| Policies and Procedures
The Law
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 states that: "No otherwise
qualified person with a disability in the United States shall, solely
by reason of ... disability, be denied the benefits of, be excluded from
participation in, or be subjected to discrimination under any program
or activity receiving federal financial assistance."
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is the civil rights
guarantee for persons with disabilities in the United States. The ADA
upholds and extends the standards for compliance set forth in Section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to employment practices, communications,
and all policies, procedures and practices that impact the treatment of
students with disabilities.
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Definitions & Categories
of Disability
A "person with a disability" includes "any person who
(i) has a physical or mental impairment which limits one or more of such
person's major life activities; (ii) has a record of such an impairment,
or (iii) is regarded as having such an impairment."
A "qualified person with a disability" is defined as one who
meets the requisite academic and technical standards required for admission
or participation in the postsecondary institution's programs and activities.
The California State University has established the following categories
of disabilities for reporting purposes:
Visual Limitation
Blindness or partial sight to the degree that it impedes the educational
process and necessitates procurement of supportive services or programs.
Students in this category shall not require interpreting services.
Communication Disability
Limitation in the processes of speech and/or hearing which impedes
the educational process and necessitates the procurement of supportive
services or programs. Students in this category shall not require interpreting
services.
Deafness
Limitation in the process of hearing which impedes the educational
process and necessitates the procurement of supportive services or programs.
Students in this category shall require sign language interpreters or
transcribers.
Mobility Limitation
Limitation in locomotion or motor functions which indicated a need
for supportive services or rograms. Also included in this category would
be persons who have asthma, cardiovascular problems, or who do not have
motor functions necessary to lift or carry items normally used in an
academic setting (i.e., books and supplies)
Learning Disability
A generic term that refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested
by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening,
speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical abilities. Students
must have verification of a learning disability supported by appropriate
diagnostic test results as reviewed and determined by qualified program
staff. In order to be certified as " learning disabled," the
student must meet the official criteria as specified by the CSU Chancellor's
Office. For further information, please contact SDRC.
Other Limitation
Any other dysfunction of a body part or process which necessitates
the use of supportive services or programs, and which does not fall
within the categories listed above.
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Documentation Procedures and Verification
Guidelines
The student is responsible for submitting valid documentation when registering
with the SDRC. This documentation is required by the CSU and serves to
assist us in determining the appropriate accommodations. The following
are used to document disability. Please call SDRC at (510) 885-3868 for
a copy of the following guidelines and forms.
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Guidelines for Use of Accommodations
The Student Disability Resource Center offers a wide variety of accommodations
to students registered with our office. Students are expected to take
an active role in asking for and arranging their own Accommodations. The
Accommodations Coordinator oversees the implementation, facilitation and
evaluation of the services and is available to assist students in making
these arrangements. Following are the general guidelines for using Accommodations.
Refer to the individual service links for specifics on each type of accommodation.
- Register with SDRC: Students
requesting Accommodations must have completed an intake and have a current
Determination of Accommodations form on file.
- Fill out an Accommodations
Request form : Each quarter, a completed Accommodations
Request Form (ARF) - Microsoft Word Format ; Accommodations
Request Form (ARF) - (PDF Format) must be on file before the Accommodations
will be rendered.
- Plan ahead: While SDRC
responds as quickly as possible, due to the complexity and high volume
of requests, we must ask for 10-working days from the date of the request
to arrange for the accomodation.
- Be responsible: Ultimately,
students are responsible for ensuring that support services and accommodations
meet their needs. If an accomodation is not appropriate or is lacking,
students must contact SDRC to schedule an appointment with a counselor.
- Adjusting services: Any
changes in needs or requests for additional Accommodations must be supported
by documentation, evaluated by an SDRC counselor and changed on the
Determination of Accommodation sheet before the additional accomodation
is provided.
- Follow the policies: All
policies and procedures must be followed to ensure timely, effective
services. Any breach of SDRC or University policies may result in a
suspension ofAccommodations.
Accommodations Appeal Policy and
Process
This policy is restricted to academic and access
accommodations. Questions and concerns related to student discipline/behavior,
academic fairness, etc. should be referred to the appropriate office(s)
or committees.
Accommodations are determined in the following
way:
- Student provides full
documentation on disability.
- Counselor reviews documentation
and collects information on functional limitations, past accommodations
and current needs.
- Following SDRC policies,
counselor determines most appropriate accommodations and services at
CSUEB.
- Determination of Accommodations
Form is generated. Student and counselor both sign and student receives
a copy. If student asks for additional
accommodation(s) that a) CSUEB does not currently offer or b) the counselor
has determined not reasonable or appropriate, the student can appeal
the accommodation(s) through the Accommodations Appeal process.
- Students with questions
or concerns about accommodations must inform SDRC as soon as he/she
becomes aware of the problem. Students should discuss the specific issue(s)
with an SDRC counselor in order to explore together possibilities and
solutions.
- Students with further
questions, concerns or disagreements about accommodations should complete
an Accommodation
Appeal Request Form-Word Format ; Accomodation
Appeal Request Form-PDF Format citing specifics regarding his/her
request or challenge. If more complete documentation is required to
support the request, the student bears the responsibility of providing
such documentation. The review will not progress without full documentation.
- It is anticipated that
disagreements will be resolved as expeditiously as possible. During
the process, current accommodations as determined by the counselor will
continue to be in effect in order to provide access during the appeals
process.
- The Accommodation Appeal
Request form is forwarded to the SDRC Director or designee. The SDRC
Director/designee will evaluate the matter and make appropriate recommendations
within ten (10) working days of receiving the issue.
- Students seeking further
redress of the SDRC Director’s recommendation may direct their concerns
to the Accommodations Appeal Committee under the University regulation
for complaints about discrimination due to disability. Formal complaint
must be filed within 180 days after the student knows or could be expected
to have known that an action of discrimination has occurred.
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