Purpose:
The purpose of this policy is to insure the availability of services for Dyersburg State Community College (DSCC) students with disabilities who elect to receive assistance under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Scope:
DSCC is committed to providing a discrimination-free environment for students with disabilities.
Policy:
Students with disabilities are encouraged to inform the College of any assistance they may need upon application to DSCC. The process of self-identification is as follows:
- The student should notify the Counselor/ADA Coordinator (hereinafter, “ADA Coordinator) of any disability for which the institution may need to provide assistance. Students are required to provide documentation no more than three (3) years old concerning their disability in order to receive academic accommodations. Specific disability services are based on individual student needs and circumstances.
- The ADA Coordinator will conduct an initial interview in person, by phone or over desktop video. Following that interview, the ADA Coordinator will coordinate DSCC’s response to the student’s needs with faculty, library, and support personnel who will be working with the student during the semester. DSCC may enlist the assistance of other agencies and resource centers in meeting the student’s needs.
Students with disabilities may make an appointment with the ADA Coordinator by phone at 731/286-3242 or by emailing Counselor@DSCC.edu. The ADA Coordinator travels to the DSCC Jimmy Naifeh Center at Tipton County once per week and the DSCC Gibson County Center once per month or more often as needed.
Students who feel that they have received unequal treatment because of their disability should contact the ADA Coordinator at 731/286-3242 or by emailing Counselor@DSCC.edu from their DSCC provided email account. Informal procedures will be initiated to resolve the student’s complaint. If these procedures do not resolve the issue to the student’s satisfaction, the ADA Coordinator will advise the student of the DSCC Student Complaint process. If that process does not yield an amicable resolution, the student should be made aware of the procedure to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights as described below:
Complaints to the U. S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights (OCR) must be filed within 180 days of discrimination or within 60 days after the program/agency has provided communication to you regarding resolution of your complaint.
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Civil Rights
400 Maryland Avenue, S. W.
Washington, D.C. 20202-1100
1-800-421-3481 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Web: http://www.ed.gov/ocr
E-mail: OCR@ed.gov
- To file a formal complaint with OCR, you should submit in writing the following information:
• Your name, address, and phone number
• The name and location of the program that you believe discriminated against you
• A detailed description of what happened and when it happened
• The reason for the violation of the ADA that is, you are a person with a disability.
Make sure enough detail is provided for the OCR to know what happened.
Compliance:
All DSCC faculty and staff are expected to adhere to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Definitions:
Academic Post-secondary programs under section 504 of the ADA must make
Accommodations adjustments to academic requirements as are necessary to ensure that such requirements do not discriminate or have the effect of discriminating, on the basis of handicap, against a qualified handicapped applicant or student.
Revision History:
Policy written May, 2005. Revised September, 2012; approved by Administrative Council on 9/27/12.