Rights and Responsibilities Regarding DSS

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Office of Disability Support Services Responsibilities:

  • Determine eligibility for services.
  • Authorize appropriate academic accommodations.
  • Assist faculty with regard to disability specific issues.
  • Answer faculty questions.
  • Help faculty resolve disability related disputes.

Student Responsibilities for Requesting Accommodations:

  • Register with Disability Support Services.
  • Provide current documentation of the disability to the DSS Coordinator.
  • Discuss accommodation needs with the DSS Coordinator.
  • Give accommodation letter to professors.
  • Monitor effectiveness of accommodations.

Faculty Responsibilities:

  • Provide accommodations, which are listed on the student's accommodation letter.
  • Respect student privacy.

NOTE: All students who identify themselves to faculty as having a disability or suspect that they have a disability should be encouraged to identify themselves to the Coordinator of Disability Support Services (DSS) on their respective campus. Faculty are not obligated to provide accommodations without proper notification from the DSS Office.

Legal Provisions

The University is committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities have the opportunity to participate fully in all of its programs, services and activities.

Under the provisions of Section 504 and the ADA, the University may not exclude or otherwise discriminate against students in any program, activity or service offered by the University on the basis of his or her disability.

A student with a disability shall be provided an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs offered at the University. Therefore, students with disabilities:

  • Have a responsibility to promptly identify themselves to their campus DSS office. Students are encouraged to identify themselves and complete the intake process at least four weeks prior to the first day of classes. However, students have the right to request accommodations at any time during their enrollment at VCU.
  • Have the responsibility to describe and appropriately document their disability and how a particular delivery system, instructional method, or evaluation criteria necessitates a reasonable accommodation.
  • Have the same obligation as any student to meet and maintain the University's academic, conduct and technical standards.
  • Have a right to be evaluated based on their ability, not their disability (if their disability affects the outcome of an evaluation method, they may be entitled to an evaluation by reasonable alternative means).
  • Are entitled to an equal opportunity to learn. If the location, delivery system, or instructional methodology limits their access, participation, or ability to benefit, they may have the right to reasonable alterations in those aspects of the course (or program) to reasonably accommodate their disability.
  • Are entitled to an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the academic community. This includes meaningful access to services and extracurricular activities.
  • Have the responsibility to follow published procedures for obtaining reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids and services, or requesting barrier removal.
  • Have a right to privacy and to have confidential information disseminated in accordance with the law and University policy.
  • Have information available in accessible format upon request.
  • Have a right to appeal the University's decisions concerning accommodations through the University's office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action (804) 828–1347.

The University recognizes that its basic responsibility is to identify and maintain academic and technical standards that are fundamental to providing quality academic programs while ensuring the rights of students with disabilities. To meet these obligations, the University:

  • Has the right to identify and establish the abilities, skills and knowledge that are fundamental to its academic programs/courses and to evaluate each student's performance on this basis. These fundamental program/course goals are not subject to accommodation.
  • Has the responsibility to inform its applicants and students about the availability and range of accommodations.
  • Has the responsibility to evaluate applicants based solely on their abilities. If an evaluation method or criteria has a negative effect on an applicant with a disability, the University will seek reasonable alternatives.
  • Has the responsibility to make reasonable adjustments in the delivery, instructional method, and evaluation system of a course when these have a negative impact on a disability.
  • Has the responsibility to adjust, or substitute any requirement/course that has a negative impact on a disability and is not fundamental to the student's academic program.
  • Has the right to request and review documentation that supports requests for accommodations. Based on this review, the University has the right to refuse an unsupported request.
  • Has the right to select among equally effective methods of accommodating a student with a disability.
  • Has the right to refuse an accommodation, based on undue hardship (e.g. major structural renovation).
  • Has the responsibility to provide information to faculty, staff, students and guests with disabilities in accessible format upon request.
  • Has the responsibility to maintain appropriate confidentiality of records and communication where permitted or required by law and university policy.