University of Houston Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Policy and Procedures
(Effective Fall 2001)
GENERAL STATEMENT
COMMITMENT
The University of Houston is committed to providing equal education opportunities for all its matriculated students. The University of Houston is committed to maintaining high quality educational and graduation standards for its undergraduate, graduate and professional students, as well as for its non-degree and post-baccalaureate students.
The University of Houston complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, pertaining to the provision of reasonable academic accommodations for students identified as disabled under the law. However, the University is committed to much more.
The University of Houston also seeks to assist students with physical or psychological concerns that may interfere with their academic progress by timely referrals to campus and community resources. Finally, the University of Houston seeks to foster an academic environment of ongoing cooperation, communication and education among faculty, all of its students and staff regarding its commitment to students with disabilities.
DEFINITIONS
A student is considered to have a disability if he/she has been diagnosed with a physical or psychological (including cognitive) impairment that significantly limits one or more major life activities. A student is considered to be a person with a disability if he/she has the disability, has a record of the disability or is regarded as having the disability. Typically, but not always, such disabilities are considered long-term and not amenable to intervention.
Reasonable academic accommodations are those adjustments, services or equipment so that a student with a disability may have equal access to her/his academic program and equal opportunity to academic progress. Such accommodations may include, but are not limited to:
- assistive listening devices
- sign language interpreters
- extended time for examinations or assignments
- specialized computer software
- alternative media
- assistance with lecture notes
- small group tutoring
- alternative examination strategies
- extended segments for coverage of selected Core Curriculum courses
Not all students who are considered disabled request nor require academic accommodations. The University is not required to provide academic accommodations which substantially affect or change the nature of a course being taught or of an academic program. The University is not required to provide academic accommodations which place an undue financial burden on the institution.
POLICY INCLUSIONS
This policy applies to all undergraduate, graduate and professional students of the University of Houston as well as to all of its non-degree and post-baccalaureate students.
The University of Houston does not permit substitutions or waivers for courses that comprise the Undergraduate Core Curriculum. For undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs, individual colleges should make available to prospective students their approved policies on required courses for which substitutions are permitted, e.g., foreign language requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree. Waiver of an undergraduate, graduate or professional degree program or degree course requirement is considered extremely rare and should be decided on an individual case basis.
This policy takes effect for all newly matriculated students as of Fall, 2001. This policy is also in effect for any current student who makes an initial claim of disability status as of Fall, 2001. The policy also is in effect for current students registered with the Center for Students with DisABILITIES who seek a new or different accommodation as of Fall, 2001. This policy supersedes any previous policy or procedure that may exist.
THE STUDENT
INITIAL NOTIFICATION
When a person receives notice of her/his acceptance as a University of Houston student, he or she will also receive information on how to inquire about or register as a student with disabilities at the Center for Students with DisABILITIES (CSD). A student often first approaches faculty or advisors with academic or personal concerns, particularly during his or her initial semesters at the University. Faculty may also encourage the student to approach CSD. The student may also consult Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and that service may recommend referral to the CSD. In any case, it is the responsibility of each individual student to self-report to the CSD. Only students registered with the Center for Students with DisABILITIES may request academic accommodations.
Students with disabilities are strongly encouraged to self-report to CSD as early as possible in their tenures at the University. When some academic accommodations are granted, they will involve no extra time toward a student's progress to graduation. Other academic accommodations, even when implemented as early as possible, may delay progress to graduation. Students who do not self-report to CSD until later in their tenures at the University, and for whom reasonable academic accommodations are sought, should expect that there will be delays in completion of their program requirements and graduation.
DOCUMENTATION
Each student who registers with CSD must present disability-related documentation from an appropriate licensed professional (details of documentation requirements are provided to each student by CSD). This documentation is essential both to clearly determine the nature of the disability and the effects of the disability on a student's significant daily functioning. This documentation will be presented to the AAEC (see below) for review prior to any recommendation for academic accommodation. The documentation is also essential to designing an academic accommodations plan tailored to the student's individual needs, when first approved by the AAEC.
The costs for documentation are borne by the student. Documentation for learning disorders and ADD/ADHD must include professional evaluations completed within 36 months prior to an initial academic accommodations request. Documentation for psychological disorders must be based on professional evaluations completed within 6 months of the initial accommodations request. Applicable and timely documentation for physical and/or sensory disabilities is decided on an individual case basis, although the University has the right to request additional and/or more timely documentation for any disability claim. Without thorough and timely documentation, a student may not proceed with a request for academic accommodation.
CONFIDENTIALITY
The University takes seriously its obligation to protect the confidentiality of each student who presents to CSD, with regard to her or his medical and psychological records. This obligation extends to all communications relevant to a student's diagnostic and intervention history. During each student's tenure at the University of Houston, academic transcripts will contain no information regarding disabilities. Individual faculty or directors of academic programs have no access to a student's medical or psychological records unless the student specifically and in writing has consented to such access.
EVALUATION
The Academic Accommodations Evaluation Committee (AAEC) of the University of Houston is charged with evaluating and making recommendations about student requests for academic accommodations. This committee will be comprised of four faculty members and the Director of CAPS. The Director of CSD will be appointed as an ex officio (non-voting) member. The Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs will appoint the faculty members, at least three of whom will have professional expertise in relevant areas, e.g., learning disorders, sensory disorders. The Associate Vice President will appoint the chair of the committee. The Committee will meet on a regularly scheduled basis to evaluate student requests and make recommendations in a timely manner.
AAEC will evaluate both initial and continuing requests for academic accommodations. Based on thorough reviews of student documentation, the Committee will recommend as specific and tailored a set of academic accommodations as possible, when warranted. Such tailored accommodations will be in effect for the following semester only. At the end of each semester, the AAEC will review the effectiveness of those accommodations using input from both the student and her/his professors. This periodic and timely review provides opportunities to continually modify and update a student's accommodation needs.
AAEC may also deny a request for academic accommodations. Based again on careful review of the student documentation, the AAEC may instead recommend referral of the student, for instance, to the Learning Resource Center; to CAPS for individual counseling or psychotropic medication consultation; or for a stress or anxiety management series. AAEC will monitor such recommendations to see if a student seeks the services and if such services have proven useful.
At times, a student's request for academic accommodations requires input from a graduate or professional program director, or college dean representative. In those cases that official will be present at the AAEC evaluation, with the student's prior written consent, and will be bound by confidentiality protection responsibilities.
EFFECTING ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS
When the AAEC recommends an academic accommodation, CSD staff will work with a student to request that specific accommodation. Each student will approach the professors for any course accommodations requests for that semester. Concurrently, CSD will provide a letter to the professor confirming that request, explaining the specifics of the accommodation sought, explaining whether the student will need CSD support resources and how they will be implemented, and encouraging the professor to contact CSD with any questions or concerns at that time or at any time during the semester.
Professors who agree that accommodations are reasonable and who agree to their implementation, will also be asked to provide information at the end of the semester regarding both the manageability and effectiveness of the academic accommodation. Professors also will be encouraged to provide suggestions for improvements in the process.
At times an academic accommodation involves modifying programmatic requirements, e.g., comprehensive examinations. Both the student and CSD will contact the academic program director well in advance of the scheduled examinations to discuss the granting of reasonable accommodations.
Students should keep in mind that their requests for academic accommodations must first be supported by the AAEC before students may proceed further. Finally, the faculty member, to whom the request is made, has the option to agree or disagree to each academic accommodation.
APPEALS
The student has the full range of University appeals processes (outlined in The Student Handbook). If the student wishes to appeal the decisions of the AAEC, academic program director, or individual faculty member regarding the recommendation or denial of an academic accommodation request, the student may appeal to the Chair or Director of the relevant department or program. The student's next level of appeal is to the Dean of the relevant college. The Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs hears final appeals on University academic matters.
THE FACULTY
RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Each faculty member has an obligation to be aware of University of Houston policies and procedures regarding equal educational opportunities for all of its students. The University of Houston recognizes not only its legal responsibilities to all its students. The University makes an affirmative statement of commitment to all its students.
Faculty may take advantage of frequently updated information on students with disabilities disseminated by CSD. They may access the new informational website sponsored by the Office of Academic Affairs. They may confer with their college coordinator for students with disabilities. They may contact members of the AAEC or CSD staff with questions or concerns.
It is the responsibility of the departmental chairs and faculty supervisors to ensure that all graduate teaching fellows know and understand their obligations with regard to students who wish to discuss any concerns about their performance in courses taught by those fellows. That responsibility and oversight applies when a student presents with requests for academic accommodations in particular courses taught by graduate fellows.
Sometimes a student may discuss with a faculty member his or her concerns about progress in a specific course or in an academic program; the faculty member may conclude that the student might benefit by consulting the CAPS, Learning Resource Center or CSD. And the faculty member might make that suggestion. The student, of course, then decides whether or not to follow through with that suggestion.
Only after a student registers with CSD and has an approved recommendation for an academic accommodation from the AAEC, may that student then approach a faculty member with a request for an academic accommodation. Concomitantly, the faculty member will receive notice from CSD specifically describing the accommodation requested, and what resources the CSD will be able to provide to assist in implementing that accommodation, e.g., a note taker, alternative examination setting.
The faculty member is encouraged to provide reasonable academic accommodations for students with disabilities whenever possible. If the professor determines that an academic accommodation request would alter the essential nature of the subject matter or program content, would involve undue financial or resource burdens, or might inadvertently provide a "special advantage" to the requesting student over other students, she or he may decide it is not reasonable to provide the accommodation. Again, the faculty member has available a number of resources for consultation in reaching a decision about reasonable academic accommodations.
If the faculty member agrees to provide academic accommodations, he/she and the requesting student will be asked to provide feedback at the end of the semester on the manageability and effectiveness of those accommodations.
Further, the University of Houston asks that in each course to which the following statement applies, each faculty include in her/his syllabus:
Whenever possible, and in accordance with 504/ADA guidelines, we will attempt to provide reasonable academic accommodations to students who request and require them. Please call 713-743-5400 for more assistance.
The University also asks the support of its faculty in requesting that they announce in their classes at the beginning of each semester their willingness to assist students with disabilities and other problems.
CONTINUAL COMMUNICATION
The University of Houston campus community thrives in its mission of educational excellence only through the shared commitment of its faculty, all of its students, staff and administrators. Faculty are in key positions to become aware of, and to be sought out by, students who might be experiencing a variety of struggles which may interfere with their academic goals. The University encourages faculty to hear these students and to refer them to relevant campus resources, should the students choose to take advantage of them.
The University is committed to enhancing every arena of campus communication regarding students with disabilities. To reinforce the importance of continual communication as part of its policy on students with disabilities and academic accommodations, the Office of Academic Affairs is establishing an informational website for all members of the University community.
This policy and procedures statement applies to students with disabilities who seek academic accommodations. Concerned students, faculty and staff also should know that the Office of Affirmative Action is concurrently conducting University-wide policy review regarding equal access to campus physical facilities and resources for students with disabilities.
July, 2001
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