123.1 Policy
CEI is committed to complying with the requirements of Titles I and II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), as amended, as well as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of a disability in employment, admissions, and in participation of all programs, activities and services provided by CEI. CEI also complies with the Idaho Human Rights Act (Idaho Code § 67-5909), which prohibits disability discrimination under state law.
This commitment includes ensuring equal access to both physical and digital environments, including websites, mobile applications, learning platforms, and online services. CEI provides reasonable accommodations to qualified employees and applicants with disabilities unless such accommodations would impose an undue hardship. Likewise, CEI provides reasonable accommodations for students to ensure equal access to all courses, services, digital content, and activities.
123.2 Procedures
Individuals with a disability who have questions about accessibility, need a reasonable accommodation, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service or activity of CEI, should contact:
- Students – Disability Resources Office, Center for New Directions, or, the dean of student affairs
- Employees – vice president of human resources
CEI will generally, upon a request, provide appropriate aids and services for qualified persons with disabilities so they can participate equally in CEI’s programs, services and activities. Requests will be acknowledged within 5 business days, and CEI will make reasonable efforts to issue a decision or begin the interactive process within 10 business days of receipt.
CEI will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that qualified individuals with a disability have an equal opportunity to enjoy all its programs, services and activities. For example, an individual with a documented hearing impairment may receive an accommodation to ensure equal access, such as captioning or interpretation services, depending upon the needed circumstances.
CEI will not place a surcharge on any individual with a disability or any group of individuals with disabilities to cover the cost of compliance measures. Accordingly, CEI will not place a surcharge on the provision of auxiliary aids/services, or other reasonable accommodations nor will it place a surcharge on reasonable modifications of policy or procedures.
Confidentiality of disability-related records will be maintained in compliance with FERPA (for students), HIPAA, and ADA confidentiality provisions (for employees).
Service Animals
Trained service animals are permitted in campus buildings and facilities. Service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless such devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents the use of these devices. In such cases, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective means.
Definition of Service Animal
“Service animals” are defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act as dogs, and in certain instances miniature horses, that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Tasks may include, but are not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or retrieving dropped items. Service animals assist the handler and are not considered pets.
Comfort, support, and therapy animals do not meet the definition of service animals under the ADA. As such, only service animals will be permitted in campus buildings.
Miniature Horses
In some circumstances, a miniature horse may serve as a service animal. The College will make reasonable modifications to permit a miniature horse where appropriate, based on an assessment of the following factors: (1) the type, size, and weight of the horse and whether the facility can accommodate these features; (2) whether the handler has sufficient control of the horse; (3) whether the horse is housebroken; and (4) whether the horse’s presence compromises legitimate safety requirements.
Responsibilities of Service Animals and Their Handlers
The handler must remain in control of the service animal at all times. If a service animal is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it, or if the animal is not housebroken, the College may require the animal’s removal. If removal is necessary, the individual with a disability will still be allowed to participate in the service, program, or activity without the animal.
Permissible Inquiries by College Staff
When it is not obvious that an animal is a service animal, College staff may only ask two questions:
- Is the service animal required because of a disability?
- What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?
Staff may not require documentation, identification cards, medical records, or a demonstration of the animal’s tasks as a condition of access.
Dispute Resolution
If concerns arise, the student handler and the Disability Resources and Services Coordinator will attempt to resolve the issue. If the dispute cannot be resolved, the student handler may file a grievance with the Dean of Student Affairs. An employee handler may file a grievance with the Human Resources Office.
123.3 Digital Accessibility
CEI is committed to ensuring that all digital content, platforms, and services are accessible to individuals with disabilities in accordance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. CEI shall conform its public-facing web content and student-facing digital services, including learning management systems and mobile applications, to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA.
This includes:
• CEI’s official website and subdomains
• Online forms and applications
• Learning management systems and course content
• Mobile applications used for instruction or administrative services
CEI will also:
• Conduct periodic accessibility audits
• Train content developers and IT staff on digital accessibility
• Provide a mechanism for reporting digital accessibility barriers and ensure prompt remediation
• Maintain an accessibility coordinator or team to oversee digital compliance
Faculty and the Accessible Technologist shall ensure that all digital course/LMS materials meet digital accessibility standards, including captioned video content, accessible documents, and alternative text for images. CEI will provide training and resources to support accessible course design.
CEI shall provide training to employees, including faculty, instructional designers, and IT personnel, on accessibility requirements under the ADA, Section 504, and WCAG 2.1 AA standards.
Third-Party Compliance
CEI shall ensure that all digital tools, platforms, or content acquired from third-party vendors meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards where possible. Accessibility shall be a factor in all technology procurement processes. Contracts with third-party providers shall include accessibility assurances and CEI will monitor compliance.
Digital Accessibility Complaints and Requests
Individuals encountering barriers on CEI’s digital platforms may submit a request for assistance or report accessibility issues to:
Accessibility Technologist:
Email: [Insert contact email]
Requests will be acknowledged within 5 business days, with accessible alternatives provided within 10 business days while full remediation is underway. Full remediation will generally be completed within 60 days unless the barrier requires longer-term fixes.
123.4 Rights and Responsibilities
Rights and Responsibilities of the College
- To maintain the college’s integrity and academic standards.
- To assure all individuals equal access to, participation in, or the benefits of, any program or activity operated by the college.
- To publish written procedures for students to follow when requesting reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids.
- To publish a written appeals process for individuals with disabilities to follow when a written request for reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids has been denied.
- To maintain confidentiality (to the extent permitted by law) of all requests for accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids. To provide information in alternate formats in a timely manner. To contact professional resources to discuss an individual’s request for reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids. The college must obtain the individual’s written request to do so.
- To refuse to grant a request for reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids when insufficient documentation is provided; when the essential content of a course or program would be altered by that accommodation, academic adjustment, and/or auxiliary aid; or when an undue hardship (financial burden) is presented to the college.
- To ensure that no employee or representative of the college engages in retaliatory conduct against an individual who exercises his/her rights under the ADA.
- CEI will maintain records of all accommodation requests, the interactive process, and resolutions in compliance with ADA and Section 504 requirements.
Rights and Responsibilities of the Individuals with Disabilities
- CEI generally requires documentation from a licensed professional to support accommodation requests, except where the disability and need for accommodation are obvious. Individuals are entitled to the following rights and responsibilities: To equal access to, participation in, or the benefits of, any program or activity operated by the college.
- After meeting the college’s admission standards as outlined in the current catalog to be provided reasonable accommodations post-admission to ensure access.
- To identify as an individual with a disability seeking reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids and, when requested, provide written documentation from a professional. Accommodations are not retroactive.
- To rescind in writing at any time written permission given to CEI to acquire or share confidential information.
- To provide course instructors a letter outlining College-approved accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids. This may be delivered electronically or as hard copy.
- To appeal in written form any request for accommodations, academic adjustments, and/ or auxiliary aids denied by the dean of student affairs or the Human Resources office,
depending upon the circumstances. Appeals must be filed within 15 business days, and CEI will issue a response within 20 business days.
- To notify the Disability Resources Office should any problems with requested and approved accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids arise during the semester, or to appeal, when necessary, to the dean of student affairs.
- To expect that no employee or representative of the college engages in retaliatory
conduct against an individual who exercises his/her rights under the ADA.
- For students to report any such retaliatory conduct to the dean of student affairs who will then conduct an investigation.
Anti-Retaliation
Retaliation against any person for requesting accommodation or filing a grievance under the ADA is strictly prohibited and constitutes a separate violation of federal law. Violation of this may result in institutional discipline up to and including termination or expulsion.
We each have an obligation to be supportive of our CEI students and employees to help create a welcoming and safe environment at the college. These guidelines are designed to show the ways in which the CEI community, individually and institutionally, can be supportive of someone with a disability.