OAE Expectations & Responsibilities

Expectations

Documentation

The OAE must receive professional documentation of a student’s disability in a timely manner prior to services being initiated.

Accommodations

• Students and faculty should work cooperatively with OAE to facilitate academic accommodations.
• The OAE does not grant unreasonable academic accommodations, modifications, and/or auxiliary aids and services.  For example, accommodations cannot impose undue hardship to, or fundamentally alter, a program or activity of the University. 

Responsibilities

Documentation

• Collect, evaluate, and securely house professional documentation of disability and determine eligibility for accommodations.

Confidentiality

• Respect and maintain a student’s privacy about disability information and accommodations.
• Meet with the student privately in an accessible location to discuss disability-related needs.

Accommodations

• Assure that qualified students with disabilities have equal access to University programs and services.
• Along with the student, take a leading role in arranging and providing accommodations in a timely manner.
• Provide appropriate academic accommodations in collaboration with the instructor and the student.
• Provide print materials in accessible format once the faculty member and student identify the material to be converted.
• Recruit and hire assistants as appropriate for academically related needs such as laboratory and library assistants, notetakers, live readers, interpreters, and stenocaptioners.
• Assist faculty to facilitate accommodations (such as obtaining captioned media).

Technology

• Provide assistive technology facilities, equipment, and training based on the OAE assessments of the student's need.

Note:  Faculty and staff may receive assistive technology services provided by the OAE with a referral from the ADA/504 Compliance Officer (Phone, 723-0755; TTY, 723-1216)

Policy/Procedures

• Maintain the academic and conduct standards of the University.
• Develop written policies/procedures to meet the University’s responsibilities to students with disabilities.
• Disseminate information about needs and rights of students with disabilities to the campus community.

Communication

• Communicate policies/procedures clearly to the student and the faculty.
• Consult and/or provide training assistance to campus constituents.

Advocacy

• Advocate responsibly the needs of students with disabilities to the campus community.  Assist students in developing skills to become self-advocates.