For students not already registered with DAS:

1. Fill out the DAS Student Intake form.
2. A member of the DAS team will contact you to set up a time to discuss the concerns outlined in your intake form.
3. Meet with the DAS team member. If you have documentation (from your treating physician, psychologist, counselor, etc.), please bring it with you.
4. If you do not have documentation for your initial meeting, please provide it to the DAS staff as soon as possible. Often times, documentation is needed prior to being able to properly assess appropriate accommodations.
5. For certain academic accommodations, determined on a case-by-case basis, there will be more interaction necessary between the DAS staff member and either your documentation source or academic department/professor.

For Students who have a current letter from DAS, but need one for the new semester, please complete the New Semester Letter Request form.

Please Note: New accommodation letters must be requested for each new semester. If you have an accommodation letter noted as “Temporary”, you will need to provide updated information on your diagnostic and/or treatment progress before receiving the next letter.

All documentation turned in for accommodation consideration should be on official letterhead, dated, and signed by the provider. In some cases, medical documentation or psychological assessment write-ups would substitute for letters from the provider. Letters written by providers should include the following:

1. Qualifications and credentials of the diagnosing/treating evaluator or licensed professional related to specific diagnosis or impairment.
2. Diagnostic information identifying the impairment/disability, provides information about the
   functional impact on the student’s ability to participate in the academic and/or clinical environment.
3. A description of the diagnostic methodology used (e.g., criteria, methods, procedures, clinical
   narrative, observation, specific results).
4. A description of current and past accommodations, services, medications, auxiliary aids, assistive devices, and support services that are logically related to functional limitations.
5. Recommendations of academic accommodations to address current functional limitations in the academic and/or clinical environment.**Entrance and/or qualifying board exams (e.g., MCAT, NCLEX, USMLE) may require more extensive documentation if you seek accommodations similar to those you currently have at VCU. Such requests need to be made well in advance of requesting accommodations.

Grievance Procedure

{Updates in progress 8/21/2023}

There are two (2) procedures to address disability-related complaints, depending on the nature of the complaint. Two (2) distinct policies guide the processes noted below:

1. Failure to accommodate
   Under this policy, Section 7 spells out the Student Disability Accommodation and Accessibility Grievance Procedure. This procedure addresses student complaints regarding accommodations or accessibility. Through this process, a student may seek a review of decisions related to a denial of a requested accommodation, failure to provide an approved accommodation, or access-related concerns at the University. 
2. DISCRIMINATION 
   Under this policy, Section 4 spells out the Disability Discrimination Complaint Procedure. This procedure addresses student complaints alleging harassment or other forms of discrimination based on disability (unrelated to access or accommodation) and all types of employee and third-party disability discrimination complaints. These complaints should be filed directly with Equity and Access Services and not through SAEO and the Student Disability Accommodation and Accessibility Grievance Procedure.

The most efficient way to resolve a potential issue related to accommodation or accessibility is to communicate concerns directly to the responsible VCU official (instructor, staff, administrator). VCU encourages students who believe they have been denied a reasonable accommodation or sufficient access by a VCU instructor or a VCU office, including DAS or SAEO, to attempt to resolve the issue directly with that person or office. To facilitate the timely resolution of such concerns, students should raise the issue as soon as possible and clearly articulate in a written statement their concerns and the resolution that they seek. Students may contact their DAS, Academic Counselor or SAEO case manager or for advice on handling such matters and support related to an accommodation approved by that office, including mediation if appropriate.

Most concerns about accommodation and accessibility can be resolved in this manner and students should make every reasonable effort to achieve this resolution. If the issue is resolved to the student’s satisfaction, no formal grievance is necessary.

If such direct communication does not resolve concerns related to accessibility or accommodation, VCU encourages students who believe they have been denied a reasonable accommodation or sufficient access because of their disability to use the Student Disability Accommodation and Accessibility Grievance Procedures set forth below. 

Student Disability Accommodation and Accessibility Grievance Procedure

If the student’s concern is not resolved through direct communication with the responsible individual or office, the student may formally submit a grievance through the Division for Academic Success or SAEO, for programs on the Monroes Park Campus.  These offices maintain grievance records, including complaints and resolution, and report as appropriate to the university’s Section 504/ADA Coordinator in Equity and Access Services.

Step 1

Once Division for Academic Success or the Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity receives a complaint, the student may be required to meet with a representative from that office. The representative will gather relevant information and may speak with involved parties in an effort to clarify and resolve the issues underlying the grievance. As part of this information gathering, the student will have the opportunity to suggest witnesses who may have relevant information or present other evidence to the representative. The representative will notify the student and involved parties via email of the outcome, including any relevant finding, rationale, and resolution, within ten (10) business days of receiving the complaint or as soon as is reasonably practical thereafter.

If the grievance is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction in Step 1, the student may pursue Step 2. If the initially assigned representative from the Division for Academic Success or the Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity is the Director of this office, the student will skip Step 2 and pursue Step 3 directly.

Step 2

If the student disagrees with the Step 1 decision, they can appeal via email to the Director (or their designee) of the Division for Academic Success or the Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity. An appeal must include a written statement of the reason for contesting the Step 1 decision and must be submitted within five (5) business days of the Step 1 outcome email notification.

The Director (or designee) will review the submitted material and may contact the student and any involved parties in an effort to clarify and resolve the grievance. The Director (or designee) will notify the student and involved parties of their decision to uphold or modify the Step 1 decision via email within ten (10) business days of the appeal or as soon as reasonably practical thereafter.

Step 3

If the grievance is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, the student may file a disability discrimination complaint with Equity and Access Services pursuant to the Preventing and Responding to Discrimination Policy as set forth below.

Disability Discrimination Complaints by Students, Employees and Third Parties

Equity and Access Services reviews reports of discrimination based on disability submitted by students, employees, and third parties to determine whether the complainant was subject to discrimination as prohibited by the university’s Preventing and Responding to Discrimination Policy, consistent with Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended.

EAS receives reports by the Equal Opportunity Incident Reporting Form. While the online reporting form is the most efficient way to communicate relevant information, EAS will also receive complaints by email to equity@vcu.edu, by phone at (804) 828-1347, or in-person by scheduled appointment. EAS follows the complaint resolution procedures and timeframes consistent with the Policy.

Students should familiarize themselves with their rights and responsibilities when seeking accommodations. The following list briefly outlines student responsibilities.

I understand that I should request accommodations early enough to ensure that accommodations are in place by the first day of classes and that it is my responsibility to provide the required documentation.  This includes but is not limited to requests for adaptive or special equipment, books, furniture, etc. However, I also understand that I may request accommodations at any time during the semester. (Letter)

I acknowledge and understand that it is my responsibility to request copies of my accommodation letters from the DAS office each semester. (Letter)

I understand that requests for accommodations are not retroactive.  I am aware that accommodations begin at the time that I present my accommodation letter to my professor(s). (Letter)

I acknowledge that it is solely my responsibility to disclose my disability to my instructors, and possibly to other university personnel on an educational “need to know basis,” should I choose to initiate a request for accommodations. (Letter)

I am responsible for coordinating testing with my instructor and the Division for Academic Success if I would like to use the Testing Center.  I agree to provide my exam schedule for the semester to the Testing Center as soon as I receive my accommodations letter. I agree to inform my instructor(s) that any pop quizzes or impromptu testing to be taken at the Division for Academic Success requires scheduling in advance. (Testing)

I will inform my instructor(s) if I have a scheduling conflict that requires a test to be taken more than three hours before or after the regularly scheduled classroom test. (Testing)

I agree to allow enough time to complete the test during normal hours of operation. The Division for Academic Success closes at 5:00 p.m. daily and is open Monday through Friday.  Flexibility of exams/quizzes must be discussed with this department and the instructor. We do not encourage missing classes because of exams/quizzes. (Testing)

I acknowledge that failure to attend class(es) without a valid excuse (i.e. illness, hospitalization) may void my note taking services.  I understand that it will become my responsibility to obtain those notes in an alternative fashion. (Accommodations)

I agree to notify the Division for Academic Success if I need textbooks or other printed material enlarged or otherwise formatted, well in advance of when those materials are needed.  I agree to provide copies of my syllabi to assist in the delivery of these services. (Accommodations)

I understand that it is solely my responsibility to contact the Division for Academic Success if I have any classroom or clinical site accessibility issues that I cannot solve independently. (Accommodations)

 

Academic Accommodations for Extensions on Examinations/Assignments

 

Academic accommodations for extensions on exams, quizzes, and/or assignments can only be used when required because of the documented disability on file at DAS. It is not to be used for personal appointments, work-related commitments, temporary illnesses (cold, flu), and personal situations (childcare/transportation concerns). Please follow your program/class absentee policies and procedures in these cases.

 

Academic accommodations do not compromise the technical standards of your curriculum. Therefore, a professor/department may reach out to discuss further if there is a concern about a particular assignment. Suppose the accommodation is deemed as compromising the technical standards. In that case, faculty and I will communicate with you that extensions on an assignment, quiz, and/or exam will not be granted. For example, if you have a group discussion online or in class, an extension may not be reasonable because you must be present or respond in a specific time frame to measure your performance. Another example, extensions do not extend the semester; therefore, finals and assignments must be completed by the end of the semester. If you need to request an incomplete or medical withdrawal, requests go directly to the department. 

 

Students who wish to use their academic accommodations for extensions on examinations are expected to notify their instructor/department and the testing center coordinator before the exam start time to begin the interactive process of rescheduling the make-up exam. Students are required to notify their instructors within the window of 24 hours before the examination, but not after the examination start time if they are unable to attend due to the documented health condition. Please follow your department policies and procedures for notification (i.e., exemption request form, direct email to a professor, etc.) Unless otherwise stated, students typically have three business days for the extension to complete the examination

 

Students who wish to use their academic accommodation for extensions on assignments deemed reasonable must notify their instructor before the deadline that they want to use the accommodation. Unless otherwise stated, students typically have three business days for the extension.

 

Understanding your rights as a student with a disability is almost as important as understanding our mutual responsibilities to each other. Respect and humility go a long way in bridging gaps between students, faculty, and staff.