Disability Services for Students UPPS
No. 07.11.01
Issue No. 8
Effective Date: 02/28/2006
Review: July 1 E3Y
Attachments
I, II,
III,
IV,
V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII
01. POLICY STATEMENTS
01.01 This UPPS
establishes policy and defines responsibility for the administration of
services available to students with disabilities through the Office of
Disability Services (ODS), and the provision of specific and reasonable
accommodations for students with disabilities by
01.02 The
University will comply with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and
the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).
01.03 All
university departments are responsible for maintaining a close liaison with the
ODS with regard to requests from students with disabilities and any special
services offered to them.
01.04 The
policy statement provided below shall be used in university publications:
"Texas
State University-San Marcos does not discriminate on the basis of disability in
the recruitment and admissions of students or in the operation of any of its
programs and activities."
01.05 The
mission of the Office of Disability Services is to ensure that students with
disabilities have access to all university programs and activities. We provide
students the opportunity to reach their full potential by:
·
coordinating
academic accommodations and support services,
·
promoting
independence and self-advocacy, and
·
providing
information and referral to appropriate resources.
We
help to foster a supportive and inclusive educational environment by:
·
building and
maintaining partnerships with faculty and staff,
·
promoting
disability awareness among all members of the university community, and
·
providing
guidance regarding university policies and procedures to ensure the full
participation for persons with disabilities in all aspects of campus life.
02. DEFINITION OF TERMS
02.01 Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990 - The ADA, signed into law on July 26, 1990,
prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, programs,
and services provided by state and local governments, goods and services
provided by private companies and in commercial facilities.
02.02 Section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 - Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
requires colleges and universities that receive federal financial assistance
(including student loans) to make their programs and facilities accessible to
individuals with disabilities.
02.03
02.04
02.05 ADA Self
Evaluation Plan - The university plan to address program compliance with Title
II and Title III of the ADA is outlined in the ADA Self Evaluation Plan. A copy
of the plan is available for review from the ADA Coordinator, ODS Director or the
University Attorney.
02.06 According
to the
a. has a
physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life
activities;
b. has a
record of such impairment; or
c. is regarded
as having such an impairment.
02.07 With
regard to disability, a qualified person is a person who, for purposes of
postsecondary education, is a student who meets the academic and technical
standards requisite for admission or participation in the institution's
programs and activities.
02.08 An
acquired brain injury is defined as - A condition that affects attention, impulsivity,
slowed processing and memory which results in learning areas impaired by the
disorder.
02.09 Attention
deficit disorder is defined as - A condition that meets diagnostic criteria for
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder according to the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM IV) and which
results in learning areas impaired by the disorder.
02.10 A learning
disability is defined as - A significant deficit in at least one academic area or
one of the specific learning processes. It may also include discrepancies
between verbal and performance test scores on a measure of general
intelligence.
02.11 A psychological
disability is defined as - A condition that meets a multiaxial diagnosis
according to the diagnostic codes established in the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM IV) which
results in learning areas impaired by the disorder. Psychological disorders
with Axis II (Mental Retardation, Personality Disorders) or IV (Global
Assessment of Functioning) codes are disorders for which accommodations are
generally not provided.
02.12 Any
student who is unable to take twelve credit hours in a long semester due to a
disability may request to be considered a full-time student with less than
twelve hours by the University without penalty. In order to be considered as
full-time, the student must present documentation of disability to the ODS. ODS
staff will review the documentation and make a determination regarding an
adjusted "full-time" status. Upon request, the ODS will verify a
student's eligibility in writing to appropriate university departments
including Residence Life, Registrar's Office, Office of Financial Aid and
academic advising centers. Eligible students will have access to all university
services. Only institutional policies that the University can modify apply to
students who qualify for this exception.
03. PROCEDURES FOR SERVICE DELIVERY AND COORDINATION
03.01 In
accordance with university policy and federal law, all members of the
university community are responsible for ensuring that faculty, staff, and
students are not discriminated against because of a disability. To accomplish
this goal, reasonable and appropriate accommodations may be necessary for
physical or programmatic access. The ODS will coordinate with university
departments and offices to facilitate necessary accommodations for students
with disabilities. (Refer to UPPS No.
04.04.03 and AA/PPS Series 07.)
03.02 The
functions of the ODS include:
a. Acquire
disability documentation from students with disabilities. Students can disclose
their disability to the ODS for two purposes:
1) to
establish that they are a member of a protected class and therefore protected
under the law.
Students
who want to be considered by the University as having a disability for the
purposes of being a member of a protected class must provide written
documentation from an appropriate evaluator to the ODS. This documentation must
meet at least one of the three criteria outlined in Section 02.06 of this UPPS
and will be used for the sole purpose of documenting the existence of a
disability.
2) to
establish the need for accommodations to ensure equal access.
For
students who provide documentation for the purpose of requesting
accommodations, the process will include review, recommendations, and approval
by a licensed psychologist on the ODS staff for students with learning and
psychological disabilities. When necessary, ODS will consult with
b. Facilitate
accommodations for students with disabilities. The ODS will provide a student
with written certification (see Attachment
I) to share with faculty or staff members which outlines and requests
appropriate accommodations specific to the student's disability-based need.
c. The ODS, in
conjunction with the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic
Affairs, will refer to, and make faculty members aware of "Students with
Disabilities, a Faculty Resource Guide" which is available on the ODS
website. ODS staff will inform all
faculty annually at New Faculty Orientation, about this resource.
d. Provide and
coordinate auxiliary aids and services which include:
- Advance
registration of classes
- Arranging
for special testing accommodations including extending time and reader services
- Assistance
in ordering recorded textbooks
- Recording
textbooks not available on tape
- Assistance
in accessing adaptive computer equipment
- Referral
for tutoring
- Assistance
in locating volunteer readers or note takers
- Provision
of sign language and oral interpreting services
- Provision
of captioning (speech to text) services
- Information
and referral to on and off-campus resources
- Disability
management counseling
- Liaison
and advocacy between students, faculty and staff
e. Facilitate
access to campus facilities and programs for individuals with mobility
impairments. As needed, the ODS will coordinate with Residence Life on room
assignments and needed room modifications, and academic departments on
classroom relocation. The ODS, in conjunction with the Facilities Department,
will monitor new facilities and renovations to existing facilities for
compliance with federal and state accessibility standards.
f. Provide
the Registrar's Office with a confidential list of students who are entitled to
and who request advance registration each long semester during the ODS advance
registration sign up period. A list will be provided by the ODS prior to the
advance registration period each semester.
g. Coordinate
with the University Police Department's Parking Services to ensure that the
number and type of accessible parking spaces available on campus meet
h. Provide
upon request information about the ODS to potential students with disabilities or
family members. The ODS staff provide information on services during
recruitment and orientation activities sponsored by Texas State Admissions.
i. Serve as
the point of contact for intake and information resources on disability
services for applicants and currently enrolled students. The
j. Prepare,
monitor and update the ADA/504 Self-Evaluation Plan in conjunction with the University
ADA/504 Compliance and Steering Committee on Disabilities.
k. Conduct an
annual evaluation of the ODS services.
l. Prepare an
annual report, which includes a summary of program activities and results of
evaluation instruments.
m. Inform
students about the procedures to follow in the event they have a grievance
related to accommodations associated with a disability (see Attachment
II). These procedures are subject to periodic updates.
n. Serve as
liaison with state and federal agencies, public and private institutions, and
community resources serving persons with disabilities.
03.03 Academic
departments, deans, chairs, faculty, the Registrar's Office and the Testing,
Research-Support and
a. Modifying
the length of time allowed for local course exams or the completion of
assignments;
b. Providing
alternative testing formats and procedures as recommended by the director of
ODS in consultation with the licensed psychologist on the ODS staff, or the
director of the
c. Facilitating
students' with disabilities use of auxiliary aids in the classroom such as tape
recorders, lap top computers, or other devices that assist with note taking and
information recall to ensure equal access to the classroom instruction; and
d. Ensuring
that students with disabilities have equal access to the class registration
process including adding and dropping classes.
e. A director
or department head may recommend an alternate accommodation to that proposed by
a student if the director or department head determines the request may result
in a fundamental alteration to the essential nature of the program or service,
or a significant difficulty or expense for the University. The request may be
forwarded to the next level of supervision. If necessary, the divisional vice
president will review the nature and cost of the accommodation to determine
applicable resources for the accommodation.
03.04 The ODS,
Academic Affairs and advisory groups will review and update "Students with
Disabilities, a Faculty Resource Guide" as needed. Academic Affairs will
publish the updated guide, and monitor and revise the Academic Affairs PPS and
Plan of Action as needed. The approved
guide is available on the ODS website to
03.05 The ODS
staff will work with the Admissions Office regarding orientation, and other
departments or offices to ensure that the needs and requests for services from
students with disabilities are provided when appropriate.
03.06 Tutoring
will be available for students with disabilities through either the
03.07 Residence
Life is responsible for providing and coordinating any special housing requests
from students with disabilities. Residence Life makes every attempt to meet
individual requests although it may not in all cases be able to satisfy a
specific room request due to architectural limitations within some residential
facilities. Because of the nature of some of the needed modifications, students
must make requests in a timely manner to Residence Life so that the
accommodations can be ready prior to the start of a check-in period. Students
with disabilities who may require an accommodation in any campus residence hall
or university owned apartment should follow the Procedures for Housing Requests
Based on Disability Related Needs (Attachment
III).
03.08 Auxiliary
Services will coordinate equal access to transportation and food services for
persons with disabilities.
03.09 The
Facilities Department, in consultation with the ODS, routinely monitors to
ensure that all new facilities or facilities undergoing renovation (when the
scope of the project is $50,000 or more) are accessible for persons with
disabilities, and comply with the Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS), and the
Americans with Disabilities Act Architectural Guidelines (ADAAG).
03.10 The
Facilities Department, in consultation with the ODS, routinely evaluates and
monitors that campus facilities provide program access. When renovation or
modification to a facility is undertaken, Facilities Department staff will
monitor accessibility according to the Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS) and
the ADAAG when the scope of the project is under $50,000. Facilities Department
staff will develop, monitor, and maintain the ADA Transition Plan (JPJ survey)
and report these findings annually or as needed to the University administration,
ADA Coordinator, and ADA/504 Compliance and Steering Committee on Disabilities.
03.11 The
Division of Information Technology (DIT), in collaboration with the ODS, will
evaluate and monitor accessibility to campus instructional resources for students
with various disabilities. These offices will be responsible for evaluating
computer lab and classroom access technology alternatives and establishing
standards for procurement of access equipment. The DIT will provide funds to
equip campus open computing labs and classrooms with appropriate adaptive
technologies. The ODS will provide funds to purchase and maintain individual
access devices and provide for end-user training for their use. Individual
departments and offices are responsible for providing adaptive computer
technology for a faculty or staff member as it relates to a job accommodation.
03.12 The Alkek
Library facilitates equal access to library services for all persons with
disabilities including, but not limited to distribution of library automatic
door cards, book retrieval and limited assistance with locating research
materials.
03.13 The DIT,
in consultation with the ODS, monitors that videos produced by the University
will be accessible to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing through closed
captioning, subtitles or sign language interpretation. University departments
will have access to closed captioning equipment, and assistive listening
devices will be available in designated teaching theatres to facilitate the
communication needs of persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.
03.14 Telecommunication
Services, in consultation with the ODS, monitors accessibility to telephone
services for persons with disabilities.
03.15 Media
Relations and Publications, in consultation with the ODS, monitors and
evaluates the accessibility of university publications for persons with
disabilities. Guidance through Media Relations and Publications is provided to
departments and offices charged with printing publications. University
publications will reference the availability of information in alternate format
and the university ADA Coordinator.
03.16
03.17 The
Office of Professional Development, in consultation with the ODS, provides
workshops on disability issues for the university community.
03.18 The DIT,
in consultation with the ODS, monitors that university web pages will be
accessible to persons with disabilities. The Web Accessibility Guidelines (Attachment
IV) assist university personnel in developing accessible web documents.
03.19 Service/Assistance
Animals
An
appropriately trained animal must meet the specific criteria outlined in the
Procedures for Service or Assistance Animals at
03.20 Accommodations
for special events
a. The primary
responsibility to provide reasonable accommodations (e. g., information in
alternate format, sign language interpreting services, captioning [speech to
text] services) for enrolled students, potential students, employees and
community members for special events (e. g., guest speakers, lectures, poetry
readings, plays) rests with the sponsoring office or individuals charged with
the program. Any cost associated with providing accommodations is the responsibility
of the department or program if the host department or program charges a fee
associated with the event. The Procedures for Obtaining Sign language
Interpreting Services (Attachment
VI) outlines how to arrange for this accommodation and are subject to
periodic updates.
b. All
event announcements will include a statement indicating that reasonable
accommodations for persons with disabilities will be provided upon request.
Requests for accommodations should be made to the sponsoring office a minimum
of seventy-two hours in advance. The ODS staff are available to work with
department and program staff who may need guidance and recommendations on
meeting accommodation requests.
04. PROCEDURES
FOR PROVIDING ACCOMMODATIONS TO STUDENTS ON THE BASIS OF A DISABILITY
04.01 A student
who requires accommodation to participate in the academic setting or in a
university-sponsored activity or program as required as part of a degree
program should contact the ODS or a service specialist at the Round Rock Higher
Education Center (RRHEC). The ODS will require the student to provide
documentation which substantiates the disability and need for academic
adjustments, auxiliary aids and services.
04.02 Procedures
used to determine eligibility for accommodations include:
a. Student
provides disability documentation in accordance with the specifications
outlined in the ODS disability guidelines. The guidelines listed below outline
the specific diagnostic criteria and documentation required for the ODS to
determine the need for academic accommodations. The guidelines are subject to
periodic updates.
1) Guidelines
for Acquired Brain Injury Accommodation (Attachment
VII)
2) Guidelines
for Attention Deficit Disorder Accommodation (Attachment
VIII),
3) Guidelines
for General Disability Accommodation (Attachment
IX),
4) Guidelines
for Learning Disability Accommodation (Attachment
X), and
5) Guidelines
for Psychological Disability Accommodation (Attachment
XI).
b. Disability
documentation is reviewed by the ODS and accommodations determined within
thirty days of receipt of the documentation. Appropriate accommodations are
determined on the basis of the student meeting the established criteria for the
particular disability. The ODS is the designated authority for the institution
for assigning accommodations.
c. Based on a
review of the documentation by the ODS, eligibility for specific accommodations
will be approved by the ODS. A student is eligible for services when it is determined
that the need for an accommodation exists.
d. Documentation
of a person's disability can be presented to the ODS or a service specialist at
the RRHEC by any designated individual
or agency. A regularly enrolled student for whom disability documentation has
been reviewed, and accommodations approved by the ODS, is not eligible to
access accommodations until the student meets one-on-one with a staff member in
the ODS office or with a service specialist at the RRHEC. At this meeting, the
ODS or RRHEC service specialist notifies the student in writing of their
eligibility for services, and coordinates specific accommodations with faculty or
staff members. For Texas State students with disabilities enrolled in classes
through Correspondence & Extension Studies, Distance Education classes, or
at off-campus sites (i.e., through the Round Rock Higher Education Center), an
exception to the one-on-one meeting will be made on a case-by-case basis.
e. The ODS
staff are available to assist faculty or staff members who may experience
difficulties in providing requested accommodations, and will work with faculty or
staff members to resolve problems and provide the most appropriate and
reasonable accommodations to students. The ODS staff will consult with department
chairs and deans regarding academic accommodations on an as needed basis.
04.03 The ODS
will maintain all disability documentation in a confidential student file and
release to members of the campus community only that information which is
necessary to verify that the student has a documented disability and to
identify approved accommodations.
04.04 On the
basis of an individual student's disability documentation, consideration will
be given to the modification of a student's course curriculum on a case-by-case
basis by the dean of the student's college and faculty in accordance with the
Policy on the Modification of Course Curriculum (Attachment
XII). Academic requirements, which the University considers essential, will
not be regarded as discriminatory. The dean will consult with the chair of the
student's department and faculty members on an as needed basis. This policy is
subject to periodic revisions.
05. UNIVERSITY
ADA/504 COMPLIANCE AND STEERING COMMITTEE ON DISABILITIES
05.01 The
President will appoint the members of the University's ADA/504 Compliance and
Steering Committee on Disabilities, and will designate the committee's chair.
The committee is charged with advising the President's Cabinet on the
University's compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and
the
a. Two
students and one alternate selected from a list of four names furnished to the
vice president by the Associated Student Government.
b. Two faculty
members and one alternate recommended by the Faculty Senate.
c. Two staff
employees and one alternate recommended by the Staff Council.
d. The
Director of the Office of Disability Services will serve as a non-voting
ex-officio member of the committee. He or she will serve as the permanent
secretary of the committee.
06. GRIEVANCE
PROCEDURE FOR DISCRIMINATION RELATED TO A DISABILITY
06.01 Currently
enrolled students who have a grievance related to accommodations associated with
a disability should follow the procedures outlined in Grievance Procedures for
Students with Disabilities (Attachment
II) and UPPS No.
04.04.46. These procedures are subject to periodic review.
07. REVIEWERS OF THIS UPPS
07.01 Reviewers of this UPPS include the following:
Position Date
Director, Office of Disability Services July
1 E3Y
Asst. Vice President for Student July
1 E3Y
Affairs and
Associate Vice President for July
1 E3Y
Enrollment Management
Associate Vice President for July
1 E3Y
Academic Affairs
University Attorney July
1 E3Y
08. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT
This
UPPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official
capacities and represents
Director,
Office of Disability Services; senior reviewer of this UPPS
Assistant
Vice President for Student Affairs and
Vice
President for Student Affairs
President