Chapter 1 - General
1B.4 Reasonable Accommodation Policy
The reasonable accommodation policy implemented by Minnesota West Community & Technical College is based on the policies, definitions and guidelines established by the Board of Trustees of Minnesota State in Minnesota State Board Policy 1B.4.
Part 1. Policy Statement
Minnesota State is committed to ensuring its programs, services and activities are
accessible to individuals with disabilities, through its compliance with state and
federal laws. The system recognizes that individuals with disabilities may need accommodations
to have equally effective opportunities to participate in or benefit from the system's
programs, services and activities.
Part 2. Definitions
Subpart A. An individual with a disability
- Any person who has a physical or mental impairment which materially limits one or more of the person's major life activities.
- Any person who has a record of such impairment which means that a person has a history of or has been classified as having a mental or physical impairment that materially limits one or more major life activities.
Subpart B. Qualified individual with a disability.
An individual who, with or without reasonable modifications to rules, policies, or
practices, the removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers,
or the provision of auxiliary aids and services, meets the essential eligibility requirements
for receipt of services or participation in a system office, college or university
program or activity. Essential eligibility requirements include, but are not limited
to, academic and technical standards requisite to admission or participation in an
education program or activity.
Subpart C. Program devices and services
may include wheelchairs; individually prescribed devices, such as prescription eyeglasses
or hearing aids; readers for personal use or study; or services of a personal nature
including assistance in eating, toileting, or dressing.
Part 3. General Access Policy
Colleges, universities and the system office shall provide access to programs, services
and activities to qualified individuals with known disabilities as required by law.
An individual requesting an accommodation may be required to provide documentation
of eligibility for the accommodation.
Part 4. Availability and Notice
Colleges, universities, and the system office shall post notices to the public in
an accessible format stating 1) prohibition against discrimination on the basis of
disability, and 2) contact information for the person designated to provide information
about or respond to requests for reasonable accommodation.
Part 5. Reasonable Accommodations
Subpart A. Programs, Services, and Activities
Colleges, universities and the system office shall make reasonable accommodations
to ensure access to programs, services, and activities as required by law. Access
means that a qualified individual with a disability will not be excluded from participation
in or be denied the benefits of the programs, services, or activities, nor will the
individual be subjected to discrimination. Reasonable accommodations may include modifications
to: rules, policies, or practices; the removal of architectural, communication, or
transportation barriers; provision of auxiliary aids or the provision of equally effective
programs, services, or activities. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities
Act, accommodations will not be provided 1) for personal devices or services even
though the individual may be a qualified individual with a disability, or 2) that
result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a service, program, or activity
or in undue financial or administrative burdens.
Subpart B. Employment. System Procedure 1B.0.1, Reasonable Accommodations in Employment, applies to accommodation requests by employees and applicants for employment.
Part 6. Offered and/or Sponsored Services or Activities for Qualified Students with
Disabilities.
Colleges and universities have a responsibility to provide a qualified student with
a disability access to services and activities that are operated or sponsored by the
institution or that receive significant assistance from the institution. Such access
shall be provided in a reasonable manner as required by law. At a minimum, the following
must be available to qualified students with disabilities:
- support, counseling, and information services that may include support groups, individual counseling, career counseling and assessment, and referral services;
- academic assistance services that may include assistive devices, early registration services, early syllabus availability, course selection, program advising, course work assistance, testing assistance and modification, and tutoring; and
- coordination services that may include personnel acting on the student's behalf and serving as the primary contact and coordinator for students needing services, assistance in working individually with faculty and administrators, intervention procedures, and grievance procedures.
Part 7. Process.
Each college and university shall establish a process for an individual with a disability
to request an accommodation to access the institution's programs, services, or activities
consistent with state and federal laws. The process for individuals with disabilities
to request an accommodation must, at a minimum include the following:
- Provide the requesting individual with a copy of Board Policy 1B.4.
- Assignment and identification of a staff member responsible for making a determination about the request for accommodation or the delivery of services.
- Provide a process for appealing a denial of a request for accommodation.
Approved by: Richard Shrubb, President
Date: September 9, 2011
Origination Date: July 1, 2003
History & Revision: September 9, 2011
Revision: July 25, 2017 Minnesota State link