American Disabilities Act

Compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act Standards

All students with verified disabilities must provide to the director of student support/section 504 coordinator (417/269-3598) verification of any requirements/accommodations for their disability upon admission to the college. Students who suspect they might have a disability should contact the director of student support/section 504 coordinator for assistance. The college will allow for implementation of reasonable and appropriate accommodations necessary for participation in the college’s programs.

Services for Students with Disabilities

Cox College is committed to facilitating learning for all students. The college complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act/Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and supports the provision of reasonable and appropriate accommodations in order to foster student success.

If you have questions about reasonable accommodations; the existence and location of services, activities, and facilities that are accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities; or need other information as required by the Section 504 regulation at 34 C.F.R. § 104.22(f), please contact the director of student support, Cox College, 1423 N. Jefferson Ave., Springfield, MO 65802 or call 414-269-3598 regarding this information.

American Disabilities Act/ Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Students with Disabilities

I. Academic Requirements

Cox College is committed to making reasonable modifications to its academic requirements when such modifications are necessary to ensure that academic requirements do not discriminate (or have the effect of discriminating) on the basis of disability against a qualified student with a disability as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Modifications may include, but are not limited to, the following:

A. Changes in the length of time permitted for the completion of degree requirements
B. Substitution of specific courses required for the completion of degree requirements
C. Adaptation of the manner in which specific courses are conducted

If a qualified student with a disability requests an academic notification thatCoxCollegecan demonstrate is essential to the instruction being pursued by such student or to any directly related licensing requirement, then failure to make such academic modification byCoxCollegeshall not be regarded as discriminatory under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

II. To Whom Students Should Make Requests for Academic Adjustments/Advance Notice

A.To Whom Request Shall be Directed a qualified student with a disability believes an academic adjustment is necessary, he/she should immediately contact the director of student support/section 504 coordinator, by telephone, (417) 269-3598; e-mail: studentservices@coxcollege.edu; or by mail at 1423 North Jefferson Avenue, Springfield, MO 65802, Attn: Director of Student Support. Please see Section III of this policy for more specific guidelines regarding requests.

B. Advance Notice. If a qualified student with a disability believes an academic adjustment is necessary, he/she shall use best efforts to provide the director of student support/section 504 coordinator with at least three weeks advance notice of the request for an academic adjustment.

III. Procedure by Which Requests for Academic Adjustments Shall be Considered

A. If an applicant or student believes an academic adjustment is necessary, he/she shall make a written request to the director of student support/section 504 coordinator (submitted either by electronic mail at studentservices@coxcollege.edu or by regular mail to 1423 N. Jefferson, Springfield, MO 65802, Attn: Director of Student Support). The request shall include the following:

1. Courses in question
2. Nature of the disability and the reason for the request (i.e. the reason that taking the required coursework would amount to discrimination based on the disability)
3. Student’s history with courses or subject matter, including any attempts to pass the classes, whether accommodations were requested, and what accommodations were available
4. Statement of the accommodation he/she is seeking
5. Applicant or student should attach documentation of the disability from a qualified diagnostician and may attach letters or other documents supporting the request. (“Documentation” refers to, but is not limited to, the following: a diagnosis made by a qualified medical, psychological, educational or rehabilitation professional or other professional personnel qualified to make the particular diagnosis.)
6. Students may consolidate written requests for multiple classes, academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids in one request.

NOTE: The college reserves the right to request documentation as to how the diagnosis was determined, such as what tests were applied to reach the diagnosis (i.e. for learning disabilities or test anxiety), and as to how the diagnosed impairment affects the applicant or student in the education setting. A physician’s letter stating a student is under a physician’s care for stress does not necessarily indicate a diagnosis of anxiety. (Having a diagnosis of test anxiety is not a qualified disability under the ADA; English as a second language [ESL] is not a disability under the ADA.) The college expects that any testing and/or documentation of the disability will come from a qualified diagnostician. Any testing necessary to determine diagnosis of a disability will be done at the student’s expense.

B. The director of student support/section 504 coordinator shall review the request and documentation and shall meet individually with the applicant or student within 10 business days following receipt of the request to engage in an interactive process with the applicant/student in making the determination whether the student is a qualified individual with a disability under Section 504/the ADA and in determining the specific academic adjustments/auxiliary aids the college will provide. The request must be complete, with all necessary documentation, before the director of student support/section 504 coordinator will make a determination on the request.

C. The director of student support/section 504 coordinator shall schedule additional meetings if needed and shall make a decision based on the individual circumstances and the law, within seven business days of the meeting with the applicant or student.

D. The director of student support/section 504 coordinator will inform the applicant or student of the decision in writing within five business days of the decision.

E. The applicant or student may appeal the director of student support/section 504 coordinator’s decision, in writing, by submitting a letter to the president that indicates the desire to appeal, within five business days of notification (to the applicant or student). The applicant’s or student’s letter should be sent to: 1423 North Jefferson,Springfield,MO 65802, Attn: President. Failure to submit a request for appeal within the time frame set forth herein will result in an acceptance of the director of student support/section 504 coordinator’s decision and will constitute an automatic waiver of the applicant’s or student’s right to appeal.

F. The president shall, within five business days of receipt of the letter requesting an appeal, call a special meeting of the College Leadership Council to hear the appeal.

G. The applicant or student shall be given a minimum of 10 business days advance notice of the College Leadership Council’s special meeting date. The meeting shall be held within 15 business days of the request for appeal. The applicant or student will be informed at this time that he/she may appear at the College Leadership Council’s special meeting to present his/her request and/or relevant documentation. During the College Leadership Council’s special meeting, the director of student support/section 504 coordinator shall present his/her decision, his/her reasoning, and/or documentation for the decision. Then, the applicant or student shall have the opportunity to present his/her request, documentation, and reasoning. (The director of student support/section 504 coordinator shall leave the meeting room during the applicant’s or student’s presentation.) After the College Leadership Council hears both the director of student support/section 504 coordinator’s reasoning and the applicant’s or student’s request, it shall excuse the director of student support/section 504 coordinator and the applicant or student from the meeting, deliberate, and vote, based on the circumstances and the law. (The director of student support/section 504 coordinator shall not be permitted to vote on this issue.) The College Leadership Council’s decision shall be binding, and the applicant or student shall have no further right to appeal.

H. The president shall inform the applicant or student in writing of the College Leadership Council’s decision within three business days of the decision.

IV. Procedure by Which Academic Adjustment Shall be Considered in an Emergency Situation

In the event that an applicant or student requests an academic adjustment in an emergency situation (“emergency situation” is defined in this policy as a situation in which an answer to the request for the academic adjustment is needed before the time periods permitted in Section III of this policy), the director of student support/section 504 coordinator shall use best efforts to expedite the process provided in Section III of this policy, to provide the applicant or student with an answer as soon as is reasonably practicable.

V. Other Rules

Cox College shall not prohibit students with a disability from using tape recorders in classrooms or using dog guides in campus buildings to the extent such prohibitions have the effect of limiting the participation of students with a disability in Cox College education programs or activities.

VI. Auxiliary Aids and Services

A. Absence of Auxiliary Aids. Cox College shall take reasonable steps to ensure that no student with a disability is denied the benefits of, excluded from participation in, or otherwise subjected to discrimination because of the absence of educational auxiliary aids for students with impaired sensory, manual or speaking skills. (Auxiliary aids may include taped texts; interpreters; note takers; transcription services; written materials, or other effective methods of making orally delivered materials available to students with hearing impairments; Braille materials; large print materials; acquisition or modification of equipment or devices; readers and other similar services and actions).

B. Aids of a Personal Nature. Cox College shall not provide attendants, individually prescribed devices, readers for personal use or study, or other devices or services of a personal nature.

VII. Confidentiality and Procedures for Handling Confidential Information

Information about an applicant’s or student’s disability is confidential. This information may not be shared, whether orally or in writing, with any parties beyond those directly involved in the proceedings and decision making.

VIII. Publication of Policy

This policy shall be publicized in the student handbook, student catalog, course syllabi and shall be provided to all college personnel.