Rights and Responsibilities: Students, Institution, and Faculty
STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Students with disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations according to the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended 2009. These federal laws protect students from discrimination based on actual or perceived disability. Every student with a documented disability has the following rights:
1. Equal access to courses, programs, services, jobs, activities, and facilities available through the College.
2. Reasonable and appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids determined on a case-by-case basis.
3. Appropriate confidentiality of information pertaining to his/her disability with the choice of to whom their disability will be disclosed, except where required by law.
4. Notification regarding grievance procedures pertaining to students with disabilities.
Every student with a disability has the responsibility to:
1. Meet the College's qualifications and essential technical, academic and institutional standards.
2. When seeking an accommodation, formally identify themselves in writing or in person in a timely manner as an individual with a disability.
3. Provide appropriate and current documentation from a professional source that verifies the nature of the disability, functional limitations, and the need for specific accommodations.
4. Meet with Denyse M. Wilhelm, Assistant Dean of Academic Resources and Disability Services,ADA/504 Coordinator at the beginning of each semester so that appropriate accommodations can be made in a timely manner. Students are strongly encouraged to make this contact within the first two weeks of each semester. This includes filling out the academic accommodation form itemizing the students needs (e.g., extended time to complete exams, note taker, classroom relocation, etc.)
5. Provide signed consent authorizing Dean Wilhelm to discuss his/her need for reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids with the professional source of his/her documentation.
6. Each student is encouraged to provide faculty with his/her accommodation letter approved by Dean Wilhelm and to discuss his/her necessary and reasonable accommodations at the beginning of the semester.
7. Meet the time lines and procedural requirements to request assistance to arrange testing accommodations with faculty. If the student fails to provide adequate notice of the need for assistance, he/she is still entitled to accommodations, but there is no guarantee that any accommodation can be provided in the fullest measure.
8. Request accommodations for final exams according to procedures outlined under Procedures for General Accommodations.
9. Notify Dean Wilhelm of any cancellations or changes in the requests of scheduled accommodations.
10. Notify Dean Wilhelm when faculty have voluntarily provided accommodations.
INSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Wheaton College, through its Disability Services will:
1. Verify the need for reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids through review of current documentation completed by an appropriate professional source.
2. Discuss a student's need for reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids with the professional source of his/her documentation (given the student's signed consent, authorizing such discussion).
3. Select among equally effective and appropriate accommodations, adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids, in consultation with the student.
4. May deny a request for accommodation, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids if:
5. May terminate accommodations if inappropriate and/or documentation is insufficient.
6. May grant limited accommodations for one semester only in the case of pending documentation to be received prior to the next semester.
Wheaton College, through its Disability Services, has the responsibility to:
1. Maintain the College's academic standards.
2. Refuse to provide an accommodation, adjustment, and/or auxiliary aid that is inappropriate or unreasonable, including any that:
3. Ensure that College courses, programs, services, jobs, activities, and facilities, when viewed in their entirety, are offered in the most integrated and appropriate settings.
4. Provide information regarding policies and procedures to students with disabilities and assure its availability in accessible formats upon request.
5. Provide reasonable and appropriate accommodation, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids for students with disabilities upon a timely request by a student.
6. Maintain confidentiality of records and communication concerning students with disabilities, except where disclosure is required by law or authorized by the student.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FACULTY MEMBER INCLUDE:
1. Implement curriculum and maintain the Colleges' academic standards.
2. Discuss with Denyse M. Wilhelm, Assistant Dean of Academic Resources and Disability Services, ADA/504 Coordinator any concerns related to the accommodations or arrangements that have been requested of the faculty by the student during their initial contacts.
3. Provide appropriate approved accommodations, either personally or through arrangements with Dean Wilhelm.
4. Defer to Dean Wilhelm and designated representatives of the institution regarding determination on whether the institution chooses to NOT grant an approved accommodation based on that the request would fundamentally alter the essential requirements of the course.
5. Maintain strict confidentiality regarding disclosure of a disability either via directly from the student or Dean Wilhelm.
6. Whenever students request accommodations directly from faculty and/or provide documentation, faculty must forward all requests for accommodations from students to Dean Wilhelm. All decisions on the adequacy of documentation and appropriate accommodations are made on an institutional basis.