UI&U Policies - ADA Accommodation Procedure

Procedures
In order for a Union Institute & University student to receive accommodations for a disability, she or he must have a written Educational Profile (EP) designed by the ADA coordinator.

Student Reporting
To obtain an EP, the student must first disclose that he or she has a disability by completing the Disability Disclosure form.

ADA Coordinator Contact Information
Email: adacoordinator@myunion.edu
Phone: 802-828-8740/TDD 800-486-9968
Street Address: 62 Ridge Street, Suite 2
Montpelier, VT 05602

Faculty/Staff Reporting

• If a student divulges to a faculty/staff member that she or he has a disability and the student does not have an Educational Profile, the faculty/ staff must inform the student immediately that she or he should contact the ADA coordinator for a preliminary assessment.
• The faculty/staff member who makes the referral should document it with an e-mail sent to ADA coordinator and keep a copy of the documentation.
• The faculty member cannot make accommodations unless there is an Educational Profile on record for that student with the ADA coordinator. Faculty members should not attempt to determine if a student has a disability; that diagnosis should be done by a qualified diagnostic professional. In order for accommodations to be in place, the student needs to complete the entire process outlined in the “Evaluation and Feedback” section below.

Evaluation and Feedback
Upon receipt of a signed Disability Disclosure form indicating that a student has a disability, the ADA coordinator will send the student a Disability Documentation form. The student will take the form to his or her health care provider. All Education Profiles and subsequent accommodations are based on recommendations of the health care provider; it is critical that the form be complete when the health care provider sends it to the ADA coordinator.

When complete documentation is received relating to a disability:

• The ADA coordinator will request a meeting with the student (this may be accomplished by e-mail) to discuss documentation and accommodations. If the documentation is not sufficient, the student will be so informed by the ADA coordinator. The two most common reasons for needing additional information are:
  1. The health care provider does not make specific recommendations that can be used as academic or physical accommodations.
  2. The individual signing the Disability Documentation Form is not a recognized medical professional. (Any student may contact the ADA coordinator for documentation criteria for the various disabilities: physical, psychological, learning, and attentional.)
• If the student chooses, an Educational Profile (EP) will be developed by the ADA Coordinator which will list accommodations for learning in the educational setting. An EP outlines accommodations for the student’s disability in the learning environment of UI&U.
• Upon written release by the student (email is accepted), this EP is provided to university personnel, especially faculty, advisors, and program coordinators, as listed by the student. The student is then urged to meet with or contact the faculty member/advisor as soon as possible to develop a plan for accommodations for the term. The EP is stored in the office of the ADA coordinator; it is not included on the student’s permanent academic record.
• Decisions about specific adjustments not listed in the EP can be made by the advisor and student; it would be helpful to send a written copy to the ADA coordinator for inclusion in the student’s file. Decisions about changes to specific accommodations can only be made by the ADA coordinator in consultation with the student and an addendum will then be made to the EP.
• It is the responsibility of the student to notify his/her advisor(s) each term of an EP or request the ADA coordinator to do so.

Voluntary Nature of this System
Students are not compelled to report disabilities; this is a voluntary process. Similarly, they are not compelled to follow up on referrals to the ADA coordinator, nor to seek and pay for professional assessments, nor to release the plan for accommodations.

If a student informs a faculty member that she or he is disabled in any way and that certain accommodations are required, that faculty member cannot make those accommodations unless the entire process outlined in the “Evaluation and Feedback” section is complete.

Sometimes a student wants nothing to do with documenting a disability and refuses to look into it further. Unless the student voluntarily completes these actions, Union Institute & University cannot make accommodations for the student.