ACADEMIC INFORMATION
"The University of Western Ontario is dedicated to the advancement of learning ... and .. seeks to provide an environment of free and creative enquiry.... As part of our commitment to excellence, we seek to recognize and remove the obstacles faced by traditionally under-represented groups in order to facilitate their access to and advancement at Western." (Leadership in Learning, pp.3, 4). The University also accepts that education is defined as a "service" under the Human Rights Code of Ontario (Section 1) which states that: "Every person has the right to equal treatment with respect to services, goods and facilities, without discrimination because of ... handicap." The University, therefore, recognizes its obligation to provide reasonable academic accommodation to students with disabilities where the accommodation can be implemented without compromising the academic integrity of the course or program. The provisions of this Policy do not apply if the University determines that the necessary pedagogical, human, physical or financial resources are not and cannot be made available to accommodate a particular disability.
In its efforts to accommodate disabilities appropriately, the approach adopted by the University is collaborative, involving the student requesting the accommodation, the instructor, department (or school or program where applicable), and/or Faculty which provides the accommodation, and Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in the Student Development Centre which coordinates the request for and provision of accommodation.
The University also recognizes that the process of requesting, granting, and making arrangements for academic accommodation imposes certain responsibilities on all those involved.
The Responsibility of the Student:
Students seeking accommodation must make timely, formal requests and provide relevant medical or psychological documentation sufficient to allow the University to determine whether they qualify for academic accommodation and what kind of accommodation might be required. Such requests must identify the courses for which accommodation is being sought and must be accompanied by (1) any available medical or psychological documentation of the diagnosed disability, (2) documentation of previous academic accommodation from the educational institutions that provided it and (3) any other information that SSD may give notice it requires. Students are also responsible for following SSD's instructions relating to the implementation of an accommodation. Failure to provide the required documentation in a timely fashion or failure to follow SSD's instructions may delay or prevent the implementation of an academic accommodation for a particular course.
In making formal requests to SSD, students are deemed to consent to the release, by SSD to individual faculty members, of information about the nature of their diagnosed disability. This information should be sufficient to enable faculty to engage in informed discussions with the student and SSD on the manner and extent to which the student's needs, arising out of the diagnosed disability, can and should be accommodated. The student must also be prepared to work with SSD and the instructor in developing an appropriate accommodation.
The Responsibility of the Instructor, Chair, Dean
The decision whether to accept an accommodation suggested by SSD rests with the instructor in the first instance. The instructor, Chair or Dean may reject a suggested accommodation only if it would compromise the academic integrity of the course or program. All those involved in making the decision must recognize their obligation to accommodate where possible, and their obligation to respect both the privacy and dignity of the student, as well as the academic integrity of the programs.
It is the responsibility of the instructor to identify the essential academic requirements of the particular course or program so that the discussions are properly informed. Where possible, it is recommended that instructors provide SSD with a summary of these essential academic requirements prior to or at the beginning of classes. The instructor is responsible for working with SSD to determine the manner and extent to which the student's needs, arising out of the diagnosed disability, can and should be accommodated. It is equally the responsibility of the instructor to question a suggested accommodation if the instructor believes it would compromise the academic integrity of the course or program. In such circumstances, instructors are encouraged to suggest alternative accommodations, where appropriate.
The Responsibility of Services for Students with Disabilities:
It is the role of SSD to provide information and advice to the University community concerning the provision of services to students with disabilities, including academic accommodation. SSD will receive documentation from students concerning their disabilities to be held in confidence. These documents may provide the basis for advice offered to instructors, departments or Faculties concerning the accommodation to be offered. It is the responsibility of SSD to satisfy itself that the student has an assessed disability and that the disability requires some form of accommodation. An accommodation suggested by SSD will be based on its determination of the student's needs and on any course and program information provided to it. SSD shall provide sufficient information to the instructor, department, or Faculty about the nature of the student's diagnosed disability and consequent needs to permit an informed discussion of the manner and extent to which those needs can and should be accommodated in light of the essential academic requirements of the course or program.
Faculty Advisors:
A panel of faculty advisors who are specialists in disabilities will be appointed by the Provost. These individuals shall serve as specialized consultants to the university community with respect to disability issues. Their role will be to provide advice on request to SSD or the instructor, concerning ways to accommodate a particular disability. The procedures for appointing the faculty advisors are as follows:
Academic Calendar
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