JSU 1877 jackson state university

STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Jackson State University recognizes and accepts its obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability and require the University to provide reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified disabled students in all University programs and activities.

To arrange for reasonable accommodation(s) for your disability, you must follow and complete the Jackson State University  self-disclosure process at least six weeks in advance of your course start date. You must (i) self-disclose any disability; (ii) provide necessary documentation of the disability; and (iii) submit your request for accommodations to the campus disability services advisor (DSA). A student may be eligible for accommodations only after completing the process to request accommodations. Courses completed with Jackson State University (JSU prior to a request for an accommodation will not be considered for re-evaluation of grades.

PROCESS FOR ACCOMMODATION

STEP 1. SELF-DISCLOSURE. Self-disclosure and requesting accommodation are the first steps in advising us of your disability and assuring that accommodations will be made while pursuing your academic endeavors at Jackson State University. Submitting a signed Student Self-Disclosure Statement form begins the process.

STEP 2. DOCUMENTATION. We require documentation from a certified diagnosing professional that is dated NO MORE THAN THREE YEARS PRIOR TO YOUR COURSE START DATE. The Student Release of Information form allows the diagnosing professional to send UOPX documentation supporting your disability. If you have a copy of your documentation, or if your documentation is older than three (3) years, please consult with the campus Applied Psychology Department.

STEP 3. ACCOMMODATION NEGOTIATION. The University is committed to providing equal access to educational programs for all otherwise qualified students in an effort to promote the ability to achieve required program outcomes. Once acceptable documentation of the disability has been received, the campus DSA will review the documentation, any recommended accommodation(s) from the diagnosing professional, and your requested accommodation(s). You and the campus DSA will discuss and agree upon reasonable accommodation(s), then document the agreed upon accommodations on the Student Accommodation Agreement. Once you have signed the Student Accommodation Agreement, accommodations will generally be provided for classes starting from that point forward. Please note that different accommodations may require different amounts of time to arrange, ranging from an hour or less to five or six weeks, depending on the accommodation(s).

STEP 4. COMMUNICATION. The faculty member(s) for your course(s) will be notified of the agreed upon accommodation(s) and ensure the accommodation(s) is provided. If there is a change in your course schedule or faculty member, you must notify the campus DSA immediately to ensure proper communication of the accommodations. If you withdraw from the University and return later, you must notify the campus DSA upon your return in order to re-activate the agreed upon accommodations. Depending on the amount of time that has passed, you may be required to self-disclose and document your disability upon re-entry. If you transfer from one campus to another campus within JSU, you must notify your campus DSA immediately to ensure that your accommodations should be arranged at the receiving campus. Accommodations will not automatically transfer with you to a new campus. Both the campus DSA and the receiving campus DSA must be notified of the transfer. Individuals who require assistance during an emergency must self-disclose this need to the campus DSA. The campus DSA (in conjunction with the campus security authority) should develop a personal emergency plan for the student including specific notification and evacuation procedures which would be utilized in the event of an emergency, regardless of whether the student intends to apply for or receive academic accommodations.

STEP 5.  COMPLAINTS/GRIEVANCES. If an issue arises regarding: (i) your accommodation(s); (ii) delivery of your accommodations in a course; (iii) the classroom environment; or (iv) other challenges or difficulties related to your disability, consult with the campus DSA immediately and/or complete an Initiation of Formal ADA Grievance form. Those students who wish to file a formal ADA grievance must complete the Initiation of Formal ADA Grievance form within six (6) weeks after the alleged action occurred and provide any supporting information to the campus DSA or directly to Human Resources Department Ethics & Compliance operations representative.

STEP 6. PROBLEM RESOLUTION. If you are unable to resolve an issue or feel uncomfortable addressing these issues with your campus DSA, you may contact a representative with Ethics & Compliance JSU Human Resources.  University policy and federal law mandate that a student shall not be retaliated against for filing or participating in a complaint brought against Jackson State University alleging non-compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Information regarding your disability and resulting accommodation(s) is confidential and released strictly on a need to know basis to those providing your accommodation(s). We wish you success as you pursue your academic goals at Jackson State University. We recommend that you make a copy of this form for your records prior to returning the signed copy to your campus DSA. If you have any questions or concerns at any time, please consult with your campus DSA.

I understand my rights and responsibilities as outlined above:

________________________________________________________________

Student Printed Name J number

________________________________________________________________

Student Signature Date

PLEASE RETURN TO: Campus disability services advisor

Name:__________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________

Address Cont.: ___________________________________________________

City: ______________________ State: ____________ Zip: ___________

Phone Number: ___________________________ Fax Number: ____________

E-mail Address: ___________________________________________________

RELEASE OF INFORMATION_distributed

AccommodationForm 12

STUDENT SELF DISCLOSURE13

General Guidelines for Documentation of a Disability

Documentation is necessary to establish the presence of a disability and the need for accommodations. As relevant to the disability, the documentation should include the following nine elements:

1) A diagnostic statement identifying the disability, date of the most current diagnostic evaluation, and the date of the original diagnosis.

2) A description of the diagnostic tests, methods, and/or criteria used including specific test results (including standardized testing scores) and the examiner’s narrative.

3) A description of the current functional impact of the disability. This may be in the form of an examiner’s narrative, and/or an interview, but must have a rational relationship to diagnostic assessments. For learning disabilities, current documentation is defined using adult norms.

4) A statement indicating treatments, medications, or assistive devices/services currently prescribed or in use, with a description of the mediating effects and potential side effects from such treatments.

5) A description of the expected progression or stability of the impact of the disability over time, particularly the next five years.

6) A history of previous accommodations and their impact.

7) The credentials of the diagnosing professional(s), if not clear from the letterhead or other forms. Please note that diagnosing professionals shall not be family members or others with a close personal relationship with the individual being evaluated.>

8) Documentation prepared for specific non-educational venues (i.e. Social Security Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, etc.) may not meet the criteria as set forth by SSD.

9) IEP or 504 plans will not be considered sufficient documentation unless accompanied by a current and complete evaluation.

Beyond these nine elements needed for documentation, recommendations for accommodations, adaptive devices, assistive services, compensatory strategies, and/or collateral support services will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Nationally, most institutions of higher education utilize guidelines developed by the Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) and the Educational Testing Service (ETS):

ETS Documentation Guidelines
(external link will open a new tab or window)

Guidelines for Documentation of a Specific Disability

Psychological

Students with psychological disorders are required to present documentation from psychiatrists or other qualified persons and agencies to make a diagnosis of the disability uses ETS Documentation Guidelines for psychological disabilities.

Students with psychological disabilities, certain medical conditions, and Traumatic Brain Injury will be asked to update their documentation on a yearly basis in order to justify the need to continue their accommodations.

Physical, Medical

Students with physical or medical impairments are required to present documentation from physicians or other qualified persons and agencies to make a diagnosis of the disability.

Learning Disability

Students with a learning disability are required to submit a comprehensive psychological and educational evaluation. Documentation for learning disabilities should include current measures of aptitude (e.g. WAIS-IV), achievement (e.g. current levels of functioning in reading, mathematics, and written language), and information processing. A qualified professional must conduct the evaluation.

Attention Deficit Disorder (AD/HD)

Students with Attention Deficit Disorder (AD/HD) are required to submit comprehensive documentation that substantiates the AD/HD. This documentation should include evidence of early impairment, evidence of current impairment, relevant testing information, and an interpretive summary based on a comprehensive evaluation. A qualified professional must conduct the evaluation.

Qualified professionals may refer to the Educational Testing Services Guidelines for Attention Deficit Disorder and/or the Association of Higher Education and Disability Guidelines for Learning Disabilities for more specific information regarding the documentation of a disability. Copies of each may be obtained from SSD, or by accessing the AHEAD or ETS websites.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Students who are Deaf and hard of hearing are required to present documentation of their hearing loss from an audiologist or other qualified professional to make a diagnosis of the disability and provide details of the functional impact of the hearing loss.

In the case of all disabilities, documentation must indicate that the disability substantially limits some major life activity, including learning.

 Mission

The mission of ADA services is to provide reasonable accommodations to students and employees who qualify under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Collaborating with faculty and staff will empower students/employees who have disabilities. Each individual will be enabled to equal access to an education and university life. Examples of reasonable accommodations may include, but are not limited to: extended time for testing, interpreters, note-taking assistance, use of tape recorders, use of colored overlays, large tables and seating space, small-group or individual test environments, accessible housing, accessible parking, readers for exams, etc.

Getting Started

In order for a person to be eligible for services, the following requirements must be met:

•   Apply and be admitted to Jackson State University undergraduate or graduate program.
•  Provide current and comprehensive documentation of a disability to the ADA Disability Services Office.
•  Register with the ADA Disability Services Office to initiate accommodations.
•  Work as a full-time, part-time, or adjunct employee Jackson State University.

Intake Procedures

Students or employees must self-identify with the ADA Disability Services Office each semester or session for which you are seeking accommodations.

•  Provide current documentation from a professional qualified to diagnose the specific disability.
•  The  Assistant Director of ADA Services must review  all documentation and determine whether the student is eligible to receive services.
•  Reasonable and appropriate accommodations are determined by the student and the ADA of Services Assistant Director based on documented needs and functional limitations of the individual.
•  Letters of Accommodation may be re-evaluated with input from the instructor, the student, or additional documentation.
• The aim is to encourage self-advocacy skills in the individual with a disability and to include
• the faculty member or supervisor in the accommodations plan.
•  Accommodation letters must be requested, reviewed, and reissued each semester the student expects to receive services.
•  FERPA, HIPPA and all other laws of confidentiality are observed strictly. All individuals seeking services must sign a release of information statement which promotes dialogue among office staff , the student, and the instructor or service provider on a need-to-know basis.

WHO IS COVERED UNDER ADA 504?

•          
  The ADA’s definition of “impairment” includes any condition
  that has a psychological, physiological or mental
  basis. It includes anatomical loss of a limb or of the sensory,
  respiratory, neurological, cardiovascular, digestive,
  musculoskeletal, genitor-urinary, skin and endocrine;
  and hemic and lymphatic systems. Cosmetic disfigurements,
  mental retardation, emotional or mental illnesses,
  some learning disabilities, brain disorders and cosmetic
  disfigurements are included in the impairment definition.
•         
  A “disability” is defined as a physical or mental impairment
  that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
  A person is considered disabled if the person has
  such a physical or mental impairment, has a record of
  such impairment, or is regarded as having such impairment.
  “Disability” covers a wide range of conditions and
  includes mobility, vision, hearing, or speech impairments,
  learning disabilities, chronic health conditions, emotional
  illnesses, AIDS, HIV positive, and a history of alcoholism
  or prior substance abuse. 

Visit: www.ada.gov

Location:
2100 Student Center 2nd ­ floor
Latasha Norman Center
for Counseling and Disability Services