Policies and Procedures

Tompkins Cortland Community College is committed to providing equal access for all qualified individuals to its programs and educational opportunities.

Students with a qualifying, documented disability are entitled, by law, to have necessary and reasonable academic accommodations provided by the college, so long as those accommodations do not lower academic standards, substantially alter a program or a course's essential requirements, pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others, or place undue financial hardship on the institution.

It is important to understand that accommodations do not guarantee academic success, nor do they provide an advantage to a student. They serve to "level the playing field" and provide equal access to the college's programs and activities.

There is no general accommodation plan that is appropriate for all students or for a particular disability. Students may require different accommodations in different courses. The most appropriate plan provides equal access coupled with consideration of the disability and documentation, student preferences, program and faculty requirements for a particular course, and applicable laws.

A qualifying disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially impairs an individual in a major life activity, or who has a history of, or is regarded as having, such an impairment. Substantial impairment means that an individual cannot perform the life activity at all, or that he or she is limited in the condition, manner, or duration of the activity. Major life activities include, but are not limited to, walking, seeing, breathing, learning, working or performing manual tasks.

Accommodations may include, but are not limited to:

• Special classroom seating
• Note-taking assistance
• Print materials in alternative formats
• Auxiliary aids, such as calculators, word processors, or specialized computers
• Test-taking modifications

Notice of requested accommodation(s) must be provided to the coordinator and to faculty members a reasonable period of time in advance of need.

To receive accommodations, students must:

• Identify the disability. Students may self-identify at any time. The Coordinator of Access and Equity Services is the designated campus contact for students with disabilities. If identification is made to another staff or faculty member, he or she should notify the Coordinator and advise the student to contact the Coordinator.
• Provide the Coordinator of Access and Equity Services with current, appropriate documentation of the disability, prepared by a qualified professional. Guidelines for documentation are available in the Baker Center for Learning. In addition to individual requirements for a specific disability, all documentation must identify the nature of the disability, how the disability will limit participation in course, programs, services, employment, or activities, and the need for specific accommodations. Secondary school Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are not sufficient by themselves as documentation at the postsecondary level. Depending on the information contained, an IEP may provide a portion of the necessary documentation and may serve to identify previously utilized accommodations.
• Work with Baker Center for Learning staff and classroom faculty to develop an appropriate and reasonable plan for accommodations. Each semester, following a meeting with an appropriate BCL staff member, students will be given copies of a memorandum of academic accommodations identifying recommended accommodations. Students are responsible for providing a copy of the memorandum form to the instructor of each course in which he or she plans to use any accommodations.

The college encourages students to meet with faculty members early in the semester during office hours to discuss specific needs and method(s) for accommodation of those needs within a particular course.

The need for accommodation is not negotiable, but there may be alternate ways to accommodate a particular need. If a student and faculty member are unable to agree on the method of accommodation, consult with the Coordinator of Access and Equity Services. The college is committed to providing all reasonable accommodations for students while maintaining academic standards of excellence.

If a faculty member believes that an accommodation will substantially alter the fundamental objectives of a course or program, he or she should immediately consult with the Coordinator of Access and Equity Services.

Students with disabilities have the right to:

• full and equal access to and the opportunity to participate in all programs, services, and activities of TC3;
• be evaluated based on ability, not disability;
• reasonable accommodations and academic adjustments and appropriate auxiliary aids and services determined on a case-by-case basis;
• privacy and to not have confidential information released without consent except as permitted or required by law;
• information and course materials readily available in accessible formats.

Students with disabilities have the responsibility to:

• meet college, course, and program qualifications and maintain essential institutional standards for academic standing, courses, programs, services, employment, and activities;
• identify, in a timely manner, as a person with a disability to the Coordinator of Access and Equity Services when an accommodation is desired and to seek information, counsel, and assistance as needed;
• provide, in a timely manner, current, relevant, appropriate documentation from a qualified professional;
• follow published procedures for obtaining reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids and services;
• abide by the Student Code of Conduct in the same manner as all students.

Security and Emergency Procedures

All medical and emergency problems that occur on campus are handled by the campus security office. If you have a disability that may result in a medical emergency, or the perception of one, or if you will require assistance in the event of emergency evacuation, you should notify the security office, Room 118, at extension 4290. Additional information is available in a brochure entitled "Emergency Evacuation Procedures for Persons with Disabilities", available at the Baker Center.