|
Smith College is committed both philosophically and legally to assuring equal access to all college programs and services. The college pursues the goal of equal access through proactive institutional planning and barrier removal, as well as though the provision of reasonable and appropriate accommodations to students, staff, and faculty with documented disabilities. The college has an Office of Disability Services to coordinate accommodations and facilitate the provision of services to students with documented disabilities. A student may voluntarily register with the Office of Disability Services by completing the disability identification form and providing documentation of her disabilities, after which proper accommodations will be determined and implemented by the college.
Registered students with disabilities who need academic accommodations or disability-related support services are asked to make their needs known and to file timely request forms each semester with the Office of Disability Services. The types of academic accommodations which can be made may include additional time, computer access or quiet place for examinations, additional time for written assignments, and, in exceptional circumstances, a plan for a reduced course program. (This needs approval by both the Office of Disability Services and the Administrative Board.) Like all other students, students with disabilities should select courses that take into account their own particular strengths and weaknesses.
Support services (defined as "auxiliary aids and services" in the lexicon of the Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA]) provided by the college include: readers, sign language interpreters, notetakers, scribes, assistive listening devices, typists, adapted computing software and hardware, and taping services. Writing counseling (more and/or longer appointments), peer tutoring (more and/or longer tutoring sessions) is provided through the Jacobsen Center. Professional academic or remedial skills tutoring, coaching, or case management is not available. These support services are provided to students with documented disabilities to help them perform according to their intellectual abilities and meet their academic and community responsibilities.
The college is responsible for providing that, within certain limits, students are not denied the opportunity to participate in college programs on the basis of a disability. The college will not provide such support services if providing them would create an undue burden for the college. The college is not required to and will not:
 |
|
|
 |
Make accommodations or provide support for services which fundamentally alter the academic requirements for the degree, course requirements or basic pedagogy; |
|
|
|
|
|
Normally alter consistently applied
academic policies which are based on academic standards; |
|
|
|
|
|
Guarantee success or bear responsibility
for making students succeed in their courses; |
|
|
|
|
|
Pay for or provide items or services of a personal nature such as personal care assistance, personal purchases, personal adaptive or computer equipment, private transportation, specialized clinical evaluation or intervention services, professional tutoring, or educational supplies used by all students (pens, paper, computer supplies, etc.). These are responsibility of the student. |
|
|
|
|
The college will provide support services to students for whom the college has evaluations and documentation that are current and support the accommodation or services requested. Accommodation and services requests will be reviewed upon receipt of appropriate documentation and determinations made in a timely manner. The college cannot make retroactive accommodations. The college will consider the student’s preferred accommodation requests, but has the right to offer an alternative accommodation that is also effective. Students are expected to participate responsibly and actively in using accommodations they have requested and which have been approved by the college. Students who may have a disability and need accommodations or support services should contact or be referred to the Office of Disability Services for consultation and advice.
Original: Smith College Handbook, 1997-1998
Modified: May 2003 |
|
Disability
Services
Policy
Services & Accommodations
Related
Campus
Services
For
Prospective
Students
For
Recently
Accepted Students
Documentation
Information
Access
Van
Information
Useful Links
Contact Us
Set Text Size
Normal | Large |
