The University is committed to providing equal access to all members of the University community in accordance with applicable federal and state laws and regulations, as well as University policy. Where appropriate, the University will provide reasonable accommodations to assist students, employees, contractors, vendors, and other parties. This Policy identifies the resources and processes available for people with disabilities to request and receive reasonable accommodations to access the University and its services. Accommodations may be requested for any aspect of the University’s operations, including but not limited to admissions, academic requirements, financial aid, or any other school-administered program or service.
The University is committed to making its education and employment opportunities and facilities accessible to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the requirements of federal and state laws and regulations. The fundamental principles of nondiscrimination and accommodation in academic programs are set forth in Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ("Section 504") and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ("ADA").
The University has implemented the following policies:
- The University strictly prohibits improper discrimination on the basis of an individual's disability.
- Once informed by an individual of their disability, the University offers individualized assessment and reasonable accommodation to otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities.
Definitions
Applicants – individuals who desire to be considered for admissions to the University, including those who have or have not yet submitted a formal application.
Didactic Accommodation – An accommodation intended for classroom purposes.
Disability – A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
Experiential/Clinical Accommodation – An accommodation intended for laboratory settings, externships, and rotations (offsite and onsite).
Major Life Activities include, but are not limited to, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working.
Students – Those who are admitted to, have matriculated into or enrolled in courses of study at the University.
Reasonable Accommodation
Reasonable accommodation means any adjustment or modification that allows an otherwise qualified student with a disability equal access to participate in the various programs of the University.
The University will consider requests for accommodation of disabilities on a case-by-case. Accommodations will not be offered if they fundamentally alter the nature of the program, if they would be unduly burdensome, either financially or administratively, to the University, or if they would result in lowering academic and other essential performance standards.
Technical Standards for Each College
Students must be able to perform, with or without a reasonable accommodation, all technical standards for their respective College. Information regarding each College’s technical standards is available to all students on the University’s website. After being granted conditional admission into the respective College, the student will be required to review and understand each technical standard and verify their capacity to meet each technical standard, with or without a reasonable accommodation, through completion of the Technical Standards Acknowledgment and Consent Form. The signed and dated form will be returned to the Office of Student Affairs and will be placed in the student’s file. If the student’s form indicates a need for an accommodation, the student will be referred to the Student Affairs Office.
The technical standards for each College will be reviewed and updated periodically.
Accommodation Request Process
The University is committed to working collaboratively with applicants and students to ensure that the accommodations meets their disability-related needs. Students or applicants who are not seeking a reasonable accommodation from the University are not obligated to self-disclose their disability to their College. However, if the student elects to disclose their disability and seeks a reasonable accommodation, they must make a request for accommodation to their College’s or Program’s Office of Student Affairs.
While a request for accommodation may be made at any time, in order to provide sufficient time for an interactive process to occur to address a request for an interactive process to occur to address a request for accommodation and to allow the university sufficient time to implement a reasonable and agreed accommodation, students are encouraged to request an accommodation at the earliest opportunity. An individual requesting an accommodation should refer to the related procedures below.
Applicants and Students at CHSU may seek accommodation for any phase of the application process or program requirements pursuant the procedures set forth below:
Step 1: Written Accommodation Request
Written Request: The student must submit a written request for accommodation by completing a Disability Verification Form and an Application for Services and Accommodations. Additionally, students will also have to complete a release of information form to allow the college to discuss the case with the accommodations committee. Students must submit an individual accommodation request for didactic curricular content delivery, and separately, for each experiential/clinical learning modality. The forms may be requested from the student’s College or viewed on the College’s website. Students may request assistance with completing these forms at their college’s designated office.
Supporting Documentation: The Disability Verification Form must be completed by a qualified healthcare professional who has knowledge of the disability and of the specific student. The College has the discretion to determine what type of professional documentation is necessary. The healthcare professional must be trained, licensed, and qualified to render a diagnosis and to determine the practical limitations of that diagnosis. If necessary, the students may submit medical documentation from more than one healthcare professional.
Review by College: While physicians and/or other medical professionals may submit recommendations regarding reasonable accommodations, the College’s representatives, who are familiar with the University’s educational environment, determine the extent to which the recommended accommodations are appropriate in this context.
Completed Request: All completed forms must be submitted to the appropriate office within the student’s College. If documentation is insufficient or incomplete, the University may require additional documentation. The University may be unable to process an accommodation request until all the required documentation is received.
Step 2: Interactive Process
After receiving all the completed paperwork, the College will make a decision regarding eligibility for the requested accommodation or another reasonable accommodation. Appropriate accommodations are determined after an individualized assessment of each request and discussion between the student and a representative from the College. When necessary, the College’s representative will confer with appropriate personnel in the student’s College to ensure that the student’s requested accommodation is reasonable, does not alter the fundamental nature of the program and can be provided without undue hardship by the University.
Step 3: Decision/Accommodation Plan
The College will provide a written accommodation plan or denial of accommodation, to the student within five (5) business days of the in-person meeting. The Accommodation Plan may be revised at any point during the student's time at the University.
It is the student's responsibility to keep their College’s designated office informed of any additional information that will impact the accommodations the student requires or already receives. Students receiving short-term accommodations may need to provide additional medical paperwork to continue to receive the same (or altered) accommodations.
Step 4: Implementation of the Accommodation Plan
If a student is deemed eligible for a reasonable accommodation, the College will notify the appropriate office, course or preceptors, and others who need to know about the accommodation. Students experiencing difficulty in receiving accommodations that have been established in the student's Accommodation Plan should contact the Student Affairs Office in the student’s College immediately.
Step 5: Appeal of Accommodation Request
Students have the right to appeal any decision by submitting a formal written appeal to the Dean of the College/ Director of the Program via email or in person within ten (10) business days of the denial. The written appeal must explain the basis for the appeal and include all paperwork originally submitted to the Student Affairs Office, although additional documentation may also be included for review.
During any appeal process, the student will continue to receive any previously granted reasonable accommodations. A decision will be issued within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of the appeal application. All appeal decisions made by the Dean of the College/Director of the Program regarding a student's disability determination will be final.