Disability Services
Disability Services (DS) seeks to meet the needs of students with documented disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations through an interactive process, assisting students in becoming self-advocates while supporting their curricular and co-curricular activities at college. Students are responsible for disclosing their disability and requesting accommodations by completing the registration form and providing current documentation of the disability.
It is the student's responsibility to arrange for certain services that are outside the scope of DS and Maryville College. These services include, but may not be limited to, attendant care, mobility training, items/services of a personal nature, and sources of financial aid.
Disability Services Procedures
The steps to obtain services through DS are described below:
- Admission to Maryville College
Students must meet the required prerequisites for admission to a Maryville College graduate program before receiving services through DS.
- Registration for Services
Students must complete the registration for services and provide current documentation that supports the request for reasonable accommodations for the disability. The registration form and documentation requirements are located online at www.maryvillecollege.edu/disability.
After completing the registration form and providing the necessary documentation, students should contact DS and set up an appointment to determine reasonable accommodations. The official registration and the implementation of services cannot begin until the student meets with a DS staff member.
- Documentation
Documentation must specify the disability, its impact, and severity, as well as substantiate the need for accommodations. A licensed professional, familiar with the history and functional implications of the disability, must provide the required documentation. If the initial documentation is incomplete or inadequate to determine the extent or needs of the student, DS has the discretion to require additional documentation. Current documentation is required for permanent and/or temporary disabilities. Students requesting accommodations for multiple disabilities must provide documentation of all such conditions.
- Letter of Accommodation
When reasonable accommodations have been established, the professor, advisor, and student will receive a Letter of Accommodation (LOA). The LOA indicates the accommodations which the student is qualified to receive. Before instituting an LOA, DS must have a complete file. The file must include the registration form, appropriate documentation, and a signed Release of Information Waiver. DS staff will not discuss academic accommodation concerns with faculty members until all documents are received. DS will not disclose or discuss the documentation provided by the student without the written consent of the student.
First Week of Class Responsibilities
Students are encouraged to meet with each of their scheduled class professors during the first week of the semester to discuss the implementation of the student’s qualifying accommodations. Students and faculty should contact DS with questions or concerns regarding ways to implement the accommodations.
Continuing Enrollment
Each semester, students should contact DS at the earliest possible opportunity to schedule a meeting to discuss class accommodations for the semester. If additional accommodations are requested, DS will review current documentation and meet with the student to discuss the additional requested accommodations.
Grievance Procedures
An internal grievance procedure exists for students who believe the accommodations provided were not reasonable or not being provided. Students should submit a written statement of the specific complaint within ten (10) business days of the alleged incident or action to the Academic Success Center Director. The Director will work to resolve such concerns informally through an interactive process with the student, pertinent faculty, or staff members. To establish the basis for such a grievance, students should be registered with DS and receiving services. Students should expect to receive a written response to their grievance within 10 days of submitting it.
Contacting Disability Services
Students can contact Disability Services through the Academic Support Center in the lower level of Thaw Hall, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., via phone at 865-981-8120 or 865-981-8124, through the website www.maryvillecollege.edu/disability, or by emailing disabilityservices@maryvillecollege.edu.