Des Moines University (DMU) is committed to an environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Consistent with DMU's broader non-discrimination policy, DMU does not discriminate based on disability and prohibits discrimination based on disability during admission and in access to programs and activities. DMU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities as recognized under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA). An individualized assessment is completed for all accommodation requests.

This policy applies to all students and accepted candidates planning to matriculate in educational programs at DMU. For information relating to Service Animals, please see the Service Animals on Campus policy.

Background

A person with a disability is someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, learning, walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, and working; has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment.

Although students with temporary illness or injury may not be disabled, DMU will exercise reasonable efforts to accommodate their needs during the period of temporary illness or injury.

Substantial information is necessary to allow University officials to understand the nature, extent, and limitations of an impairment, which affects a student's participation in educational programming and to develop reasonable accommodations for such a disability. If through an interactive process, in which DMU and the student both participate, the student fails to provide sufficient information demonstrating a disability, no accommodation will be provided. The mere assertion of a disability by a student is insufficient to establish the existence of a disability. Similarly, prior accommodations do not demonstrate a current need for reasonable accommodations. Current evidence of limitations caused by a physical or mental impairment must be established before reasonable accommodations can be determined.

All requests for accommodations are evaluated through an individualized assessment and decisions are made pursuant to an interactive process between the student and appropriate DMU personnel. This interactive process includes the review of clinical documentation, an assessment of the student's abilities, consideration of possible reasonable accommodations, and a determination of approved accommodations.

The University will not grant a requested accommodation when documentation requirements have not been met and/or the University considers the request to be unreasonable. The University will not fundamentally alter its programs to accommodate a student. However, alternative accommodations may be offered by the University when it has denied a specific accommodation request. Accommodations are not provided retroactively. Therefore, students will not be allowed to re-do assignments or re-take exams with accommodations taken prior to requesting and receiving accommodations.

Procedure for Requesting Accommodations

DMU students are expected to be actively responsible for all aspects of their enrollment. As such, it is an expectation that students will initiate the interactive process by contacting the Center for Educational Enhancement (CEE) - Academic Support office to begin the process. Students will be assigned an Accommodations and Educational Support Specialist, hereinafter referred to as the Accommodations Specialist, to begin the interactive process. Student must comply with deadlines and agreements, supply all necessary documentation, and follow the procedures outlined below.

Please note:

• A student's receipt of accommodations in a previous setting does not mean that the same accommodations will be granted or are reasonable for the student's current situation at DMU.
• Because health professions training may include a variety of settings (classroom to clinical), accommodations granted on admission may not be reasonable for all settings to avoid compromising or fundamentally altering the essential components of a course or program.
• Students may be asked to provide updated information as needed to properly determine reasonable accommodations.
• Failure to provide necessary documentation in a timely manner may result in delays in approval of accommodations.

1. Contact the Center for Educational Enhancement

DMU students requesting accommodations should contact the CEE - Academic Support office by phone (515-271-1516) or by e-mailing: accommodations@dmu.edu to speak to an Accommodations Specialist. To allow for adequate processing time, requests for accommodations should be submitted at least three weeks before the start date of the academic year or term or immediately following an injury, illness, or onset of a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits a major life activity.  Although requests will be accepted after that timeframe, the interactive process may not be completed in advance of the academic year or term start date. Newly enrolled students who indicate on their Technical Standards form that they will need accommodations to meet their program's technical standards will be contacted by an Accommodations Specialist before the start of the semester to initiate the interactive process.

Students are to make all requests for accommodations through CEE - Academic Support. Accommodations are not determined by a faculty member. Therefore, notification by the student of impairment to a faculty member and not to CEE - Academic Support may delay the interactive process and accommodations determination.

2. Complete an Accommodations Request Form

To initiate a new request for an accommodation, the student should complete a Student Request for Accommodations form. Students who already receive accommodations in their educational programming, but seek additional accommodations, should complete the Student Additional Accommodation Request form. All forms must be completed in their entirety and submitted to the CEE to begin the interactive process.

Following the end of each school year, student accommodation files will be placed in an inactive status. Therefore, each school year students will need to complete a Student Request for Renewal for Accommodations form, if they still need accommodations in educational programming. The Student Request for Renewal for Accommodations form must be completed in its entirety and submitted to the Accommodations Specialist to begin the interactive process for the new year.

All forms are available online or by emailing: accommodations@dmu.edu.

3. Provide Clinical Documentation

As part of the interactive process, students must submit current clinical documentation that demonstrates a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. With the student's written permission, the Accommodations Specialist may consult with the student's health care provider (as defined in the ADA - 29 CFR 825.125) for additional information.

Collection, review, and discussion of submitted documentation and student needs between the student and the Accommodations Specialist are critical elements of the interactive process.

Documentation from health care providers for all conditions or diagnoses related to the need for accommodations will be required; please see the guidelines below for more information regarding the content of clinical documentation. In all cases, DMU reserves the right to request additional information. Further guidelines can be found within the policy.

• Physical Impairments: Informative documentation for physical impairments includes a report from a health care professional describing the nature of the impairment, the expected duration of the impairment, and how the impairment limits the student's major life activities. In all cases, DMU reserves the right to request additional information.
• Learning or Attentional Disabilities: Informative clinical documentation for learning disabilities (LD) and attentional disabilities (e.g., attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) includes a comprehensive diagnostic interview/consultation and neuropsychological or psycho-educational evaluation plan, which typically should have been completed no more than three years prior to admission to DMU.
•  Psychological Impairments: Informative documentation for mental impairments includes a report from a health care professional describing the nature of the impairment, the expected duration of the impairment, and how the impairment limits the student's major life activities.
  • Physical Impairment Guidelines
  • Learning Disability Guidelines
  • Attentional Disability Guidelines
  • Psychological Impairments Guidelines

Provisional Accommodations for Students with a Previous History of Accommodations with Documentation

In the event that updated evaluation of previous accommodations and associated documentation is necessary, a student may be provided provisional accommodations based on the historical documentation provided. Students receiving provisional accommodations must acknowledge that these accommodations will be revised as necessary, and the student bears the responsibility to provide information supporting the provisional accommodations in a timely manner. Provisional accommodations will be limited to a period not to exceed one semester, pending the review of the new information. Provisional accommodations may be re-affirmed, ended, or modified, as appropriate for the DMU curriculum.

TEMPORARY MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

DMU may provide reasonable assistance to learning opportunities for students with temporary medical conditions who meet the program’s technical standards, with or without Temporary Medical Assistance. Students applying for temporary medical assistance should complete the Student Request for Temporary Medical Assistance form. Students should ask their health care provider to complete the Clinical Checklist for Temporary Medical Assistance form and return to the Accommodations Specialist. The CEE may contact the student's provider to obtain information as needed.

DMU students requesting temporary medical assistance should refer to the Accommodations & Temporary Assistance in Educational Programming policy for further information. The student is responsible for requesting reasonable temporary medical assistance through the Accommodations Specialist in CEE - Academic Support in person, by phone (515-271-1516) or by e-mail (temporaryassistance@dmu.edu). 

Reconsideration Requests

A student may request a reconsideration for accommodations following receipt of a decision denial letter. To request a reconsideration, the student must submit a Reconsideration of Accommodations Decision Request form to the CEE - Academic Support office asking for further consideration and detailing the reasons the student believes the prior decision was not reasonable. The student may submit additional information to support the reconsideration request.

1. The student must submit a Reconsideration of Accommodations Decision Request form to Academic Support within thirty (30) calendar days of the denial decision. The form is available online or by emailing accommodations@dmu.edu 
2. In most cases, the reconsideration decision will be made within ten (10) business days of the reconsideration request.

Previous Accommodations Impact on Future Accommodations Needs

1. An accommodation granted at DMU does not guarantee that accommodations will be granted by Board or certifying examinations, nor do previously received accommodations guarantee accommodations at DMU.
2. Accommodations granted at DMU apply solely to coursework completed at DMU. Such accommodations may help the student be successful while at DMU but may not be granted by other academic or professional institutions (e.g. residency placements, etc.) which may affect the students’ ability to be successful in their chosen profession.
3. Should the student’s need for accommodations change while at DMU, the student should provide information demonstrating the need to the Accommodations Specialist.