Policy on Appeal of Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
A student with a complaint of discrimination or non-compliance on a disabilities matter should submit a written statement of the specific complaint within ten (10) business days of the alleged incident or action to the College’s Disability Services Coordinator (DSC), Cynthia Reed, College Health Service, CPO 2174, ext. 3212. The DSC will attempt to resolve such concerns informally through discussions with the student and, as necessary, with pertinent faculty or staff members. In some instances, appropriate administrators may be consulted or a meeting convened by the DSC in order to reach a resolution.
The following internal grievance policy is intended to address any remaining unresolved complaints concerning discrimination or the reasonableness of accommodations as mandated by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Amendment Act of 2008.
If the student’s complaint is not resolved by the DSC within twenty (20) business days of receipt by the DSC, the student may submit a formal written grievance within an additional five (5) business days to the ADA Compliance Officer for Berea College. (Steve Karcher, 2nd Floor, Lincoln Hall, CPO 2211, ext. 3131.) The statement of grievance must specify the nature and date of the accommodation decision being challenged or the nature and date of the alleged incident constituting discrimination. The Compliance Officer will meet with the student to discuss the complaint and will conduct any necessary investigation. The Compliance Officer will issue a written decision including findings and remedial actions, if any, to be taken by the College and/or the student. This decision shall be issued to the student and any others deemed appropriate within twenty (20) business days of the Compliance Officer’s receipt of the complaint. Files and records on all formal grievances shall be maintained by the Compliance Officer. The process stops when: a) the complaint is resolved, b) the student decides not to pursue the matter further, or c) the Compliance Officer completes a review and issues a written decision.
If a student is not satisfied with the decision of the Compliance Officer, such student may file a written complaint with the Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 100 Penn Square East, Suite 515, Philadelphia, PA 19107; Tel.: (215) 656-8541; Fax: (215) 656-8605.