Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 requires that the University provide reasonable accommodations to students who have identified themselves as disabled and have provided Disability Support Services with documentation of their disability.

Faculty Rights and Responsibilities

Faculty have the right to:

  • Establish the academic standards for their courses. ​
  • Consult with the Office of Accessibility to determine reasonable accommodations for a given course. It is therefore, the responsibility of an instructor to provide accommodations, as determined by the OA-provided “Accommodation Letter,” as long as they do not undermine the academic integrity of the course. ​
  • Evaluate the academic work of students with disabilities according to the same evaluation criteria utilized for all other students in the class. ​
  • Fail a student who does not perform to passing standards 

Faculty do NOT have the right to:

  • Refuse to provide an approved accommodation for a documented disability
  • Challenge the legitimacy of a student's disability
  • Review/Accept a student's documentation, including diagnostic data, medical records, etc.
  • Disclose a student's disability without consent
  • Ask the student about any specifics of their disability
  • Give recommendations to students regardless of education and credentials

Faculty have the responsibility to:​

  • Ensure that each course, viewed in its entirety, is accessible, e.g., content, texts, materials, assessment method, online instructions, time requirements, etc. ​
  • Direct all questions/concerns regarding accommodations for students with disabilities to the Office of Accessibility. ​
  • Provide the accommodations listed on the student’s accommodation letter. ​
  • Direct students, they suspect, have a disability to Student Disability Services. ​
  • Provide accommodations only after receiving the accommodation letter from the Office of Accessibility. Accommodations should not be provided without a letter, nor should additional accommodations be provided unless the accommodation would be provided to all students in the class. ​
  • Maintain confidentiality. ​
  • Create an Inclusive Climate