Persons with Disabilities

Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973

The university is in compliance with Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The university does not discriminate against students with disabilities in admission, student programs, activities and services. Reasonable accommodations are provided for qualified students with disabilities in an effort to enhance the learning process and enable individuals to reach their maximum potential.

Specific provisions related to postsecondary education prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities in recruiting, admission and treatment after admission.  "Reasonable accommodations" must be made by colleges and universities to those who have documented disabilities. These provisions are necessary to ensure that students with disabilities are given the opportunity to fulfill academic requirements and that they are not excluded from programs because of absence of auxiliary aids. The student, however, is expected to meet the standards of each class as determined by the instructor.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

The Americans with Disabilities Act guarantees that people with disabilities have access to employment, public services and telecommunications. Persons with disabilities may request that reasonable accommodations be made to assist them in the performance of their duties. The university's ADA Committee has implemented a process to request ADA accommodations as well as an appeal process. 

The following activities have been completed related to ADA compliance:

• Guidelines have been established for identifying essential functions of all positions.
• Guidelines and forms have been distributed to managers and supervisors. 
• ADA training sessions have been done for managers and supervisors.
• Posters were ordered from EEOC and posted throughout campus.
• The university's non-discrimination statement has been revised and appears on all job postings
• An ADA Coordinator has been appointed. 
• A self-evaluation has been completed. 
• A survey of campus facilities is an on-going process. 
• The ADA Committee recommended the purchase of four TTD's (text telephone devices). Four miniprint TDD's were installed May 1997 in the following areas: Office of Social Equity, McLachlan Student Health Center, University Police and the main campus switchboard. 
• An assisted hearing system, along with four belt-pack receivers, has been purchased and installed in Miller Auditorium to enable hearing-impaired members of the audience to hear programs.
• Raised letters/signs have been installed in every general access area of classroom buildings.
• Facilities are upgraded on an ongoing basis for ADA compliance.