Policies & Procedures
Alma College is committed to complying with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 by providing access to campus facilities and reasonable accommodations in programs, services and classroom activities. Students with disabilities who require accommodation should contact the Center for Student Opportunity to initiate services.
According to federal law, a person with a disability is any person who: 1) has a physical or mental impairment; 2) has a record of such impairment; or 3) is regarded as having such an impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities. Major life activities include but are not limited to: self-care, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating and working.
Confidentiality
All information regarding a student’s disability, including documentation, is considered by law to be confidential. The Center for Student Opportunity (CSO) cannot release such information to any college personnel outside of CSO unless the student gives his or her consent.
Housing Accommodations
Alma College strives to provide the best possible living environment for students with disabilities. When the appropriate documentation is presented and approved, students will be eligible to receive reasonable accommodations. In the rare case that the college cannot accommodate a student’s request, an option for Residency Exemption will be given to the student.
Programming Accommodations
Student Life provides a variety of programs and events in the residence halls throughout the year. The college requires that any program that is held in a residence hall, that is not exclusive to a specific floor or wing, be held in a common area of the building that is accessible. If the specific hall does not have such an area, then the program must be held in a location that would accommodate those persons with disabilities.
Grievance Policy
Individuals who are not satisfied with accommodations provided by Alma College may file a grievance by first contacting the Disability Services Coordinator in the Center for Student Opportunity. In the event that mutually satisfactory arrangements cannot be agreed upon, a panel—consisting of executive staff members and relevant faculty/staff members—will be convened to review the complaint and make reasonable efforts to resolve the issue. The panel’s findings and recommendations will be disseminated to the individual and to the college’s ADA Coordinator. If necessary, the panel’s findings may be appealed, as a matter of final recourse, to the ADA Coordinator.
