Every student with a documented disability has the following rights:

1. Equal access to courses, program, services, jobs, activities, and facilities available through the University.
2. Reasonable and appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments, policy modifications, and/or auxiliary aids determined on a case-by-case, course-by-course basis.
3. Confidentiality of all information pertaining to the condition(s) with the choice of whom to disclose disability specific information to except as required by law.
4. Information available in accessible formats.
5. File a formal grievance through the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) and/or through external agencies (e.g., Office of Civil Rights) because of disability discrimination, including the failure to provide reasonable accommodations, and/or discrimination or harassment based on a disability.  OIE can be contacted at:

   Stephanie Hackett, M.S.
   Deputy ADA Coordinator
   Office of Institutional Equity
   University of Connecticut – Wood Hall
   241 Glenbrook Rd., Unit 4175, Storrs, CT  06269-4175
   Phone: (860) 486-4957
   Email: stephanie.hackett@uconn.edu

   Websites:
   https://equity.uconn.edu/
   https://titleix.uconn.edu/
   https://accessibility.uconn.edu/

Every student with a disability has the responsibility to:

1. Meet the University’s qualifications and essential technical, academic, and institutional standards, including the Student Code.
2. Identify oneself as an individual with a disability to the Center for Students with Disabilities when seeking an accommodation. Procedures for registering with the CSD can be found on the Center’s website at: https://csd.uconn.edu/
3. Provide documentation from oneself and/or an appropriate professional source as indicated that verifies the nature of the disability, functional limitations, and the need for specific accommodations.
4. Participate in an interactive process with CSD staff, faculty, and other University resources as indicated to obtain and coordinate reasonable and appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments, policy modifications, and/or auxiliary aids and services.

The University of Connecticut, through the Center for Students with Disabilities, has the right to:

1. Maintain the University’s academic standards.
2. Request information from a student and/or appropriate professional source as indicated to determine the need for reasonable and appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments, policy modifications, and/or auxiliary aids and services [1].
3. Discuss a student’s need for reasonable and appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments, policy modifications, and/or auxiliary aids and services with the student and treatment provider, with the student’s consent authorizing such discussion.
4. Make a determination regarding a request for reasonable and appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments, policy modifications, and/or auxiliary aids and services based upon the information provided through the interactive process involving the student, faculty and other appropriate professionals as indicated.
   Select among equally effective and appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments, policy modifications, and/or auxiliary aids and services in consultation with the student, taking into consideration student preference.
5. Refuse to provide an accommodation, academic adjustment, policy modification and/or auxiliary aid and service that are inappropriate or unreasonable including any that:
   1. pose a direct threat to the health and safety of others;
   2. constitute a substantial change or alteration to an essential element of a course or program; or
   3. pose undue financial or administrative burden on the University.

[1] Association on Higher Education and Disability (2012). Supporting accommodation requests: Guidance on documentation practices. Huntersville, NC: AHEAD. https://www.ahead.org/professional-resources/professional-resources-accommodations-documentation

The University of Connecticut, through the Center for Students with Disabilities, has the responsibility to:

1. Ensure that University courses, programs, services, jobs, activities, and facilities, when viewed in their entirety, are offered in the most integrated and appropriate settings.
2. Provide information regarding policies and procedures to students with disabilities and assure its availability in accessible formats.
3. Engage with students through an interactive process (case-by-case, course-by-course basis) to determine and provide reasonable and appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments, policy modifications, and/or auxiliary aids and services for students with disabilities in a timely manner upon request by a student.
4. Notify students, instructors, and other University departments as indicated of approved accommodations, academic adjustments, policy modifications, and/or auxiliary aids and services.
5. Maintain privacy of records and communication concerning students with disabilities except where disclosure is required by law or authorized by the student.
6. Inform students with disabilities of University policies and procedures for filing a formal grievance through the Office of Institutional Equity and/or through external agencies (e.g., Office of Civil Rights).

Faculty members and other teaching professionals have the right to:

1. Hold all students to the same essential course requirements and behavior expectations.
2. Receive information from the CSD regarding any student approved for accommodations in their course(s), along with information on how to assist with implementing approved accommodations. Information about student approved accommodations is communicated via MyAccess for Instructors 
3. Give input into the means of implementing an approved accommodation by the CSD; however, faculty may not refuse to provide an accommodation approved by the CSD.
4. Contact the CSD if they believe an approved accommodation constitutes a fundamental alteration of the class objectives or program technical standards. Please refer to Procedure for Raising Concerns Regarding Approved Academic Accommodations.

Faculty members and other teaching professionals have the responsibility to:

1. Provide approved accommodations specific to the course, either personally, through a Teaching Assistant, or by making arrangements with the CSD.
2. Inform teaching professionals, such as Teaching Assistants, instructing all or part of a course, of CSD approved accommodations for the student as indicated, and add the teaching professionals as instructors to the Student Administration (PeopleSoft) system so they can access accommodation letters and assist in the coordination of approved accommodations.
3. Discuss with the CSD any concerns related to approved accommodation(s), academic adjustments, policy modifications, auxiliary aids and services, or arrangements that have been requested by the student. Should there be a concern that approved academic accommodations constitute a fundamental alteration of the class objectives or program technical standards, follow the Faculty Procedures for Raising Concerns Regarding Approved Academic Accommodations below.
4. Refer a student requesting accommodations to the CSD if formal notification has not been received regarding accommodations from the CSD.
5. Assure the privacy of information regarding students with disabilities. Any conversation with a student regarding accommodations should be conducted with discretion and in private. Faculty and teaching professionals should refrain from making direct reference to a student’s disability or accommodations in class or in front of others.

Learn to develop accessible course content here.

The Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) is vested by the University with the authority to determine whether an accommodation should be provided to a student.  In deciding whether to approve an accommodation, the CSD engages in an interactive process with each student and reviews each request for accommodations on an individualized, case-by-case and course-by-course basis.  The CSD collaborates with students and their faculty to coordinate approved accommodations and services.  Therefore, while faculty and other teaching professionals may have input into the means of implementing an approved accommodation, they may not refuse to provide accommodations approved by the CSD.

If a faculty member or other teaching professional believes an approved accommodation constitutes a fundamental alternation of the class objectives or program technical standards:

1. Contact the student’s Disability Services Professional (DSP) identified in the student’s accommodation letter immediately.  Faculty should be prepared to explain the basis for their belief that the approved accommodation constitutes a fundamental alteration of the class objectives or program technical standards.
2. Because failure to provide a necessary accommodation may deprive a student equal access to an educational program, it is important that any objection to the implementation of an approved accommodation be resolved as soon as possible. The accommodation as approved by the CSD should be implemented while working toward a resolution.
3. If the CSD agrees that the accommodation as approved would constitute a fundamental alteration of the class objectives or program technical standards, then the CSD will work with the student and faculty member to find a suitable solution (i.e., alternate accommodation).

People with Disabilities, UConn Policy Statement