Student ACCESSIBILITY Services

Student Accessibility Services Policy & Procedure Manual

Approved by: University Student Accessibility Services Committee (previously Disabilities and Accommodations Committee), July 2016
Reviewed: July 2017
Revised: October 4, 2018

Procedures for Requesting an Accommodation

1. It is the student’s responsibility to disclose a disability and to provide adequate documentation of the disability and any requested accommodations with a rationale of how the accommodation addresses the disability.
2. The first step in requesting disability related services is to provide current documentation of the disability by an appropriate diagnosing professional (a treating, licensed, clinical professional familiar with the history and functional implications of the impairments and who is currently engaged in treating the student). Forms for helping students do this are available on the website. What is considered “current” varies and can mean many years such as with a chronic
   medical condition, to a few months with some psychological disorders. Send completed materials to the Office of Student Affairs. Electronic completed materials may be emailed or faxed to the Assistant Director of the Learning Center and Accessibility (email: accommodations@neomed.edu; fax: 330.325.5956). Students will receive an acknowledgment of the receipt of materials via email. After students have received the acknowledgment that the University has received the materials, students are encouraged to schedule an appointment with the Assistant Director of the Learning Center and Accessibility to discuss documentation and needs. To schedule an appointment, please email accommodations@neomed.edu.
3. Through a collaborative process with students, the Assistant Director of the Learning Center and Accessibility will determine when the need for disability accommodations is adequately documented knowing that the Committee may request additional documentation. The Assistant Director of the Learning Center and Accessibility may choose to consult with professionals about the disability while maintaining student anonymity at this time. Documentation will be presented to the Committee for further consideration. The Committee meets on at least a quarterly basis or more frequently asneeded. The Committee will review materials and decide if students will be granted disability status and if so, what will be offered as reasonable accommodations. Because it will take time for each Committee member to review materials, students must complete materials in time to have the completed submission of acceptable materials to the chairs of the Committee no later than one week before the Committee meets. It is suggested that students submit materials well before this date. Materials from students received after the deadline may be referred to the Committee for the next quarterly meeting and may result in a delay.
4. All disability determinations are made by the Committee. Students may be invited to attend a Committee meeting should the Committee have any questions about the stated disability or requested accommodation. Because this is not a legal hearing, students may not bring legal counsel representation into the meeting. The Committee may require further examination and/or testing by a professional approved by the University. Any costs incurred in obtaining additional documentation are incurred by the student. The Committee may grant limited accommodations or no accommodations until further assessment is completed. Committee meetings are confidential, and Committee members are authorized to review all individual student information available to them when considering a student’s accommodation request. Once an accommodation is granted, it is
   the student’s responsibility to present information about an accommodation (with written documentation) directly to the course director and/or faculty impacted by the accommodation. To request official documentation on accommodations to share with impacted course directors, contact the Assistant Director of the Learning Center and Accessibility at accommodations@neomed.edu.
5. Accommodations may be denied for any of the following reasons:
   1. Outdated documentation
   2. Insufficient information
   3. Incomplete application (e.g., no diagnosis or signatures)
   4. Documentation provider possesses a conflict of interest (e.g., relative of the student)
   5. Inappropriate professional making the diagnosis (i.e., credentials must include licensure associated with that of a qualified expert in the disability or condition)
6. After the Committee meets, students will receive a communication indicating the Committee’s response to the request. If students are entitled to accommodations, the Committee will provide a letter regarding the accommodations for the student to, in turn, provide to faculty, staff or other administrators who have a legitimate educational interest in the nature of the accommodation needs. Mechanism of clinical teaching site notification will be part of the discussion. It is important to note that only specifics regarding the accommodation are included in the letter; the letter does not include any information specific to the student’s disability.
7. Students can appeal if they are not satisfied with the Committee’s decision. The appeal must be based on one of the two following criteria – new information or procedural error. Disagreement with the Committee’s decision shall not constitute the sole reason for the appeal. In addition, information available to or known by the student at the time the original decision was made by the Committee cannot serve as the basis for reconsideration, but may be appropriate for a new request to the Committee. An accommodation that is granted as the result of an appeal is not retroactive and may only affect future circumstances. If the student has new, significant and compelling information that was not available for presentation at the time of the original review and decision, or believes there was a procedural defect, he/she may submit an appeal. To do so, the student must submit the request for an appeal to the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA) within 10 working days of notification of the original Committee decision. The request, in writing, must state the new information or procedural error alleged to have occurred when the Committee’s decision was made. The review will occur within 10 working days of receipt of the appeal. The student may be invited to discuss the appeal in person with the VPAA. Students who appear at an appeal meeting with the VPAA may be accompanied by a member of their choosing from the NEOMED or University affiliate faculty, staff or student body who is not a relative or an attorney, as this process is academic, not a legal hearing. The VPAA will render a decision within 10 working days that may include reconsideration of the matter by the Committee.
8. Although students are encouraged to attempt to resolve grievances using the University process specified above, they have the right to file any grievance directly with the Office of Civil Rights (OCR). Complaints filed with the OCR must be filed within 180 days from the time the incident occurred.

• Student Accessibility Services & Procedure home
• Disabilities & Accommodations Introduction
• Definitions & Terms
• College of Medicine Essential Functions
• College of Pharmacy Essential Functions
• Student Responsibilities and Rights
• Guidelines for Students with Disabilities