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Park University Notification and Documentation Policy For Special Assistance under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990Park University is committed to meeting the needs of all students who meet the criteria for special assistance. These guidelines are designed to supply directions to students concerning the information necessary to accomplish this goal. It is Park University's policy to comply fully with federal and state law regarding students with disabilities and, to the extent of any inconsistency between these guidelines and federal and/or state law, the provisions of the law will apply. Permanent Disability GuidelinesNotification of Disability: Students must submit notifications of disability at least six (6) weeks prior to the beginning of classes in the academic term the student wishes to attend. This will allow time to make all necessary arrangements prior to the initial class meeting. Documentation should be submitted to Debra McArthur, Director of Academic Support Services, Campus Box 46 (fax # 816-741-4911). An additional copy will be retained by the Registrar's Office in the student file. Learning Disabilities (LD): Students must provide supporting diagnostic test results from a licensed psychologist or certified specialist in learning disabilities. This evaluation must detail the specific learning disability or disabilities. All needed accommodations should be detailed. This information should be as current as possible, but not more than three years old. Park University will evaluate, but may reject, documentation over three years old. Students who have received LD services in high school will find helpful information regarding their rights, responsibilities, and transition from high school to university from the Missouri Association for Higher Education and Disabilities (MO-AHEAD). Click on the link below to go to the MO-AHEAD webpage. Once there, click the link for "The Guidebook." There you can find a link to the Table of Contents to help you find more information. Physical Disabilities: Students must provide documentation from a physician that specifies the nature of the disability or disabilities. The documentation should include prescriptive information from a qualified specialist as to the exact nature of all accommodations necessary to meet the needs of the student. This information should be as current as possible. Park University reserves the right to request updated verification of disability and necessary accommodations. Psychiatric Disabilities: Students should provide documentation from a licensed professional qualified to diagnose and treat psychological disorders. The documentation should include a diagnosis, the date of diagnosis, the date of doctor's last contact with the student, a summary of the present symptoms, and the prognosis. Documentation should describe how the psychiatric condition functionally interferes with or impacts the student's ability to participate in an educational setting, and should give suggestions of academic accommodations that may be appropriate in an educational setting. Auxiliary Aids: Appropriate aids will be selected only after consultation with the student who will use them. Temporary Disability GuidelinesIn the case of temporary disabilities, every effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodation for the duration of any disability. To insure prompt and appropriate action, the Director of Academic Support Services should be notified immediately of the arrangements believed to be necessary to accommodate a given temporary disability. Help Us Help You!The Academic Support Center at Park University is pleased to serve our students with special needs. If you are seeking accommodations for a disability, here are the steps you should follow: 1) Contact the Director of Academic Support Services at the Parkville campus, or your campus director at your nearest Park campus center. Please introduce yourself, let us know how what services you will need, and let us get to know you. Let us know who will be sending your documentation, and when we can expect it. In some cases, it may take up to six weeks for us to provide some types of accommodations, so please contact us as soon as possible. 2) Have your documentation of your disability sent from your doctor, psychologist, or other medical professional who provides your care for your disability. If you have received accommodations at another school within the last three years, you may have the disability office there send your documentation. If you are served by Vocational Rehabilitation, your caseworker there may be able to send your documentation. Contact information is shown below. In order for us to serve your needs best, please be sure your documentation includes the following: a. A diagnosis of the disability b. A summary of how the disability will affect your performance in an academic setting, including effects of medication that may impact your performance. c. A description of the accommodations needed to help you be successful in college work 3) Contact the Director of Academic Support Services and your campus director each new term to inform us of your new schedule and the accommodations you will need this term. Important: If your accommodations include books on tape, special physical facilities, adaptive equipment, or the hiring of note takers, please contact us early as these types of accommodations may take time to arrange. Please keep in touch with us to let us know how you are doing, and inform us immediately if you need additional assistance. Please remember that your disability information is CONFIDENTIAL. We will inform the appropriate faculty or campus personnel of the accommodations you require, but we do not disclose the nature of your disability. In some cases, you may find that sharing this information with your instructors may help them understand you better, but that choice is up to you. NOTE: Disability files are updated each year at the beginning of the spring and fall terms. If you are not enrolled for the current term, your file will be marked "inactive," and you will be notified by email. To reactivate your file and your accommodations, simply notify the Director of Academic Support Services by email when you enroll again. Debra McArthur Office hours: M-F, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM CST --------------------------------- University Resources |