UConn's Policies and Procedures Regarding Students with Disabilities

Academic Accommodation Advisory Panel

If a disagreement arises concerning specific accommodation requests, the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) and the University Program for Students with Learning Disabilities (UPLD) are the official University agents in such matters if a process of conflict resolution is desired. Students must provide relevant documentation of their disability from an appropriate professional source in order to verify their eligibility for accommodations. This documentation is confidential and shared with University personnel on a need-to-know basis only.

The University of Connecticut has established an Academic Accommodations Advisory Panel under the jurisdiction of the Provost, the University’s chief academic officer. The purpose of this Panel is to assist the Provost, on a case-by-case basis, in resolving any disagreements that arise concerning specific requests for academic accommodations. The Panel serves as a resource for all University entities including faculty, academic administrators, and University students for a final review of disagreements concerning specific academic accommodation requests.

Members of the Panel

Members of the Academic Accommodations Advisory Panel may include the following:

• Faculty chairperson or designated representative of the Department offering the course(s) in which the accommodation is requested.
• Representative from the School or College
• Director from either the University Program for Students with Learning Disabilities (UPLD) or the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD). The staff member who determined an accommodation for the student requesting a review will not participate in the Panel’s review of that accommodation request.
• Representative appointed by the Dean of Students.
• Faculty representative from the Special Education Program of the Department of Educational Psychology, Allied Health, or another department or program with specific expertise, to be determined by the ADA Coordinator depending upon the nature of the disability.

Procedure

1. The student requests accommodation(s) and provides supporting documentation according to University guidelines to the Disability Contact Person.
2. In instances where there is disagreement concerning the appropriateness of the requested accommodation, the student, instructor teaching the course for which the accommodation has been requested, and the Disability Contact Person will make every effort to resolve the disagreement in a timely manner.
3. If agreement cannot be reached, the student, instructor, or University administrative staff may file a petition with the ADA Coordinator, Dana McGee, who would have responsibility for convening the Academic Accommodations Advisory Panel.
4. The Panel then reviews the petition and any additional relevant information from University personnel in order to render a decision within ten (10) days from the date of the petition. This decision is subject to the approval of the Provost.
5. While a petition is under review by the Academic Accommodations Advisory Panel or the Provost, a reasonable accommodation should be provided by the instructor.
6. The decision of the Provost is not appealable; however, a student may pursue standard administrative channels by contacting Dana McGee, Director of the Office of Diversity and Equity, Wood Hall, 1st Floor, and/or through external agencies (e.g., Office for Civil Rights) for filing a formal grievance.