Confidentiality Of Student Information

Disability Support Services views all materials pertaining to a student's disability as confidential. This policy is based upon government mandates regarding the confidential treatment of disability related information. Any written material obtained by DSS is used to verify the disability exists, plan for appropriate services and document services and contacts with other offices.

The following are guidelines used by DSS regarding disability-related information:

• All disability related information for students at Mount Union College is housed in one location, which is in the Disability Support Services office.
• All disability related information is kept in separate files for each student and housed in secure file cabinets.
• Only persons working at DSS have access to these files.
• File information may be released only when a student has signed a "Release of Information" form giving written permission.
• The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), also known as the Buckley Amendment, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), does not allow faculty access to disability related information. According to the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), "Disability related records provided by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other recognized professional are not subject to free access under FERPA." In addition, according to AHEAD, "it is only necessary to share with the faculty the information that the student has a documented disability and need for accommodation(s)." Faculty have no need to know the nature of the disability, "only that it has been appropriately verified by the individual (office) assigned this responsibility on behalf of the institution."
• A student has a right to review the contents of his/her own file.
• A student may request a copy of the documentation of his/her disability; however, DSS will not forward documentation that originated with another institution or professional.

Rights And Responsibilities

Students with disabilities at Mount Union College have the right to:

• Equal access to courses, programs, services, activities and facilities offered through the College;
• An equal opportunity to learn and to receive reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids and services;
• Appropriate confidentiality of all information regarding their disability and to choose to whom information about their disability will be disclosed, except as disclosures are required or permitted by law;
• Information available in accessible formats.

• Meet qualifications and maintain the same academic standards required of all Mount Union College students;
• Identify his/her disability to Disability Support Services when an accommodation is needed and to seek information, counsel, and assistance as necessary;
• Provide appropriate written documentation of the disability to DSS and, when appropriate, an accompanying statement of how the disability affects and/or limits the student's participation in learning and what accommodations are recommended;
• Meet with faculty at the beginning of each semester (or as soon as the disability becomes known) to discuss the types of accommodations that may be necessary and to clarify the impact of the disability;
• Abide by the policies on matters such as academic honesty and behavior.

Documentation Of Disability

Students must provide written documentation that meets the standards for indicating the presence of a disability, in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act.

DSS requests current documentation from appropriately licensed professionals. The student bears the cost of obtaining the documentation. If initial documentation is determined to be inadequate (i.e., does not include specific diagnosis, functional limitations or support the accommodation request), DSS has the discretion to require additional documentation or information.

Documentation of the disability should comprehensively address the following:

• Specific diagnosis;
• Functional limitations as a result of the disability, particularly as related to the academic setting;
• Testing/evaluation procedure(s) utilized to assess the level of limitation, as well as a copy of test results;
• Recommendations for academic and environmental modification
• Evaluations must be current. As a guideline, Mount Union generally requires documentation prepared within the past three to five years for conditions whose impact on education may change over time. DSS reserves the right to request an updated or more extensive evaluation;
• The written report must include a specific diagnosis, clear and specific evidence and identification of a disability. For example, terms such as "learning styles," "learning problems" and "academic difficulties" do not constitute a learning disability. Remember that an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) is not sufficient by itself but may be included;
• Diagnostic reports must be written on official letterhead and must include the name and title of the evaluator, as well as the type of testing and dates administered. Reports must be typed and otherwise legible;
• When a student provides documentation of a disability, that information will be housed in the DSS office and may not be released to other campus offices without the student's written permission. The only exceptions to this would include life-threatening medical emergency, an official court order and behavior which poses a direct threat to the health and safety of the student or others.

Eligibility For Services

To be eligible for disability-related services on campus, a student must:

• Apply to and be accepted to Mount Union College
• Identify themselves to and request services of the Disability Support Services office
• Provide current and comprehensive documentation of the disability
• Register in person with Disability Support Services prior to enrollment
• Schedule a check-in meeting during the first two weeks of each semester enrolled

Request For Accommodations

"Reasonable accommodation" is a term borrowed from legislation that protects the rights of individuals with disabilities. In the college environment, it refers to any necessary modification to a course, facility, program, service or activity that affords an otherwise qualified student with a disability equal opportunity to attain the same level of performance, benefits and/or privileges, as are available to a student without a disability.

To determine reasonable accommodations, DSS will seek information from college staff regarding essential standards for courses, programs, services, activities and facilities. It is important to note that the college is not obligated to modify an element of a course, etc. that is deemed essential to the curriculum. Final determination of accommodations is made by Disability Support Services.

Reasonable accommodations are determined by considering:

1. Documentation of the disability and recommendations made by the diagnosing professional.
2. The student's request for specific accommodations.
3. Barriers resulting from the interaction between the documented disability and the campus environment.
4. Possible accommodations that might remove the barriers.
5. Whether or not the student has access to the course, program, service, activity or facility without accommodation (i.e., is he/she otherwise qualified for participation).
6. Whether or not the essential elements of the course, program, service, activity or facility are compromised by the accommodation.

Notification Of Faculty/Accommodations Letters

During the required check-in meeting in the first two weeks of each semester, Disability Support Services will provide the student with Accommodation Letters verifying that the student has a documented disability. The letters also detail any accommodations needed by the student. The letters are given to the student to hand deliver to each instructor. It should be noted that faculty are under no obligation to provide classroom accommodations for students who fail to present them with an Accommodation Letter.

The faculty, the student and DSS, often share the responsibility of providing accommodations. This letter invites faculty to contact DSS with any questions or concerns about accommodations. It is important to note that faculty do not have the right to access diagnostic information about a student's disability without written permission of the student.

Grievances

If a student with a disability believes that his or her request for accommodations and/or modifications of those accommodations have not been met appropriately, or in a timely manner, or if the student believes that he or she has been discriminated against on the basis of disability, it is recommended that the student contact the person(s) considered to be the source of the disagreement and discuss the situation. If the student is unable to do this, if the problem is not resolved or if the problem is not resolved satisfactorily, the student should contact the DSS Director.

The Director will work with the appropriate college personnel and the student to resolve the disagreement regarding recommended accommodations and/or modifications. If the matter is unable to be resolved informally, or if the student with the disability is not satisfied with the resolution, the student may file a grievance with the Associate Dean of Students, the Assistant to the Dean of the College or the Director of Human Resources and Employee Development.