Rights & Responsibilities

Students with disabilities have the right to expect:

  • Full and equal participation in the services and activities of Fresno Pacific University.
  • Reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids and services in response to documented disabilities.
  • Confidential information about their disability will not be shared without prior consent unless permitted by law and then only on a “need to know” basis.
  • Information about policies, procedures, accommodations, and services of the Office of Disability Access and Education (DAE) will be readily available in alternate formats upon timely request.
  • The right to appeal any decision to deny requested accommodations. Begin the process by contacting Dr. Kerry Brown at 559-453-2059 or kerry.brown@fresno.edu

Students with disabilities have the responsibility to understand and do the following:

  • General expectations:
    • Meet qualifications and maintain essential institutional standards for courses, programs, services, and activities.
    • Communicate with professors throughout the semester about needs and effectiveness of certain accommodations.
    • Keep in regular contact with academic advisor for accountability to the highest academic standards.
  • Application process:
    • Self-identify and self-advocate for accommodations, services, and auxiliary aids.
    • Provide the university with acceptable documentation of disability prior to the authorization for any accommodation, service, or academic adjustment.
    • Follow established policies and procedures for obtaining accommodation.
    • Inform the Office of Disability Access and Education
      • of changes in condition or new recommendations from qualified specialists.
      • of difficulties obtaining services or ineffective accommodations at FPU.
      • if accommodations will be required each semester.
  • Using/obtaining accommodations:
    • Alternate format texts and assistive technology:
      • Buy required textbooks prior to requesting alternate format texts.
      • Make every effort to use and understand technology and services to support their own learning and physical needs.
    • Leniency with attendance and extended due dates:
      • Attend class according to syllabus or adjusted requirements. Inform DAE and professors of any absences from class related to a documented disability as soon as possible. In some cases a note of medical services may be required.
      • Use accommodations of extended due dates and leniency with attendance only when absolutely necessary and with appropriate communication with professors.
      • Do make-up work for class sessions missed due to disability issues if assigned.
    • Test-taking accommodations:
      • Remind professors of accommodations needed for testing at least two weekdays in advance.
      • Make arrangements with the Academic Success Center or regional center for accommodations in a timely manner and keep all appointments.
    • Complete Audio-Recording Class Agreement with instructor for each class prior to recording class sessions.

Fresno Pacific University has the right to:

  • Establish essential functions, abilities, skills, knowledge, and standards for courses, programs, services, and activities.
  • Confirm disability status of a student (for accommodation purposes) after requesting, receiving, and reviewing current and appropriate documentation. The documentation must support any request for accommodations, academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and services.
  • Discuss and develop accommodation strategies for students with disabilities.
  • Deny a request for an accommodation, academic adjustment, auxiliary aid, or service if the student’s documentation of disability does not corroborate the need or support the student’s request.
  • Select among equally effective accommodations, academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and services.
  • Deny any accommodation, academic adjustment, auxiliary aid, service, or facility-related request that imposes an undue financial or administrative burden on the institution.

Fresno Pacific University has the responsibility to:

  • Develop an educational accommodation plan for each student that chooses to register with the Office of Disability Access and Education. The plan will authorize certain accommodations, academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and services that may mitigate the impact of a student’s disability affecting the learning, and/or living on campus, and participating in campus activities.
  • Provide readily accessible information to faculty, staff, and students regarding disability policies mandated by law (state and federal) and implementing procedures available to the university.
  • Ensure that courses, programs, services, activities, and facilities, when viewed in their entirety, are accessible in the most integrated and appropriate settings.
  • Evaluate student performance based on ability in adhering to published standards and requirements not disability.
  • Respond to requests for accommodations and access to courses, programs, services, activities, and facilities in a timely manner.
  • Provide authorized accommodations, services, academic adjustments, and auxiliary aids in a timely manner.
  • Maintain all documentation verifying disability in a secure environment that ensures confidentiality.

Subsequent to the receipt of appropriate documentation, an educational accommodation plan will be developed based on the following criterion:

  • Does the student have a disability? “Disability” is defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended (ADA) as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
  • Does the disability substantially limit a major life activity? (e.g. walking, seeing, speaking, hearing, breathing, learning, performing manual tasks, caring for oneself, working, sitting, standing, lifting, reaching, thinking, concentrating, interacting with others, and sleeping).
  • Is the student “otherwise qualified” for the course, program, or activity?
  • Did the student initiate a request for accommodation, academic adjustments, auxiliary aid, or service
  • Did the request for an accommodation, academic adjustment, auxiliary aid, or service follow established DAE policy and procedures?
  • Is the request reasonable and readily achievable? Does it impose a financial or administrative burden on the university?
  • Does the requested accommodation fundamentally alter the nature or expectations for a course, program, or an activity?

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