Carson-Newman University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations to “otherwise qualified” students. Accommodations are determined on case-by-case basis and in accordance with their specific disability. Concerns or dissatisfaction regarding accommodations should be directed to the Director of Disability Services. Students who believe they have experienced discrimination related to a disability should contact the Director of Disability Services. The decisions of the Director of Disability Services may be appealed to the Students with Disabilities Committee. The decisions of the Students with Disabilities Committee may be appealed to the Provost.
Requests for accommodations must be made by the student and submitted to the Director of Disability Services. Most requests need to be accompanied by appropriate documentation. Depending on the situation as well as what is requested, needed documentation usually contains information such as: a description regarding any symptoms, any functional limitations, copy of any evaluations, etc. The documentation should be current, typically less than three years old. Students should also submit evidence of past accommodations. If the request is approved, the Director of Disability Services will notify the appropriate representatives of Carson-Newman regarding the approved accommodations. Ideally, students needing accommodations should make their request prior to enrollment for the semester so that the case can be reviewed and accommodations approved and arranged. Students should not make direct application to teachers regarding academic accommodations.
No, provided your enrollment is continuous.
No. Once your accommodations have been approved, the appropriate representatives of Carson-Newman will be notified – typically at the beginning of each semester. If you leave Carson-Newman and then return, you must inform the Director of Disability Services of your wish to reenact your accommodations. If your absence from Carson-Newman has been more than two semesters, the Director of Disability Services may request that you supply current documentation regarding the status your disability.
Not necessarily. High schools may accommodate to the point of student success. Accommodations in college ensure equal access. Additionally, academic accommodations in college do not alter the essential nature of courses or programs of study.
Any modification within the curriculum of courses requires the student to make a request for a substitution. This request is separate from the initial request for accommodations and must contain the rational regarding the request. Additional documentation may also be required. The Students with Disabilities Committee will review the request and make a recommendation to the Provost. The Provost will make the final decision
