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Disability Accommodations Policy
Examples of
Specific Accommodations
Accommodations for Specific Disabilities:
Mobility, Visual, and Hearing
Impairments
Physical Disabilities/Chronic Illnesses
Mental Disabilities
Learning Disabilities
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Resources for Students:
The Writing Center
Peer-Tutoring
Monsour
Counseling Center
Oldenborg Center
Disability Accommodations Policy
Pomona College complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as
amended, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as amended, and other
applicable state and federal law prohibiting discrimination against individuals
with disabilities. Conditions potentially covered by the law include, among
other things, AIDS, Cancer, Cerebral Palsy, Diabetes, Epilepsy, head injuries,
hearing impairments, specific learning disabilities, loss of limbs, Multiple
Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, psychiatric disorders, speech impairments, spinal
cord injuries, and visual impairments.
The Pomona community includes students with disabilities who may require
accommodations. The College is committed to providing appropriate services and
reasonable accommodations for students who need them. Students and
parents/guardians are encouraged to speak to the College’s specialist in
disability accommodations, Dean Marcelle Holmes (Alexander Hall, room 102,
extension 72147 or
marcelle.holmes@pomona.edu) regarding potential accommodations and the
required paperwork. Other deans in the office can also offer advice and support.
During the admission process, each applicant is evaluated on the basis of
academic achievement and their potential to satisfy Pomona’s rigorous academic
standards. Applicants are not admitted to a modified program of study. Once a
student with a disability that affects his/her participation in college life has
enrolled at Pomona College, he or she should contact the Dean’s office and
provide documentation of the disability if accommodations are desired. For
all students wishing to be accommodated for disabilities, students are required
to provide a recent professional evaluation which identifies the disability,
describes the challenges to participation in college life the student faces due
to the condition, and, if possible, recommends specific accommodations. All
documentation must contain the name, title, and professional credentials of the
evaluator. All reports should be on letterhead, typed, dated, and signed, and
should include information about what tests and/or records were used to make the
determinations. This information is kept confidential unless the student
specifically authorizes disclosure.
In the case of learning disabilities or attention deficit/hyperactivity
disorder, a dean in Student Affairs will discuss the documentation Pomona
requires in order to grant academic accommodations and where such documentation
can be obtained if the student has not already obtained it. When documentation
of specific learning disorders or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is
provided, the Office of Student Affairs will consult Monsour Counseling and
Psychological Services before recommending accommodations.
The student should request accommodations for each semester the accommodations
are desired. Accommodations are only provided on a semester-by-semester basis.
This is important to preventing disclosure of information that a student wishes
to keep private. Additionally, students should request accommodations far in
advance of when they believe they will need them. In many cases, one week is
sufficient. This advance time is often crucial in order to provide the necessary
accommodation.
At the student’s request, the student’s faculty members for a particular
semester will be notified of the approved academic accommodations, including
faculty members and the Dean of Students at another Claremont consortium college
if the student is taking coursework there through cross-registration. Students
with disabilities from other Claremont consortium colleges who are taking
coursework at Pomona through cross-registration should contact Pomona’s Office
of Student Affairs and request that the office obtain their
accommodation-related records from the student’s home college. In the event of
such a student request, and to the extent not already obtained, the Office of
Student Affairs will request that the student’s home college provide Pomona and
the student’s faculty members at Pomona with 1) certification that the student
is an individual with a disability who is entitled to academic accommodation, 2)
certification that the student has previously presented documentation to
establish the student’s status as above, and 3) a description of the
accommodations that have been and are being provided by the home college.
The accommodations should maintain the academic integrity of the courses and the
academic program as a whole while attempting to meet the student’s needs. Pomona
College does not routinely waive academic requirements for students with
disabilities. Rather, our policy is to assist the student in his or her efforts
to meet Pomona’s requirements by making reasonable accommodations.
As additional support, the Office of Student affairs will discuss resources
available to students, such as Monsour Counseling and Psychological Services,
Writing Fellows, and Pomona’s peer tutoring program.
Examples of specific accommodations:
· Accommodations
for hearing impairments
can include FM
system, note takers and/or photocopies of lecture notes, written assignments,
lab instructions, and demonstration summaries.
· Accommodations
for visual impairment
include
seating near the front of the class, large print handouts, class assignments
made available in electronic format, living space sufficient to accommodate
students, and computer equipment to enlarge screen characters and images.
· Accommodation
for specific learning disability and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
can
include note takers and/or photocopies of lecture notes, alternative exam
formats, extended time and/or a private test area, part-time enrollment, and use
of a computer for writing.
· Accommodations
for mobility impairment
can include locating classrooms, labs, field trips, and living spaces in
accessible locations, including moving such spaces in case of short-term
mobility impairment. Students may also receive help getting from residence halls
to classrooms. The injured students program, operated by the Smith Campus
Center, can help students with mobility impairments. Please contact extension
18610 to request a ride.
· Accommodations
for psychiatric disabilities can include note takers, extended
time on exams and/or a private test area, a reduced course load, and assistive
technology.
If a student is refused an accommodation that he/she believes is necessary, the
student may take his or her concerns to the Associate Dean of Students. If an
agreement cannot be reached, The Dean of Students can review the original
request. Additionally, students may take allegations of discrimination to one of
the College’s grievance officers.
Please refer to additional policies regarding specific disabilities and
accommodations.
Mobility,
Visual, and Hearing Impairments
Physical Disabilities/Chronic
Illnesses
Mental Disabilities
Learning Disabilities
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Other Resources for Students:
The Writing Center
Peer-Tutoring
Monsour
Counseling Center
Oldenborg Center
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