Disability Services

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section #504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Office of the Dean of Students, located in Student Affairs, coordinates the university’s efforts to provide full access to educational, cultural and other programs sponsored by the university for any qualified student with a disability. The university is committed to providing services to assure an accessible environment for students with disabilities. The disability services coordinator, whose office is located in the Office of Student Affairs, will discuss concerns about disabilities and consider the obligation to provide auxiliary aids and academic accommodations for all qualified Naropa students. Students requiring further information should contact the disability services coordinator at 303-245-4749.

Naropa’s services include assistance to students with documented disabilities including but not limited to: medical, psychological disabilities and learning disabilities. Students who are unsure about the necessity for assistance are encouraged to speak to the disability services coordinator to explore their individual situation. Naropa’s policies and procedures regarding providing academic/housing accommodations and auxiliary aids to students with disabilities are available upon request from the Office of the Dean of Students.

A student with a disability must make his or her needs known to the disability services coordinator. The student is responsible for providing evidence of a condition that requires academic/housing accommodations or auxiliary aids for impaired sensory, manual or speaking skills.

How to Receive Services

Disability support services are obtained through the disability services coordinator in the Office of Student Affairs. There are various factors involved in determining a student's eligibility.

Information for Students/Staff/Faculty

How Are Disability Accommodations Determined?

The disability services coordinator is responsible for determining a student's eligibility for disability services. There are various factors involved in determining accommodations for each eligible student, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the student's diagnosis and documentation of strengths and weaknesses, and the specific Naropa University course and its requirements.

Documentation Guidelines
ADD/ADHD
Blind/Low Vision
Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Head Injury/ABI/TBI
Psychiatric Disability
Physical Disability
Learning Disability

Listed below are the recommended procedures for a student to follow when requesting disability accommodations:

• The student is responsible for providing the disability services coordinator with medical or psychological documentation. The diagnosis must be from an appropriate licensed medical professional authorized to diagnose the stated disability.
• The disability services coordinator verifies the documentation using the Documentation Guidelines established by the Consortium of Support Programs for Students with Disabilities - Colorado Post-Secondary Institutions. If the documentation is questionable, an expert in the diagnosing field evaluates the documentation. The disability services coordinator informs the student of the acceptance of the documentation or the need to seek additional documentation.
• Each student with appropriate documentation meets with the disability services coordinator to discuss academic accommodation. The determination of appropriate services is based on the student's documentation, academic strengths and needs, history of disability services, disability accommodations offered, and campus resources. The student receives services that are appropriate for the disability and verified by the documentation.
• The disability services coordinator will provide an accommodation letter to the student for his/her current faculty members. The student is responsible for distributing the letters to faculty in a timely manner and discussing specific accommodation needs.
• Even though faculty cannot refuse to provide required accommodations or to question whether the disability exists when accommodations have been authorized by the University, they are encouraged to verify the validity of a student's request. If faculty members have questions concerning the disability or the accommodation request, they should call the disability services coordinator 303-245-4749.

The purpose of accommodations is to allow the student to demonstrate his or her knowledge of the subject matter rather then measure the disability. The purpose is not to lower program and/or class standards.

Timeline for Requesting Accommodations

In general, effective accommodations require collaboration and communication between the student and the Office of Disabilities Services. For new students and changing needs, this includes submission and review of appropriate documentation and an intake interview to determine the accommodations for which students are eligible. 

A number of accommodations require particular advance notice due to the nature of equipment, processes, personnel, or other planning involved.  Students should familiarize themselves with the timelines and other responsibilities associated with each area of accommodation. Please direct questions to the Coordinator of Disability Services.

Services/Accommodations

Click here for the Disability Housing Accommodations Procedures and Guidelines

Rationale for Documentation

States of Colorado/Wyoming
Consortium of Support Services for Students with Disabilities
Documentation Guidelines - Rationale:

Introduction

Individuals with disabilities who attend or plan to attend a postsecondary institution in Colorado may need reasonable accommodations or auxiliary aids in order to have equal access to the programs and services offered. There are two laws that require postsecondary institutions to provide these services to otherwise qualified students, Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Students who need accommodations are responsible for requesting these services from and for meeting with the Disability Services Office at their institution for the following reasons:

• To provide documentation that supports the request for services;
• To discuss the request, the nature of their disabilities and past experiences.

Purpose

These documentation guidelines have been provided to assist students in obtaining appropriate documentation from qualified professionals. Appropriate documentation of a disability is only one part of determining necessary accommodations. The provision of appropriate documentation to an institution helps students educate appropriate staff and faculty about the impact of their disabilities, needs, and potential accommodations. Institutions may request documentation for the following reasons:

• To verify the existence of a disability;
• To assist in the collaborative determination of individual needs and eligibility for auxiliary aids and services to minimize the impact of the disability;
• To personalize students' rights to equal access to their institutions.

Rights and Responsibilities

Student Responsibilities

In addition to notifying and documenting the need for accommodations, students with disabilities also have the following rights and responsibilities:

• Equal access to all programs at each institution;
• Disability related records will be used to determine appropriate services and will be maintained separately from academic records;
• Students initiate all requests for services and/or accommodations to the appropriate office at their institutions;
• Students need to give institutions advanced notice of needed accommodations;
• Students will need to meet with a Disability Services staff member for an intake appointment and discussion about the nature and impact of their disabilities;
• Submission of documentation is not the same as the request for services; these are two different steps in the process of determination and provision of appropriate accommodations;
• Generally, Individualized Education Plans (IEP), 504 Plans, and General Education Initiatives from a secondary school do not provide thorough information for the documentation of a disability and needed accommodations.

Disability Services Responsibilities

What Are Disability Services Responsibilities for Accommodations?

The Disability Services Office maintains disability files and diagnostic testing information for seven years after the student either graduates, transfers, or leaves the university. After that time, the confidential files are destroyed. If a student does not attend Naropa University but has submitted documentation, the files will be destroyed after two years. Consequently, the student should maintain his or her own copy of the diagnostic information.

Relevant information regarding the student's disability may be shared with those who have a legitimate educational interest.

Faculty Responsibilities

What Are Faculty Responsibilities Regarding Accommodations?


Individualized Support with Disability Services

Disability Services provides individualized support to students with all kinds of disabilities. This support can take many forms including advocacy, and letters to professors designating reasonable accommodations, if appropriate. Disability Services assists students in developing strategies for time management, organization, study skills, test preparation and transition to and beyond life at the university. We also assist with solving problems and provide information about other campus and community resources.