Division for Academic Success

Federal laws, such as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, mandate university responsibilities to individuals with disabilities. Both address the civil rights of persons with disabilities.

The Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center may not discriminate in the recruitment, admission, educational process or treatment of students with disabilities. Students who have voluntarily disclosed that they have a disability, provided documentation of that disability and requested reasonable accommodations are eligible to receive approved modifications of programs, appropriate academic accommodations or auxiliary aids that enable them to participate in and benefit from all the educational programs and activities at the VCU Medical Center.

• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
  No otherwise qualified person with a disability in the United States … shall, solely by reason of … disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.
• Definition of a qualified person with a disability
  Someone who meets the academic and technical standards requisite to admission or participation in the education program or activity.
• Definition of a person with a disability
  Any person who (1) has a physical or mental impairment, which substantially limits one or more major life activities, (2) has a record of such an impairment or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment.