Disability Services

The Disability Services office acts as a resource for students who need assistance in addressing disability issues and concerns. Disability Services coordinates Mount Saint Mary College's academic and non-academic campus accommodations (including for temporary disabilities), assists students in communicating needs to faculty and staff, and works collaboratively with other departments to resolve any concerns related to disability needs that may arise. Students with documented disabilities who require accommodations must identify themselves to Disability Services and present appropriate documentation for review, as described below.

Applying for Disability Accommodations

In order to qualify for disability accommodations at Mount Saint Mary College, students must meet the definition of an individual with a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Under ADA an individual with a disability is a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such impairment.

In order to establish disability status and receive accommodations, students must provide Disability Services with current and comprehensive disability documentation supporting the student's impairment(s). Accommodations depend upon the nature and degree of severity of the documented disability. Updated and recent documentation must be provided by a qualified professional and should attest to the existence of a disability and the impact of the disability on academic performance and/or daily functioning as it relates to campus life. The appropriate accommodation request forms can be found on the Disability Services webpage located at www.msmc.edu or the Disability Services office. Students can also request a copy of this packet by calling or emailing the Disability Services office.

Upon receipt of all necessary forms, documentation, and testing data, Disability Services will review the information and determine the student's eligibility for accommodations. In some instances Disability Services may need to contact the doctor or the other professionals who have provided the documentation in order to clarify the nature of the disability and to help determine the student's eligibility for accommodations. Disability Services may also request to have further contact with the student and his/her family in determining the student's eligibility for accommodations.

Every effort will be made to provide accommodations in a timely manner, but circumstances such as incomplete documentation and/or last-minute requests for accommodations may delay this process. While the law requires that priority consideration be given to the specific methods (accommodations) requested by a student, it does not imply that a particular accommodation must be granted if it is deemed not reasonable or other suitable techniques are available.

Once accommodations have been granted, Disability Services will send a confirmation email to inform the student of the accommodations that have been approved for him/her at Mount Saint Mary College.

Disclosure of Information

Disability related information provided to Disability Services is considered an educational record, which falls under the protection of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). FERPA permits Disability Services to share information about the impact of a disability and accommodation eligibility with other Mount Saint Mary College officials who have a legitimate educational interest. A college official includes, but is not limited to faculty and instructional staff, the Dean of Students, Residence Life staff, office of the Registrar staff, academic coaches, Safety/Security staff, Counseling Services staff, and Health Center staff. Legitimate educational interest means that the college official needs to review an educational record or receive educational record information in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities. Sharing this information does not require student consent under FERPA.

Disclosure of educational record information to a Mount Saint Mary College official having a legitimate educational interest does not, however, constitute authorization for that person to transmit, share, or disclose any or all of that information to a third party who does not have a legitimate educational interest.

Consent to Release Records

Written consent is required for the release of records to non-college officials. Disability Services staff will provide disability documentation to a specified individual after a student has provided written authorization or consent. The Authorization to Release Information form can be found online at www.msmc.edu. Students can also request a copy of this form by calling or emailing the Disability Services office.

Self-Disclosure

Students have the right to disclose specific disability information as they choose. A student is not required to disclose disability status when there is no need for an accommodation in a class or other campus setting. A delay in appropriate disclosure can result in a student not receiving an accommodation for a particular activity or in a particular setting or environment because insufficient time is available to arrange or provide the accommodation.

Should there be any disagreement about documentation, the review process, accommodations, or any other matters related to disability issues, students may request an appeal hearing for a disability concern (see below for more information).

Further information about Disability Services and disability accommodations can be obtained by contacting Disability Services staff by phone (845-569-3638), e-mail (disabilityservices@msmc.edu), or online at www.msmc.edu.

Appeal Hearing for a Disability Concern

Where a resolution cannot be reached informally, a student who believes the College is not in compliance with the applicable law(s) regarding disability issues may request an Appeal Hearing for a Disability Concern by submitting a written request to the Vice-President of Academic Affairs. The written request must be submitted within ten business days after the grievant directly contacted the appropriate person to attempt an informal resolution. It should include the rationale for the grievance as well as any significant information relevant to the appeal. Alternative methods of communication, such as a personal or telephone interview, email, or digital recording, are also acceptable to accommodate an individual's disability. The types of claims that will be reviewed within these grievance procedures include: 1) disputes as to the nature or adequacy of the reasonable accommodations to be provided; and 2) disputes as to whether reasonable accommodations have been provided consistent with the agreement of the involved parties.

An Appeal Hearing for a Disability Concern will be scheduled at which the student may present his/her grievance(s) before the hearing panel. Appeals hearings are conducted by a three (3) person panel made up of faculty and staff from the College designated by the Office of Academic Affairs.

The student has the right to be assisted by a MSMC campus advisor who is not directly involved in the Appeal Hearing. The campus advisor must be a full-time MSMC employee, who is acting in his/her role as a MSMC employee. The campus advisor may be present to advise only and may not participate. Advisors who interfere with the proceedings can be excused by the hearing panel. During the course of the resolution of a grievance, the hearing panel may call upon additional persons or request additional evidence it believes may be helpful in finding a suitable resolution. After the meeting, the appeal panel will deliberate and make its written recommendation to the President or his/her designee, whose decision is final. The student will be notified of the President's decision within 30 days of the hearing, absent extraordinary circumstances. If the grievance involves a dispute regarding the conduct or the requirements of a course, or of an academic program, a copy of the written decision issued by the President will be provided to the Vice-President for Academic Affairs, the chair of the division responsible for the affected course or academic program, and, when applicable, to the instructor responsible for the course.

Disability Services will make appropriate arrangements to ensure that disabled persons are provided other accommodations, if needed, to participate in this grievance process. Such arrangements may include, but are not limited to, providing interpreters for the deaf, providing taped cassettes of material for the blind, or assuring a barrier-free location for the proceedings. A student who makes use of the grievance procedure shall not be retaliated against for doing so. The availability and use of this grievance procedure does not prevent a person from filing a complaint of discrimination on the basis of disability with the US Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights.