Section XII - Student Services

XII D 3

Student Matters - Special Accommodations

To describe the process students with disabilities need to follow to arrange for special accommodations

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Randolph Community College (RCC) is committed to providing equal access to educational opportunities to qualified students with disabilities. The College complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and the expanded protections of the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAA). Student Services, faculty, and staff work in concert to assure an accessible academic climate and to promote self-advocacy and success for students with disabilities, from the admissions process through the entire college experience.

Qualified students with documented disabilities have the right to reasonable accommodations. These accommodations may not compromise academic standards of an instructional program, provide the disabled student with an unfair advantage over fellow students, produce undue financial burden on the institution, or create a health/safety concern.

Accommodations are not retroactive. The College is not required to provide students with disabilities with personal attendants or devices.

Students with a disability should make contact with the RCC Assistant Director of Student Success Counseling, located in Student Services on the Asheboro Campus or at (336) 633-0200.

The Vice President for Student Services serves as the campus ADA Compliance Officer for students. The ADA Compliance Officer for students is responsible for advising the Vice President for Administrative Services on fiscal matters and physical space as it may relate to reasonable accommodations for students.

Rights & Responsibilities of Students

Students with disabilities have the right to:

  • Request an accommodation at any time.
  • Expect disclosed information to be kept confidential.

Students with disabilities have the responsibility to:

  • Self-disclose their need for an accommodation in a reasonable and timely manner.
  • Meet with the Assistant Director of Student Success Counseling to complete the accommodation request form.
  • Provide proper documentation from a qualified professional.
  • Seek assistance for specialized services from outside agencies.
  • Communicate with instructors, when appropriate, regarding accommodations.
    Appeal RCC’s decision if they disagree with what constitutes a reasonable accommodation.
Rights & Responsibilities of College

Randolph Community College has the right to:

  • Maintain essential academic standards.
  • Request and receive documentation verifying a student’s disability and limitations from a qualified professional in a timely manner.
  • Request clarification and/or further documentation of a student’s disability.
  • Determine appropriate accommodations.
  • Deny a request for accommodation for an undocumented need or one that imposes an alteration that changes the essential function of a program or activity.
  • Select from equally effective options for accommodations considering cost and/or availability.
Randolph Community College has the responsibility to:
  • Provide accessible educational programs and services that afford the opportunity for student success.
  • Provide reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities.
  • Maintain confidentiality of students’ records and communications.
  • Ensure continual communication and collaboration among administrators, faculty, and staff on disability issues.
  • Offer in-service training for college employees to develop their awareness and understanding of the needs and rights of students with disabilities.
Required Documentation

Randolph Community College must maintain proper documentation of a student’s disability. This documentation assists with outlining accommodations needed to promote academic success. Students requesting accommodations should complete the accommodations process, which includes providing the appropriate documentation as outlined below:

  • Documentation must be current and reflect the current status of the student.
  • Documentation is necessary from one or more of the following: a medical doctor; a medical specialist; a licensed psychologist; a licensed specialist in school psychology; an educational diagnostician; Division of Services for the Blind, Deaf and Hard of Hearing; or the division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
  • Documentation from a professional must include the name and credentials of the writer, the diagnosis and prognosis of the student, how the disability may impact the student’s academic performance, suggested accommodations, and an interpretive summary which describes the current functional impact of the disability and how it relates to the accommodation request.
  • Documentation from a previous post-secondary educational setting is acceptable as long as it meets the requirements stated above; however, accommodations may differ from any previously received at another college or university.
  • Additional verifying documentation may be required for students who submit incomplete information. Students may be required to participate in additional evaluation as needed to determine eligibility for an accommodation or what constitutes an appropriate accommodation.
In order for a request to be deemed reasonable, the College must be given an appropriate time to evaluate requests and to offer necessary accommodations. This plan would ensure that required documentation and approval are completed to secure needed resources to avoid the delay in providing accommodations.

Students who request a temporary disability accommodation due to accidents, chronic illnesses, and treatable disabilities such as diabetes, cancer, or HIV must also provide acceptable documentation and will follow the procedure for requesting accommodations as previously stated in this policy.

Approved Disabilities

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protects the rights of individuals who are qualified to be admitted and participate in programs and activities and who have disabilities.

Reasonable Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations at RCC can include, but are not limited to, any of the following: barrier-free design of facilities; academic accommodations; educational aids such as interpreters, note-takers, tutors, scribes, readers; access technology such as large print, audible and/or Braille output devices; and, special classroom seating assignments. The following are considered when determining reasonable accommodations:

  • The process must be interactive involving both the student and the institution.
  • The college is not required to provide specifically what the student requests but may select the most reasonable accommodation from a variety of alternatives.
  • Reasonable accommodations are provided at no cost to the student.
  • The college does not have to provide accommodations that are not effective. The college has the right to refuse to provide auxiliary aids and services that do not in fact provide meaningful assistance.
  • Determining what is reasonable requires the balance of two important rights: the student’s rights to meaningful access and the college’s right to protect the integrity of its programs and services.
Animals on Campus

Individuals are generally prohibited from bringing animals onto campus property. However, Randolph Community College welcomes the presence of Service Animals, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), assisting individuals on campus. Animals that are part of instructional activities may also be permitted on campus property once approval from the Vice President for Instructional Services has been granted. Students needing accommodations other than the use of a Service Animal should contact the Assistant Director of Student Success Counseling in Student Services.

Confidentiality

Disclosures of disabilities are voluntary and are kept confidential in accordance with federal and state laws. Documentation of the disability will not be a part of the student’s academic file.

Requesting Accommodations: Students

A student who becomes disabled or whose disability is discovered and/or self-reported during his or her enrollment at RCC may request reasonable accommodations at any time. Faculty and staff members who have interactions with students also may refer students to the Assistant Director of Student Success Counseling for information on reasonable accommodation for students with a disability. In order to ensure that accommodations and services are provided in a timely manner, an accommodation request should, when possible, be submitted at least sixty (60) days prior to the first day the service is needed. An admitted or prospective student indicating a disability may take the following steps to obtain accommodations:

  1. Request information about the accommodations process from the Assistant Director of Student Success Counseling or another staff member in Student Services. Accommodations for placement assessment or other testing should be requested in a timely manner prior to scheduling.
  2. Complete the accommodations request, attach any appropriate documentation and return this information to the Assistant Director of Student Success Counseling.
  3. After reviewing the completed accommodations request, the Assistant Director of Student Success Counseling arranges an appropriate accommodation, which may include input from the student, faculty member, and other pertinent RCC personnel.
  4. The student must contact the Assistant Director of Student Success Counseling each semester to request accommodations for each individual course.
Appealing Accommodation Decisions

If a person (applicant, student, or faculty) disagrees with an accommodation decision, he/she may follow the standard grievance procedure (XII D 2 – Student Grievances (Due Process)) beginning with the Assistant Director of Student Success Counseling.

 

Adopted: 04/15/1999

Revised: 01/16/2003, 05/20/2010, 03/17/2011, 09/15/2011, 09/21/2017, 03/13/2023