Student Disability Accommodation Process

Op5.05-1 Student Disability Accommodation Process

Policy Statement
The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified students with disabilities in accordance with applicable federal and state laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This Policy establishes the accommodations process for students with disabilities regarding the University’s academic and extracurricular programs, activities, resources, and other opportunities.

Students should be aware that while public elementary and secondary schools must identify and evaluate students with disabilities, institutions of higher education are not required to identify or evaluate students for disabilities. Once a student enrolls at Missouri State University, they must advocate for themselves through the accommodation process outlined in this Policy. Students should begin this process as soon as a barrier to participation is identified as reasonable accommodations cannot be provided retroactively.

Definitions
Disability Resource Center (DRC): The University office with the sole authority to issue students reasonable accommodations based on a disability.

Disability: A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

Qualified Student with a Disability: A student with a disability who meets the academic and technical standards requisite for admission or participation in the University's educational program or activity, with or without reasonable accommodations.

Reasonable Accommodation: Modifications or adjustments to the academic environment/university activity that enable a qualified student with a disability to have an equal opportunity to participate in the University's programs and activities without fundamentally altering the nature of academic environment/activity, or resulting in an undue financial or administrative burden to the University. Reasonable accommodations are typically authorized for a particular course / activity, and may be temporary or provisional, depending on the interactive process. Reasonable Accommodations are not provided retroactively.

Eligibility for Reasonable Accommodations
To be eligible for reasonable accommodations, a student must be a qualified student with a disability. If a student is not otherwise qualified, the University is not obligated to provide reasonable accommodations.

Requesting Reasonable Accommodations
Students seeking reasonable accommodations must provide appropriate documentation of their disability and the need for reasonable accommodations to the University’s Disability Resource Center (DRC). Requests for reasonable accommodations should be made in a timely manner to allow for adequate review and implementation by DRC personnel.

General Guidelines for Documentation of Disability
Documentation submitted to the DRC must describe the students’ disability and its likely impact on the student’s educational experience. Students may engage in the interactive process without documentation; however, such process may be delayed absent documentation.

Interactive Process
DRC personnel will engage in an interactive process with the student to determine reasonable accommodations. This process generally involves a dialogue between the student and DRC personnel to identify barriers and appropriate corresponding reasonable accommodations. Reasonable accommodations are typically authorized for a particular course / activity, and may be temporary or provisional, depending on the interactive process.

Implementation of Accommodations
The student will be provided with electronic access to their approved reasonable accommodations through the DRC’s Bear Access system. Students are responsible for notifying Faculty/Staff of the approved reasonable accommodations.

Faculty/Staff are expected to cooperate with the implementation of approved reasonable accommodations. Students should direct any concerns from Faculty/Staff regarding approved reasonable accommodations to DRC personnel responsible for implementing the reasonable accommodations. Faculty must work directly with the DRC, rather than the student, on any concerns that an identified reasonable accommodation may substantially alter an essential element of their course or program. Faculty may not unilaterally deny a reasonable accommodation approved through the DRC.

Appeals and Grievances
Students who believe they have been denied reasonable accommodations or have experienced discrimination based on their disability may file an internal or external complaint. Students are encouraged to first file an internal complaint prior to filing an external complaint.

Students wishing to file an internal complaint should contact:

Office for Institutional Equity and Compliance

Carrington Hall 205
910 S. National Ave.
Springfield, MO 65897
equity@missouristate.edu
417-836-4252

Students wishing to file an external complaint should contact:

Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
One Petticoat Lane
1010 Walnut Street, 3rd floor, Suite 320
OCR.KansasCity@ed.gov
816-268-0550
Online Complaint form: https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/civil-rights-laws/file-complaint/ocr-discrimination-complaint-form

Confidentiality
All information regarding a student's disability and reasonable accommodations will be kept confidential and shared only with individuals who need to know in order to implement the reasonable accommodations.