The Ross Center for Disability Services

Faculty Handbook

• Philosophy and Mission Statement
• Eligibility of Service
• Faculty Notification
• Possible Accommodations and General Suggestions
• Rights and Responsibility
• When There is Disagreement
• Confidentiality

Rights and Responsibility

• Faculty's Rights
• Faculty's Responsibilities
• Student's Rights
• Student's Responsibilities
• The Ross Center's Rights
• The Ross Center's Responsibilities

The Faculty has the Right to:

• Determine course content and general methods of teaching
  
• Make informed decisions about how to best adapt their teaching and assessment methods to accommodate all students
  
• Ensure that the standards in their course are not lowered or compromised
  
• Ensure that a student has demonstrated mastery of the essential requirements of a course in order to obtain an appropriate grade
  
• Fail any student if he/she does not demonstrate mastery of essential course requirements
  
• Question a specific accommodation request if it is either inappropriate for their course, or if the nature of the request would alter the essential requirements of a course
  
• Determine through consultation with knowledgeable professionals the most appropriate ways to adapt their course to the needs of a particular student
  
• Be treated respectfully by all students in their class

The Faculty is responsible to:

• Respect confidentiality
  
• Provide syllabus and all other relevant course material at least a month in advance to those students who may need information in an alternative format.
  
• Sign the Confidential Faculty Notification Letter and other appropriate forms
  
• Become knowledgeable about RCDS policies and procedures and cooperate in the coordination of services
  
• Understand that some students with disabilities have academic or behavior problems that are not related to their disabilities. Therefore they are not obligated to treat such problems differently then they would for a non-disabled student
  
• Enforce the Code of Student Conduct equally for all students

A student with a disability, has the right to:

• Appropriate confidentiality of all information related to his/her disability
  
• Equal access to courses, programs, services, jobs, activities, and facilities available through the University
  
• Receive reasonable accommodations according to his/her disability, which may include academic adjustment, and/or auxiliary aids determined on an individualized basis using required documentation

A student with a disability, is responsible to:

• Disclose their disability and provide documentation regarding their disability from an appropriate health care professional to the Ross Center
  
• Complete the Semester Accommodations Form and meet with RCDS staff each semester to review course requirements and obtain a Confidential Faculty Letter for each instructor
  
• Meet with faculty to get the Confidential Faculty Letter signed and to discuss disability-related needs and accommodations
  
• Request all services in a timely manner
  
• Report any concerns that he/she may have regarding accommodations as they arise. Otherwise, the Ross Center's ability to respond is reduced
  
• Treat all university personnel with respect
  
• Meet the University's graduation requirement and qualifications essential for full participation in any academic program

• Request current and appropriate documentation of disability
  
• Discuss a student's need for reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids with the professional who provides the written verification of disability (with the student's signed consent)
  
• Deny a request for accommodations, academic adjustment, and/or auxiliary aids if the documentation does not meet our guidelines
  
• Refuse to provide specific accommodations if:
  
  • The request is not made within the timeline as specified through Disability Services
    
  • It constitutes a substantial change or alteration to an essential element of a program or course
    
  • It poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others
    
  • It poses undue financial hardship on the University
    
• Select the most appropriate or equally effective accommodations, adjustments, or auxiliary aids through discussion with the student
  
• Suspend services if the Student Code of Conduct has been violated
  
• Be treated respectfully by all students

Ross Center for Disability Services is responsible to:

• Maintain the student’s confidentiality with respect to their disability
  
• Orient students to information regarding policies and procedures at the Ross Center to ensure availability of material in accessible format upon a timely request by a student
  
• Support reasonable and appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments, adaptive equipment and/or other auxiliary aids for students with disabilities on an individualized basis upon request and with appropriate documentation
  
• Inform students with disabilities of University grievance procedures

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