Student Guideline For Seeking Accommodations

A Christian Brothers University education provides the opportunity for students to realize their full academic potential. For students with disabilities, certain accommodations may be necessary to achieve this goal.

Request for Services

The Office of Student Disability Services is the place to start for students with disabilities who wish to apply for accommodations. Students with disabilities should schedule an appointment with the Director of Student Disability Services (SDS) prior to the start of the semester or as early as possible in the term to apply for academic accommodations or arrange for other specific services. The director will meet with the student to obtain an informal educational history and assist the student in developing an individual accommodation plan for that semester.

Need for Documentation

Students who request accommodations must present medical, educational or psychological documentation from a certified professional. Guidelines for documentation required are available in the (SDS) Office located in the Thomas Center. All documentation will be kept strictly confidential and will not be released without the consent of the student.

Once the student application and the documentation have been reviewed by an outside evaluator or the CBU accommodation Committee to determine the appropriateness of the requested accommodation (s), the Director will meet again with the student to refine the specific accommodation requests and discuss how the plan can be carried out. In cases where there is a delay in obtaining the required documentation, provisional accommodations can be arranged.

Talk with Professors

Students are given copies of their accommodation plan so they can present it to each professor for whom they are requesting accommodations. The professor and student are then able to mutually agree on how to best satisfy the needs of the student. Once agreement is reached, the professor and student each sign the accommodation plan and keep a copy for their own reference. One copy of the plan is returned to the files of the Student Disability Services Office.

Student Responsibilities

Every student with disability has the responsibility to:

• Meet the essential qualifications and institutional standards for Christian Brothers University;
• Disclose the disability in a timely manner;
• Follow specific procedures for obtaining reasonable and appropriate accommodations and academic adjustments.
• Provide documentation from an appropriate professional source that verifies the nature of the disability, functional limitations, and the need for special accommodations;
• Develop self-advocacy skills and motivation leading to self-reliance and independence.

Support Services:

Students with disabilities are encouraged to take advantage of the following services available to all students at Christian Brothers University:

• A Writing Assistance Program to assist with writing assignments;
• A Math Center to assist with math assignments;
• Academic Peer Counselors who provide tutoring in numerous courses;
• Peer Counselors to answer questions and assist entering students in transition to college;
• Study skills workshops that stress time management, concentration, motivation, note taking and test preparation;
• Career counseling including interest, work value and aptitude assessment;
• Academic advisors for consultation about educational goals and progress;
• Private, sort-term confidential personal counseling by a trained professional;
• Office of Cross Cultural and Commuter Programs to assist minority, international and commuter students in adjusting to college life;
• Student Financial Resources to assist with financial matters.

CBU does not offer students with disabilities the following services:

• Comprehensive diagnostic evaluation for determining disabilities;
• Special classes for students with disabilities;
• A special disability related tutorial program;
• A reduced standard for academic performance;
• Exemption from graduation requirements;
• Credit for effort in place of demonstrated competence in the content of a course.

Accommodation Policy

It is the policy and practice of Christian Brothers University to comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 in providing reasonable accommodations to qualified students with disabilities. A qualified individual is a person who, with or without reasonable accommodations, can perform the essential functions of a program or course requirements. The program need not be modified to accommodate an individual with disability.