INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES
Fielding Graduate University does not discriminate in the admissions process on the basis of disability. Any information concerning an applicant's disability provided during the admissions process is on a voluntary or optional basis. All applicants, regardless of disability, will be evaluated according to the qualifications of the relevant academic program, which includes academic record, educational background, professional and/or academic achievements. As part of the admissions process, applicants must also demonstrate that they possess critical thinking and writing skills, the ability to function as an independent learner, professional goals, maturity and self-awareness,computer competence, the ability to understand, analyze, apply and communicate social science concepts, and the time and resources necessary to manage the completion of the academic program to which they are applying.
After acceptance of an applicant, Fielding encourages voluntary self-identification by students with disabilities for purposes of verification and documentation of the disability, which will support reasonable accommodations that may be requested. Requests for accommodations must be received 30 days in advance of matriculation in order to ensure that reasonable accommodations can be provided upon enrollment. However, Fielding will make every effort to provide reasonable accommodations, support and barrier-free access to every new student. Therefore, as soon as your enrollment is confirmed, you should contact the Director of Student Advising, and begin the procedure for documentation of disabilities and requesting accommodations.
SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Fielding provides a wide range of academic accommodations to students with verified disabilities who have completed and submitted the required documentation. Services can be provided at any location where a Fielding academic event or authorized meeting or session will take place. However, Fielding will not provide accommodations or support services to students in their own home or workplace, or services that are unrelated to academic activities in the student's program. Services and reasonable accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis. Following are examples of some accommodations that may be provided:
- Adaptive Technology
- Adaptive Computer Lab
- Testing Accommodations
- Reading Services
- Note-taking Services
- Specialized Education Materials
- Interpreting and Related Services
- Mobility Support
- Workshops and Instruction
- Supplemental Orientation Accommodations
- Liaison with Faculty, Staff and Community Agencies
- Referrals
A compilation of additional information, services and resources which may be helpful to you is under development. Please feel free to inform us of additional resources which you have found beneficial, and would like to recommend for addition to our web site resources and links.
CONFIDENTIALITY
All information regarding disabilities will be kept confidential. Information concerning a student's disability and accommodations will be maintained in a file separate from academic records in the Registrar's Office. Only those with a legitimate need to know are allowed access to these files. Additionally, individuals with disabilities must decide for themselves whether they initially choose to self-identify and request accommodation.
DOCUMENTING DISABILITIES
All students requesting services are required to submit written documentation of disability prepared by an appropriate qualified professional, prior to receiving accommodations from Fielding Graduate University. Documentation must be current, and include the diagnosis, prognosis, and the student's present level of functioning and limitations related to the major life activity affected by the disability. Documentation must also state that this diagnosis qualifies as a disability under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, and must be signed by the qualified professional.
Documentation must be provided by a professional who is qualified to diagnose your disability, which may include licensed physicians, therapists, or other health care professionals. For example, a psychologist or psychiatrist may document a psychological disability, but not a spinal cord injury. Physical disabilities may be documented by a physician; however an audiologist may document hearing loss, an optometrist may document visual disabilities, etc.
Once appropriate documentation has been submitted to Fielding, a student will not need to provide further documentation of disability during enrollment, unless the student's diagnosis and resultant needs have changed.
In addition to the required documentation, documentation of accommodations received at another educational institution or place of work may be helpful in determining appropriate and reasonable accommodations. Please feel free to submit this additional information if you think it could be applicable to your current needs.
Documentation of disabilities must be completed and returned to the Director of Student Advising before accommodations can be provided.
The following form may be provided to your health practitioner, or s/he may submit a letter or report including the required information as noted above:
Form for Documentation of Student Disabilities - PDF format
PROCEDURE FOR REQUESTING ACCOMMODATIONS
The Director of Student Advising is the liaison regarding issues and regulations that are related to Fielding Graduate University's students with disabilities. The Director of Student Advising responds to accommodation requests and is responsible for obtaining accommodations and academic support services for qualified students with disabilities.
Students must submit requests for accommodation in writing along with documentation of disability to the Director of Student Advising. Requests for accommodations must be made at least 60 days in advance of the need wherever possible in order to facilitate the acquisition of services. If a request is submitted less than 60 days in advance, this may result in a delay of the accommodation.
Once the request and documentation have been received, the Director of Student Advising will schedule a conversation with the student (either by phone, e-mail, or face-to-face). During that appointment, the student and the Director of Student Advising will discuss accommodation needs. Each student's academic accommodations will be determined on an individual case-by-case basis through engaging in an interactive process. A student may be requested to provide additional documentation, if the Director of Student Advising does not have sufficient information on which to base decisions concerning accommodations and services.
The Director of Student Advising may consult with the Dean, Associate Deans, or faculty in a student's academic program to discuss appropriate accommodations and how those will be met in each instance before rendering a decision. After consulting with others relevant to the student's academic program, the Director of Student Advising will make the final determination of reasonable and appropriate accommodations for each student.
Students requesting accommodations will be notified of the Director of Student Advising's decision within 60 days of request and submittal of all pertinent documentation.
The following form may be used by students with disabilities to make requests for accommodations, or a letter or e-mail including the required information and the request for accommodations may be submitted.
Form to Request Accommodations for Students with Disabilities - PDF format
Documentation of disabilities, and requests for accommodations, should be sent to the Director of Student Advising, who will then coordinate services with the appropriate administrative staff. Following is the current contact information:
DECISIONS REGARDING ACCOMMODATIONS
Each student with a disability will be provided with reasonable accommodations that are appropriate to the student's disability, related to academic needs. A student's preference for accommodation will be considered first, but all types of reasonable accommodation will be considered. At times, alternative methods of accommodation may be used, depending upon the resources available to Fielding. While Fielding takes the needs of students with disabilities seriously, it is not able to guarantee that all services or resources requested by the student can be provided. Fielding will make every effort to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with appropriately documented disabilities, provided that such reasonable accommodations do not include measures that fundamentally alter the academic program of Fielding Graduate University, or that place undue financial burden on Fielding.
The Director of Student Advising is responsible for institutional decisions regarding accommodations for students with disabilities.
DISPUTE RESOLUTION CONCERNING ACCOMMODATIONS
Fielding encourages students who disagree with the decision regarding accommodations to make their dissatisfaction known to the Director of Student Advising immediately. The informal problem solving procedure as outlined in the Student Grievance Policy is designed to address and resolve complaints. If the matter cannot be resolved using the Informal Procedure, the Formal Procedure may be utilized. Formal grievances must be filed within 90 days of receipt of the disputed decision from the Director of Student Advising.
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