Policy 123: Disability and Accessibility

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. Further, CEI provides reasonable accommodations to qualified employees or applicants with a disability unless the provision of the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on CEI. In addition, reasonable accommodations will be made for all students to ensure equal access to student courses, services, 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, if unavailable, then to the Dean of Student Affairs
• Employees – Executive Director 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.

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.

Service Animals

Trained service animals are allowed in campus buildings. Service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless such devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain in control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls.

“Service animals” are defined as dogs or, 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. Service animals may perform tasks that include, but are not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items. Service animals work to assist the handler and are not considered pets.

Comfort, support, and therapy animals are not considered a service animal. As such, only service animals will be allowed in campus buildings.

Responsibilities of Service Animals and Their Partners/Handlers

The partner/handler shall be in control of the service animal at all times. If the service animal is unruly, disruptive or poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, the college may ask the partner/handler to remove the service animal. Each situation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. If the dispute cannot be settled by the partner/handler and the disability resources and services coordinator, a grievance may be filed with the dean of student affairs or the Human Resources office, depending upon the case.

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.

Rights and Responsibilities of the Individuals with Disabilities

• CEI will only recognize accommodations from a licensed professional.
• Are entitled to equal access to, participation in, or the benefits of, any program or activity operated by the college.
• Students must meet the college’s admission standards as outlined in the current catalog.
• Must 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.
• 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.

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.

Formerly Approved: 11/13/2019