean of Academics will make the final determination which if any accommodations will be included in the Plan.
All requests for changes to the Accommodation Plan must be submitted by the student in writing to the Dean of Academics to ensure clarity of purpose and discussion. Such requests should be dated and signed by the student. The Dean of Academics will respond to such requests within a reasonable time by setting an appointment with the student and Program Director to consider the request.
Any Plan and/or Amendment to an Accommodation Plan will be set forth in writing, a copy of which will be provided to the student. The original, signed Plan and Amendments will be maintained in the student’s Educational File. If the student requests an accommodation that the College determines it cannot provide, the College will inform the student in writing of such denial. A student has the right to appeal an eligibility or accommodation determination made by a member of the staff of Accommodation Services.
To do so, the student should first contact the Dean of Academics in writing detailing the nature of the complaint. The Dean will set a hearing with the student to discuss the issue before making a determination. All determinations will be made in writing.
A student may choose to by-pass the Dean if the student so chooses, or appeal a decision made by the Dean, by filing a written complaint with the Office of the Vice President, Stautzenberger College, Brecksville, 8001 Katherine Blvd., Brecksville, Ohio 44141. A student may also choose to contact the United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 600 Superior Avenue East, Suite 750, Cleveland, Ohio 44114-2611.
For a full copy of our Accommodations Services Handbook, please click here.
For the forms necessary to document a disability, please click here.
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