ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS REGULATIONS

A. REQUESTS FOR ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS

1. Verbal requests for reasonable academic accommodations will be granted for students with disabilities requesting academic adjustment for placement services, orientation, and academic advising. Examples of usual requests include: additional time for placement tests, transportation assistance, educational interpreter for the hearing impaired, or transcribing assistance for blind or physically disabled.

2. Upon acceptance in the college the student with a disability must present appropriate documentation to substantiate the individual disability and complete as appropriate established college assessment procedures to identify the needs of the student for academic adjustment. Each case is individually reviewed. Documentation will be provided to support the agreement between the student and Disabled Student Services.

3. Requests for services that require immediate adjustment can be permitted by the Director of Disabled Student Services or designated district official with knowledge of reasonable
accommodation requirements, pending final resolution after the assessment process and/or final resolution.

B. ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS (ADJUSTMENTS)

In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 the following academic accommodations shall be made:

1. Instructors shall make reasonable academic modifications to the academic/course requirements, thereby ensuring that students with disabilities are not discriminated against due to handicap. Academic requirements that the instructor can demonstrate are essential to the program of instruction or to any licensing requirement will not be regarded as discriminatory.

2. Modifications of reasonable academic requirements may include changes in the length of time permitted for completion of degree requirements, substitution of specific courses required for the completion of the degree requirements and adaptation of the manner in which specific courses are conducted.

3. Other rules may not be imposed on students with disabilities, such as prohibition of tape recorders in the classrooms or certified service dogs in the campus buildings, that have the
effect of limiting the participation of students with disabilities in the educational program or activity.

4. Specialized support services are available to students with disabilities which are in addition to the regular services provided to all students. They may include, but need not be limited to:

a. registration assistance, including priority enrollment assistance, application for financial aid, and related college services;

b. special parking, including on-campus parking registration or temporary parking permit;

c. test-taking facilitation, including arrangement, proctoring, and modification of test and test administration;

d. assessment, including both individual and group assessment to determine functional educational and vocational levels or to verify specific disabilities;

e. interpreter services, including manual and oral interpreting for hearing-impaired students;

f. mobility assistance (on-campus) to and from college courses and related educational activities;

g. reader, note-taker, and/or transcription services;

h. access to and arrangements for adaptive educational equipment, materials, and supplies required by students with disabilities; and

i. accommodations for participation in co-curricular activities directly related to the student's enrollment in state-funded educational courses or programs.

C. TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF SERVICES THROUGH DISABLED STUDENT SERVICES

Students may have services terminated or suspended for the following reasons:

1. the student is not making progress on his/her Student Educational Plan (SEP) and/or Student Educational Contract (SEC), as determined by the instructor in a special class; or

2. the student is not making academic progress according to the established college progress policy; or

3. the student fails to comply with the requirement(s) of his/her Student Educational Contract (SEC) and/or Student Educational Plan (SEP); or

4. the student abuses the use of reasonable academic accommodation support services provided by Disabled Student Services

Suspensions are for limited time periods based on the evaluation of the Director of Disabled Student Services and/or designated college official. Notification of suspension of services should be in writing to the student. Students who have been terminated must be reviewed by the academic accommodations committee used for grievances to be considered for reinstatement.


D. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

In situations where an agreement cannot be reached on the reasonable academic accommodation or service for the student, the Director of Disabled Student Services, the faculty member, and a panel will review the grievance. At this phase, every effort will be made to resolve the mater through the informal process.

The panel will include three faculty (at least one from Disabled Student Services), one student representative, one administrator, one Disabled Student Services staff member, and the staff diversity representative.

The student still has the right of external appeal to the Office of Civil Rights under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.


Adopted by Board of Trustees: September 13, 1993