Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy as to Students
Mission
Definitions
Initiating the Process
Temporary Disabilities
Documentation
Arranging Accommodations
Appeal Process
Grievance Procedures
Confidentiality and Protection of Privacy
Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy as to Students
Case Western Reserve University admits students of any race, religion, age, sex, color, disability, sexual orientation, and national or ethnic origin to all the rights and privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the University. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, age, sex, color, disability, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin in administering its educational policies, admission policies, employment, promotion and compensation policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other University-administered programs.
Mission
Case Western Reserve University is committed to providing all admitted students with opportunities to take full advantage of the University's educational programs. We recognize that students with documented disabilities may need assistance or accommodations in order to achieve this objective. This document outlines the policies and procedures used in determining a student's eligibility for disability services. These procedures are applicable to all undergraduate students and all graduate students registered through the College of Graduate Studies. Students in professional schools should check with their student services' personnel for policy information.
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Definitions
A disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, or having a record of such an impairment, or being regarded as having such impairment. A physical or mental impairment is defined as any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological; musculoskeletal; respiratory; special sense organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genitourinary, hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine, or any mental or psychological disorder such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities.
Major life activities include functions such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.
A specific learning disability is a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written. A specific learning disorder may manifest itself in imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations. Such disorders include such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. Such term does not include persons who have learning problems, which are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities; of mental retardation; of emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.
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Initiating the Process
Students with disabilities who wish to obtain accommodations, auxiliary aides and/or services, should self-disclose their disability and direct their request(s) for accommodation(s) the Coordinator of Disability Services in Educational Services for Students (ESS). ESS is located in Sears, Room 470. The office phone number is (216) 368-5230. In order to proceed with a determination of eligibility for services and the provision of accommodations, students must submit documentation of their disability to the Coordinator of Disability Services. Newly admitted students will receive a disclosure form inside their Admissions information packet. This form should be completed and returned to the Coordinator of Disability Services under separate cover.
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Temporary Disabilities
Students who experience acute illness or injury may be provided services as a courtesy through Disability Services in ESS. If the injury or illness necessitates handicapped parking accessibility, and/or campus transportation services, the student should contact Disability Services in ESS for assistance. Undergraduate Studies and Disability Services will coordinate efforts to assist students who need any other services as a result of their temporary injury or illness. Graduate students should work with the Office of Graduate Studies and Disability Services in ESS to obtain assistance in the event of a temporary illness or injury.
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Documentation
To seek appropriate accommodations for a disability, students are required to provide written documentation of their disability. Documentation should be from a qualified professional who has knowledge of the disability and of the specific student. The professional must be trained and qualified to render a diagnosis and recommend accommodations for that particular disability. Since students with disabilities are a heterogeneous group, no single professional group is qualified to offer documentation for all disabilities. In fact, documentation concerning a student's needs may come from multiple sources. One individual may make the diagnosis, but a different professional may determine the practical limitations of that diagnosis. For example, physician may diagnose a Case of rheumatoid arthritis, but an occupational therapist may determine the physical limitations the person encounters in daily living. Complete documentation should include a diagnosis of the disability and a prognosis indicating the current status of the disorder as well as expectation for the stability of the condition. Information should also include an explanation of the nature of the physical or mental impairment and its impact on any major life function. Any psychological or physical test data that is relevant to the diagnosis should be included. Finally, any history and/or recommendations for accommodations should be part of the documentation. Students are responsible for obtaining and providing the Coordinator with the documentation from a qualified professional. In addition, students may be asked to sign a release of information form, authorizing the qualified professional to disclose information to the Coordinator. Upon receipt of the documentation, the Coordinator of Disability Services will review it to determine that the source of the documentation is appropriate, that it is complete, that the information is current, that the student is a qualified person with a disability and that the requested accommodations are supported. The Coordinator of Disability Services will also meet with the student to obtain complete information on the disability and the requested accommodations. If the documentation is incomplete or insufficient to make a determination, the Coordinator will either contact the student's health care provider for additional information or request that the student obtain and submit additional documentation. The Coordinator may consult with appropriate University and community professionals when making a determination of eligibility. The Coordinator will then make a determination as to the disability and the necessary accommodations.
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Arranging Accommodations
Students who are eligible for disability services and who need to make arrangements for accommodations should make an appointment with the Coordinator of Disability Services to develop a plan at the beginning of each semester. Academic accommodations are provided via an interactive process based on the student's requested accommodations, the review of the Disability Coordinator, the documentation from the qualified professional, and the course schedule of the student for the particular semester. Accommodations are not made retroactively. In most instances, a memo from the student and the Coordinator of Disability Services will be given to the professor or teaching assistant for courses in which accommodations are needed. No diagnosis is provided to the professor or teaching assistant. The student is responsible for giving the professor or the teaching assistant the memo and using it to initiate a dialogue between the student and the professor or the teaching assistant about reasonable accommodations. As a result of this dialogue, the student and the professor or teaching assistant will determine reasonable methods for making the accommodation(s). Students are expected to selfadvocate during this process; however, the Coordinator of Disability Services is available to assist both the student and the professor in determining which method for accommodation will be used. Those students who require non-academic accommodations such as housing modifications, special room assignments or release, handicapped parking, responsive transportation, or other programmatic or physical access, should follow the same guidelines for documentation as described above.
When they meet with the Coordinator and a determination of reasonable accommodations is made, the Coordinator will complete the appropriate paperwork and make the necessary contacts with the other University departments. Students are responsible for following all required procedures for obtaining services or products from other University Departments. In order to determine reasonable accommodations, consideration of the student's preferred method will be given. However, another suitable method of accommodation may be provided. If a requested accommodation is unreasonable, is an undue burden on the University, poses a direct threat to the student or others, or would result in a fundamental alteration of the program, the Coordinator will determine a reasonable alternative accommodation(s), if any exists, to accommodate the student.
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Appeal Process
Students who are denied eligibility or who are dissatisfied with an accommodation method may request that the Coordinator of Disability Services reconsider the decision. If students are still dissatisfied after the Coordinator reconsiders the issue, an appeal may be made to the Director of the University Office for Equal Opportunity and Diversity, who is the University's designated Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance Officer. The University Office for Equal Opportunity and Diversity is located in Adelbert Hall, room 310. The appeal request should be made within five (5) days of receipt of notification of denial of eligibility or a decision on an accommodation method. The appeal must be submitted in writing to the Director for review and should state the grounds for the appeal. The review by the Director will include meeting with the student and the Coordinator of Disability Services, and a review of the file and supporting documentation. The Director may also meet with the faculty member and other persons with information about the issue. Based on this review, the Director will make a determination in writing, to grant or deny the appeal and/or to refer the matter back to the Coordinator for further consideration consistent with the Coordinator of Disability Services. The decision of the Director is final.
The student should be provided with the accommodations determined by the Coordinator during a pending appeal.
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Grievance Procedures for Disability Discrimination Complaints
Case Western Reserve University has adopted an internal grievance procedure for handling complaints of discrimination on the basis of disability. Students, who feel they have been discriminated against on the basis of disability, may contact either the Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity or the University Office of Student Affairs. The Vice President for Student Affairs, or his/her designee, will investigate student complaints of disability discrimination. In resolving such complaints, the University will use the Grievance Process as outline in the Case Undergraduate Handbook.
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Confidentiality and Protection of Privacy
All documentation provided to Disability Services in ESS to determine eligibility for disability services and appropriate accommodations is kept confidential. This information is not part of the student's academic file. It will only be shared with other administrators, departments, staff and faculty who have a legitimate educational interest in the information and require information on academic restrictions, necessary accommodations or safety requirements. In other instances students will be asked to sign a release of information form when they want information to be shared with other University departments, staff, or faculty. If students present documentation to University departments other than ESS, that documentation will be forwarded to Disability Services in ESS.
Disability Services in ESS is the department at Case that is responsible for determining eligibility for disability services. It is not necessary for the student to disclose the diagnosis of the disability to any other CASE department, staff or faculty in order to be accommodated.
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