Guidelines for Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability

Introduction

As a land and sea grant institution committed to teaching, research, and outreach and engagement, UConn’s mission promotes social, cultural, and environmental progress for the people of Connecticut, the nation, and the world.

People with disabilities are full members of the UConn community. Every member of the University community shares in the responsibility of being aware and responsive to the needs of disabled people. The University recognizes that traditional methods, programs, and services may not accommodate the needs of some persons with disabilities. Under state and federal laws and regulations, as well as University Policy, we must provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equitable opportunity and access to all programs, activities, and services of the University.

Policy Statement

UConn’s Policy against Discrimination, Harassment and Related Interpersonal Violence lays out specific statements, definitions, and responsibilities towards our commitment to creating and maintaining an equitable and inclusive working and learning environment.

Areas of Responsibility

The Office for Inclusion and Civil rights (OICR) is responsible for overseeing compliance with regard to state and federal regulations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability and require reasonable accommodations. Complaints of discrimination based on disability may be filed with OICR. OICR also responds to requests for accommodation from employees and job applicants with disabilities.

Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) is responsible for reviewing students’ disability documentation to determine eligibility for accommodations, auxiliary aids, and adjustments in accordance with federal and state laws. Additionally, CSD collaborates with faculty, staff, and UConn departments to assist them in providing accommodations to ensure access to University programs, activities, and services for students with documented disabilities. More information on the services CSD provides to students can be found on the CSD Website.

Teaching Faculty must ensure that course instruction and materials are accessible.

Departments, organizations, or affiliated entities are responsible for ensuring that their programs, events, goods and services are accessible to the maximum extent feasible, and must provide an opportunity for individuals to request accommodation as well as respond appropriately to any request for accommodation (in consultation with OICR or CSD). Other sections of this website have more information on how to plan accessible programs and events.

Individuals with disabilities are responsible for requesting accommodations in a timely manner. Individuals can request accommodations at any time; however, certain accommodations require advance notice.

Employment & Employees

The University shall not discriminate against a qualified individual with a disability with regard to job application procedures, the hiring, advancement, or discharge of employees, employee compensation, job training, or other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.

Protection from discrimination in employment applies to all university employees: students, classified employees, professional faculty, academic employees, and all employment applicants.

Recruitment and Selection

Requests for Accommodations

The Office for Inclusion and Civil Rights responds to requests for accommodation from faculty, staff, and other employees with disabilities. Only OICR, through an interactive process including the employee and the department, can assess a request for an accommodation. OICR first determines whether the employee has a qualifying disability; if so, then facilitates a process between the employee and the department to ascertain whether or not reasonable accommodation can be made.

Job applicants and potential job applicants are also entitled to accommodations during the recruitment and selection process. More information can be found within OICR’s Accommodation Request procedures.

Prospective & Current Students

The resources below consist of information and links to programs, services and activities of the university for students only.

Accommodations

The Center for Students with Disabilities assists students with disabilities as they navigate the university. The CSD Website maintains information related to students, academics, and accommodations. Some specific information includes:

Commencement

Commencement shall be accessible to all students and members of the public.

Graduating students with disabilities who may need accommodations at Commencement should visit the University's Commencement website for more information.

Other Programs, Services, & Activities

Athletics Event Attendance

UConn provides reasonable accommodations for patrons with disabilities to all athletic events. Because UConn’s athletic events occur in a variety of venues, the number of available ADA seats varies depending on the particular athletic event. To contact UConn’s ticketing office, please call: 877-288-2666.

Communications

The University shall take appropriate steps to ensure that communications with individuals with disabilities are as effective as communications with others. The University will provide appropriate auxiliary aids or services where necessary to afford qualified individuals with disabilities, including applicants, participants, companions, and members of the public, an equal opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, the services, programs, and activities of the University. More information can be found in the University’s policy on Providing Information in Alternate Formats.

Facilities

UConn is committed to affording equal opportunity to persons with disabilities by providing access to its programs, activities, and services.

If any individual has difficulty navigating the physical environment of the university, please contact The Office for Inclusion and Civil Rights to discuss your concerns. In addition, OICR maintains a Building Access Complaint form where anyone can file reports about difficulty navigating the campus.

The University has adopted the Department of Justice’s 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design as the minimum standards to which facilities are renovated and constructed.  University Planning, Design and Construction also maintains Accessibility Guidelines for Renovations and New Construction with regards to accessible design of facilities. These documents, as well as other applicable laws, govern particular construction projects.

Mobility Devices

Wheelchairs and Manually-Powered Mobility Aids

Individuals with mobility disabilities are permitted to use wheelchairs and manually-powered mobility aids, such as walkers, crutches, canes, braces, or other similar devices designed for use by individuals with mobility disabilities in any area open to pedestrian use.

Other Power-Driven Mobility Devices

Individuals with mobility disabilities are permitted to use power-driven mobility devices other than wheelchairs, unless the University can demonstrate that the devices cannot be operated in accordance with legitimate safety requirements. This pertains to a range of devices not primarily designed for individuals with mobility impairments, but which may be used by individuals with disabilities as their mobility device of choice. This includes, but is not limited to, golf carts and electronic personal assistance mobility devices, such as the Segway® PT. OICR will determine whether a particular device can be allowed in a specific facility, and will consider, among other things, the following factors: the type, size, weight, dimensions, and speed of the device; the facility’s volume of pedestrian traffic; and the facility’s design and operational characteristics.

Safety Requirements

The University may impose legitimate safety requirements necessary for the safe operation of its services, programs, or activities. However, the University must ensure that the safety requirements are based on actual risks, not on mere speculation, stereotypes, or generalizations about individuals with disabilities.

Planning Programs & Events

When planning programs, departments, organizations, auxiliaries, or affiliated entities are required to:

Accessible Event Planning

Provide a notice of accommodations whenever they sponsor a program, service, and activity on and off campus, pertaining to all UConn-affiliated events. OICR has produced guidelines for accessible event planning with suggested language.

Provide Accessible Materials

Any publication describing UCONN’s services, programs, or activities (e.g. brochures, handouts, position announcements, etc.) must include a statement regarding the availability of that information in accessible formats.

Provide Physical Access

Provide physical access for all UConn-sponsored programs, conferences, and events, including those occurring in private facilities, to the maximum extent feasible. Groups should take steps to determine the accessibility of their events and the facilities being used. OICR should be consulted as needed. All announcements, ticket information, event advertising, etc., must include a notice of opportunity to request an accommodation based on disability.

Compliance & Complaints

Accommodation Disputes

Student Accommodations

If a faculty member is concerned that an accommodation will lower standards and/or compromise an essential component of or fundamentally alter a course or program, such concern should be raised with CSD at the earliest opportunity, but no later than the first business day following the first day of the class section in which the student is enrolled, or upon receipt of notification of the accommodation, whichever is later.

During the accommodation dispute process, the student should be allowed to proceed under the proposed accommodation until the matter is resolved. If CSD decides it is not appropriate to continue with the accommodation during the process, the faculty member will be notified.

CSD will attempt informal resolution of the matter. In the event informal resolution efforts are unsuccessful, CSD shall refer the accommodation dispute to OICR, no later than 30 days prior to the end of the current academic term.

Every effort will be made to resolve the dispute as quickly as possible and within the term in which the issue was raised. OICR will decide how the matter should be resolved, once it has received notice of an accommodation dispute. OICR will comply with the time limits prescribed by UCONN's Discrimination Complaint Procedures.

Employee Accommodations

If an employee disagrees with the determination of eligible accommodations or the manner in which their accommodations were handled by a manager, Accommodations Specialist or other University Entity, they may request reconsideration of their request to the University’s ADA Coordinator or designee within ten (10) business days.

The ADA Coordinator may request additional medical documentation on the request for accommodation, or gather any information pertinent to the request for consideration. If deemed necessary, the ADA Coordinator may also request other individuals (managers, colleagues or administrators) for their perspective, for example, in the case where an accommodation was denied on the grounds that it would compromise the essential requirements of a job function. The ADA Coordinator will attempt to resolve the issue based on both the original and supplementary information.  A decision will be provided to the employee in writing, delimitating the determination of this process, as well as any follow up action(s) required by other parties. 

If, after meeting with the ADA Coordinator, the matter is still not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction, the employee should request reconsideration of the matter from the Vice President for Inclusion and Civil Rights as soon as possible.

Every effort should be made to resolve the disagreement in an efficient manner. In appropriate circumstances, the ADA Coordinator and/or Vice President for Inclusion and Civil Rights may decide to provide an accommodation on a provisional basis pending the outcome of the appeal process.

Complaints of Discrimination

Complaints of discrimination based on disability may be filed in The Office for Inclusion and Civil Rights. All members of the University community may raise complaints of discrimination and harassment with OICR Some of the specific policies and procedures vary based on an individual’s relationship to the University. Individuals wanting to discuss grievance options should contact OICR.