CAMPUS POLICY
Now is the tie for all good men to
POLICY NUMBER:
300-021
PAGE NUMBER:
Page 1 of 5
CHAPTER: 300
Human Resources
SUBJECT: Disability Access and Accommodation
Policy
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 21, 2014
OPR: Human Resources
VC:
VCAF
persons with disabilities are
I.
SUPERSESSION:
APPROVED: by Pamela Shockley-Zalabak,
Chancellor, on October 21, 2014
POLICY
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS or University) is committed to providing
access, support, and when appropriate, reasonable accommodations and academic adjustments to
persons with disabilities. UCCS does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission and
access to, and treatment and employment in, its educational programs and activities. (Regent
Law, Article 10). Additionally, UCCS follows state building code ANSI 117.1 when designing
and constructing new and remodeled facilities.
II.
AUTHORITY FOR CAMPUS POLICIES
Authority for the creation of campus administrative policies is found in The Laws of the Regents,
2007, Article 3 Section B.5(A) which states:
The chancellor of each campus shall be the chief academic and administrative officer
responsible to the president for the conduct of affairs of their respective campus in
accordance with the policies of the Board of Regents. The chancellor shall have such
other responsibilities as may be required by these Laws, or regent policy, or as may
be delegated by the president.
III.
PURPOSE
UCCS supports the ongoing development of an accessible University where programs, services
and activities offered by UCCS are provided in a manner appropriate to the needs of all
participants, including persons with disabilities. This policy sets forth the manner in which the
University addresses and meets those goals for disability access and accommodation.
IV.
DEFINITIONS
Access. The opportunity for persons with disabilities to participate in, utilize, benefit
from, and enjoy the same facilities, programs, and services as non-disabled persons, with
or without reasonable accommodation.
CHAPTER: 300
Human Resources
SUBJECT: Disability
Access and Accommodation
POLICY:
300-021
EFFECTIVE:
Oct. 21, 2014
PAGE:
2 of 5
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA is a federal anti-discrimination law
designed to remove barriers that prevent qualified persons with disabilities from enjoying
the same educational and employment opportunities available to non-disabled persons.
Event Accommodation. A reasonable accommodation, adjustment, auxiliary aid or
service that provides a person with a disability access to a University event. Such events
include, but are not limited to, public lectures or meetings, theatre and music
performances, athletic events and camps, gallery exhibits, seminars and colloquiums, and
graduation ceremonies. Accommodations can include, but are not limited to
interpreters, captionists, written materials in alternate format, listening devices and
physically accessible locations.
Major Life Activities. Functions such as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing,
performing manual tasks, caring for oneself, sitting, standing, lifting, reaching, thinking,
concentrating, reading, writing, learning, communicating and working.
Person with a Disability. One who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially
limits her/him in one or more major life activities, one who has a record of such an
impairment, or one who is regarded as having such an impairment.
Qualified Individual with a Disability. In the educational context, refers to a student
with a disability who meets the essential program requirements for his/her academic
program and for each course of study, with or without reasonable accommodation. In the
employment context, refers to an individual with a disability who satisfies the requisite
skill, experience, education and other job-related requirements of the employment
position and who can perform the essential functions of the position, with or without
reasonable accommodation.
Reasonable Accommodation. A modification or academic adjustment that will enable a
qualified student, job applicant or employee with a disability to participate in the
educational process or the application process or to perform essential job functions.
Reasonable accommodation also includes modifications or adjustments to assure that a
qualified individual with a disability has the rights and privileges in employment and
access to education equal to those of non-disabled employees or students. A reasonable
accommodation must not create an undue hardship on the University.
Substantial Limitation. The inability to perform a major life activity or a significant
restriction as to the condition, manner, or duration under which a person can perform a
particular major life activity as compared to the average person in the general population.
Undue Hardship. An action requiring significant difficulty or expense, when considered
in light of factors such as the University’s size, financial resources, and the nature and
structure of its operation. In determining whether an accommodation would impose an
undue hardship on the University, factors to be considered include: the nature and cost of
the accommodation requested; the overall financial resources involved in the provision of
the reasonable accommodation; the overall financial resources of the University; the
CHAPTER: 300
Human Resources
SUBJECT: Disability
Access and Accommodation
POLICY:
300-021
EFFECTIVE:
Oct. 21, 2014
PAGE:
3 of 5
composition, structure and functions of the workforce of the University; and the impact
of the accommodation upon the operation of the University, including the impact on the
ability of other employees to perform their duties and the impact on the University’s
ability to conduct business.
V.
WORKPLACE ACCOMMODATIONS
Qualified job applicants and employees (including teaching and research faculty, classified and
University staff, and student employees) with a disability can request reasonable
accommodations. Please consult the ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources for
the procedures to request an accommodation.
VI.
EDUCATIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS
Qualified applicants with a disability will not be denied admission to UCCS or be subjected to
discrimination in admissions or recruitment activities on the basis of a disability. All entrance
examination scores will be treated equally, regardless of any accommodation that may have been
provided during testing.
Qualified students with a disability can request reasonable academic accommodations, such as
adjustments, auxiliary aids or other services, to ensure equal access to educational opportunity.
UCCS retains the right, however, to establish educational criteria and requirements for its
courses, academic majors, and degree programs. In providing an academic accommodation,
UCCS will not lower or effect modifications to essential requirements and/or technical standards
for its academic programs and will not fundamentally alter the nature of its academic programs,
services or activities or create an undue hardship for the University.
Please consult the Office of Disability Services for the procedures to request an educational
accommodation.
VII.
EVENT ACCOMMODATIONS
UCCS is committed to providing access and reasonable event accommodations to University
sponsored events. Materials announcing public events should (1) state that the event is
accessible and that reasonable accommodations may be made for people with disabilities, and (2)
provide the event sponsor name and contact information. The event sponsor is responsible for
receiving requests for and arranging event accommodations.
To request an event accommodation, please contact the event sponsor as soon as possible, but no
later than 72 hours before the event, so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Advice and
assistance also may be requested from the Office of Disability Services at 719-255-3354,
Facilities Services at 719-255-3313, and/or Parking and Transportation Services at 719-2553528.
VIII.
CONFIDENTIALITY
CHAPTER: 300
Human Resources
SUBJECT: Disability
Access and Accommodation
POLICY:
300-021
EFFECTIVE:
Oct. 21, 2014
PAGE:
4 of 5
Use of disability-related services at UCCS shall be done only on a voluntary basis. Information
provided to the ADA Coordinator or Office of Disability Services including disability
information, medical information or diagnoses, psychological information, case notes, and
records will be maintained confidentially. Information relating to a person’s disability is
confidential and may only be released with the person’s permission. In limited circumstances,
sharing of disability-related information is permissible on a need-to-know basis. For example,
when a student makes a request and is approved for an academic adjustment in a particular
course, the details of the approved adjustment, not the disability, would be shared with the
instructor of the student’s course. Likewise, when an employee receives a workplace
accommodation, only the details of the accommodation are shared with the employee’s
supervisor.
IX.
COMPLAINT PROCEDURE
A person with a disability who believes his/her disability is not being accommodated or who
believes he/she has experienced or witnessed discrimination or harassment because of a
disability may address the matter within the University by contacting the Office of
Discrimination and Harassment. A person with a disability who wishes to address the matter
outside of the University process may contact the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil
Rights, or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, depending on the nature of the
complaint.
X.
RESPONSIBILITY
The following offices and positions provide interpretation and implementation of this Disability
Access and Accommodation Policy:
ADA Coordinator: The ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources functions
as the central point of contact to receive all requests for reasonable accommodation and to
receive all documentation required to determine disability status for faculty, staff and student
employees at UCCS. This position also interprets and applies federal and state laws regarding
equal access for faculty, staff, students, and visitors with disabilities, monitors and ensures
compliance, and develops and implements internal measures and/or reports which inform the
University administration of the status of ADA compliance and opportunities for people with
disabilities. The ADA Coordinator also chairs the ADA Task Force.
Director of Disability Services: The Office of Disability Services, under the direction of
the Director of Disability Services, has responsibility for processing requests for
accommodations from students and to coordinate compliance with the non-discrimination
requirements contained in the Department of Justice regulations implementing Title II of the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), including section 35.107, and the Americans with
Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2009.
ADA Task Force: The ADA Task Force provides advice to University leadership on
ADA compliance and accessibility issues, assists with educational programs, identifies resources
to support ADA compliance, and, at the request of the ADA Coordinator, reviews and provides
advice on specific accommodation requests.
CHAPTER: 300
Human Resources
SUBJECT: Disability
Access and Accommodation
POLICY:
300-021
EFFECTIVE:
Oct. 21, 2014
PAGE:
5 of 5
Event Sponsor: The Event Sponsor, such as a University employee or faculty, is
responsible for receiving requests for and arranging with campus support systems for event
access accommodations.
XI.
HISTORY
None.
XII.
ATTACHMENTS