ROWAN UNIVERSITY POLICY

Title: Accommodation Policy
Subject: Student Life
Policy No: SL: 2016:18
Applies: University-Wide
Issuing Authority: President
Responsible Officer: Director of Academic Success Center and Disability Resources
Adopted: 08/17/2016
Last Revision: 

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01/

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27/

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2021
Last Reviewed:

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01/

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27/

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2021

I.  PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to establish reasonable accommodations the University will provide anyone to obtain equal access to educational or occupational programs and activities.

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Rowan University students registered with Disability Resources.

IV.  REFERENCES

1. Rowan University Documentation of Disability
2. Rowan University Consent for Release of Information Form
3. Americans with Disabilities Act
4. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29USC79

V.  POLICY

1. Rowan University will provide reasonable accommodations for anyone to obtain equal access to educational or occupational programs and activities.
2. Disability Resources provides accommodations and assistance to students with various documented disabilities in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Students who meet University admissions requirements (i.e., otherwise qualified to attend the University) are required to submit appropriate documentation so that the University can determine whether they qualify for reasonable accommodations.
3. Applicants will need to provide comprehensive and current documentation of a qualifying disability and submit a request for services form. Forms are available by contacting the Academic Success Center.
4. Within one month of the beginning of the semester and submission of all essential information, the Director of the Academic Success Center, whose office is the first contact for students requiring assistance and the student will meet to seek agreement on accommodations to be provided.
5. Request for Services Process
   1. Bring documents that verify disability.
   2. Fill out Request for Services form.
   3. Interview with the Director for the Academic Success Center and Disability Resources
   4. Verification of documentation.
   5. For in-classroom accommodations, pick up instructors' letters.
6. Rowan Global Students:
   1. Any students in Rowan Global Extension/online/hybrid courses requesting accommodation must consult the additional information below:
   2. Online/Hybrid Course Accommodation Procedures
      1. The request and determination of online or hybrid course accommodations varies from those needed for in-class study.  Therefore students are required to follow these Online/Hybrid Course Accommodation procedures when enrolling in an online course:
         • Student contacts Disability Resources office to request an accommodation letter to be emailed to them prior to the start of their course.  If necessary, the accommodation letter will be modified to meet the needs of the student for the online/hybrid course.
         • Student contacts professor with as much notice as possible to inform him/her of the online/hybrid course registration and disability accommodation.
         • Online/Hybrid accommodation letters are scanned and emailed to the student.
         • Student emails accommodation letter to the professor.
      2. Online course accommodations are approved on a case-by-case basis according to the student's disability and documentation
   3. Online Timed Test Accommodations
      1. For students who have an accommodation of extended time on tests there may be the need for an exception with online timed tests. This usually involves modifying the rules for the exam to give the student extra minutes based on the accommodation letter.
7. ADA/504 Grievance Procedures for Students
   1. Students requesting accommodations under the ADA or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act who are dissatisfied with the results of the Disability Resources / Academic Success Center (ASC) may file a written grievance with the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students within ten days of receipt of the ASC's decision. The grievant must provide all pertinent documentation supporting the grievance. If the student has been denied accommodations after they have been determined eligible, the process begins at the Disability Resource Office.
   2. The grievant must specifically state the reasons for grievance and the action he or she believes should be taken to accommodate the identified disability.
   3. Within eight days after notification of the grievance, the ASC will report to the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students what was done in response to the request for accommodations and the reasons why an agreement could not be reached.
   4. The Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students may request additional information from the grievant or the ASC at any time and may discuss the matter with anyone in reaching a decision. The grievance record will be closed when all information is received by the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students. The Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Student's report and recommendation will be sent to the University President Staff within ten days of the closing of the records.
   5. Within ten days following the receipt of the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Student's report, the University President Staff will accept, reject, or modify the report and recommendation and issue a determination.
   6. If the grievant is not satisfied with the University President Staff's determination, he or she can appeal the determination to the President.
   7. The President must issue a determination within eight days, which is the University's final decision.
   8. These timeframes are subject to change in any given manner when essential individuals and/or information are not readily available or when the academic calendar warrants.