What are my Rights and Responsibilities?

Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, and the American Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 continue to be the primary sources of direction and guidance to William Jewell College as it provides services to individuals with disabilities. As such, both the college and individuals have rights and responsibilities.

Individual Rights and Responsibilities

Every qualified individual with a disability has the right to:

  1. Equal access to educational and co-curricular programs, services, activities, and facilities available at William Jewell College.
  2. An interactive and evaluative application process in considering any reasonable and appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments, services, and/or  auxiliary aids .
  3. Assistance from the Office of Accessibility Services in removing physical, academic, and/or attitudinal barriers that may exist within the campus community.
  4. Appropriate confidentiality regarding disability information which will only be released when permitted or required by law.

Every qualified individual with a disability has the responsibility to:

  1. Meet the qualifications of William Jewell College including essential, technical, academic, and institutional standards.
  2. Identify as an individual with a disability and request accommodations in a timely manner
  3. Provide documentation, completed ideally within the last 18 months, from an appropriate professional source verifying the nature of the disability, functional limitations, and the rationale for specific accommodations being recommended.
  4. Follow the specific procedures for obtaining reasonable and appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments, services, and/or auxiliary aids as outlined in the Statement of Accommodation.
  5. Develop self-advocacy skills and motivation leading to self-reliance and independence. This includes assuming responsibility for attending any meetings related to the accommodation process, responding to requests for additional information, and requesting any additional supplemental services such as assistance from the Student Success Center. Report any issues or problems with any accommodations to the Accessibility Services Office by email at accessibilityservices@william.jewell.edu or 816-415-5965.

 

Institutional Rights and Responsibilities

William Jewell College has the right to:

  1. Maintain high academic standards.
  2. Request qualifying disability documentation in order to verify eligibility for disability accommodations, academic adjustments, services, and/or auxiliary aids. .
  3. Consider appropriate and effective accommodations, adjustments, services, and/or auxiliary aids in consultation with the individual.
  4. Deny requests for accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids when  documentation does not identify a specific disability, fails to verify the need for the requested services, or is not provided in a timely manner.
  5. Deny requests for accommodations, adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids that are inappropriate or unreasonable based on disability documentation, including any that: 
  • Pose a direct threat to the health and safety of others;
  • Constitute a substantial change or alteration of an essential course element/program standard, or
  • Pose undue financial or administrative burden on the college.

William Jewell College has the responsibility to:

  1. Provide information in accessible formats, upon request, to students with disabilities.
  2. Ensure that courses, programs, services, activities, and facilities, when viewed in their entirety, are available and usable in the most appropriate settings.
  3. Evaluate individuals on their abilities rather than their disabilities.
  4. Provide or arrange, for individuals with documented disabilities, reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids and services in courses, programs, activities, and facilities. Consider similar or alternative reasonable accommodations, adjustments, aids, or services, if it is determined that a specific accommodation request would result in the alteration of an essential course element/program standard, pose an undue financial burden on the college, or be a direct threat to the safety of others.
  5. Document the interactive process that takes place to determine any alternative accommodation considerations and/or denials of accommodations based on direct threat, substantial alteration of an essential course element or program standard, or undue financial or administrative burden. Maintain appropriate confidentiality of records and communication, disclosing information only when permitted or required by law.