Policies and Procedures

Curriculum Modification Policy and Procedures for Students with Disabilities

The Office of Accessibility Resources (OAR) supports requests for course substitutions for foreign language and quantitative course requirements if documentation and relevant academic history supports the request and the course being considered is not an essential component of the major, per New Jersey state law: C.18A:62-44.

If a student chooses to make such a request, the student must:

1. Have on file or provide OAR with comprehensive, current and relevant documentation and educational history of the related disability.
2. Meet with the Director of OAR to review the documentation and its relevance to the request. (Note: additional documentation may be required)
3. Meet with the Department Chair and/or Associate Dean to petition the course substitution.
4. OAR’s responsibility is limited to determining if the course substitution is a reasonable and appropriate academic accommodation. The Department Chair and/or Associate Dean will determine if the course work is essential to the degree/program and if approved, what course will be substituted.

Note:

• OAR will not support a petition for course modification or substitution if the course is an essential component of the major. Each request is considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Substitutions are not automatically supported for individuals who may have had substitutions or waivers of a course/program requirement at another institution (including high school).
• If a student is anticipating the need for a substitution, students should schedule a meeting with the OAR director the semester proceeding the semester that the desired substitution will take place.

Office of Accessibility Resources (OAR) Appeal Procedure

Students with disabilities who have followed published procedures for requesting accommodations and have done so in a timely manner, but who believe they have not been granted reasonable accommodations, or who believe that approved accommodations have not been appropriately implemented, or students who requested accommodation(s) but were denied may file an appeal as outlined below.

Faculty members who have concerns or questions about approved accommodations per the Letter of Accommodation issued by the Office of Accessibility Resources should contact the Director of that Office. Faculty and staff should not discuss their concerns with students.

Students who believe they have been subject to discrimination or harassment based upon a disability may file a complaint with the Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination Office.  More information can be found here: https://drew.edu/title-ix-office/about-us/equal-opportunity-and-nondiscrimination-statement/

The OAR Appeal Policy does not supersede or replace other University policies and procedures (grade appeal, Student Conduct policy, etc.).

University policy prohibits retaliatory action towards anyone as a result of filing an appeal or grievance.

Appeal Procedures

Informal Process

1. A student may request that his/her approved accommodations be reviewed and reconsidered by the OAR. A student who believes that their approved accommodations have not been appropriately implemented may also appeal to the OAR. A student whose request for accommodation has been denied may also request that be reviewed and reconsidered by the OAR.
2. The appeal must be submitted on the Appeal Form to the Director of Accessibility Resources. The appeal should be submitted as soon as possible after the decision/event which is leading to the appeal. Delay in doing so may limit the investigation into the matter and what remedies may be available.
3. The Director will review the request, any related documentation, and meet with the student to discuss. The Director will respond to the student in writing with their decision on the matter within thirty (30) days of the receipt of the request.
4. If the student is satisfied with the outcome of this process, the appeal ends here.

Formal Process

1. A student who is not satisfied with the outcome of the Informal Process (above) may file a formal appeal. The appeal must be submitted on the Appeal Form to the Associate Provost. Again, the appeal should be filed as soon as possible after the decision/event which is leading to the appeal.
2. The Associate Provost will review the appeal, any related documentation, consult with relevant parties, and meet with the student.
3. The decision by the Associate Provost will be in writing to the student and delivered within thirty (30) days of the submission of the appeal. The decision of the Associate Provost is final.\

Students with disabilities may be entitled to alternative testing arrangements to provide an equal opportunity to demonstrate their mastery of course material. Valid measurement of learning is an essential component of the educational process. The impact of some disabilities can affect the accuracy of classroom evaluation measures and, consequently, some students cannot be fairly evaluated without appropriate accommodations. These accommodations should not change the examination content through which the attainment of course objectives is measured, but may alter non-related procedures through which a student demonstrates his or her mastery of the objectives (e.g., test location and amount of time).

Protection of Academic Standards

Modifications to classroom testing procedures should not reduce academic standards, nor may they compromise fairness by giving any student a competitive edge. Rather, they must serve to eliminate a competitive disadvantage caused by incompatibility between a testing method or environment and an individual’s specific disability.

Types of Exam Accommodations:

• Testing in a distraction-reduced environment
• Extended testing time
• Provision of readers, scribes, or sign language interpreters
• Provision of assistive technologies, such as computers, calculators, or a CCTV
• Provision of alternative formats, such as large print or electronic text

Security of Examination Materials and Administration

The security of exam materials used in proctoring tests is of critical importance to the OAR staff. Instructors whose exams will be administered at the OAR are responsible for selecting the procedures through which exam materials are delivered to and returned from the OAR. Upon receipt of exam materials, the OAR assumes responsibility for maintaining them in a secure manner prior to and during test administration. The test administration procedures are intended to discourage and detect academic misconduct.  Prior to entering a testing room, students must leave all belongings (coats, backpacks, books, cell phones, watches, etc.) with the OAR proctors. Only approved materials are allowed in the testing area. Students are monitored via a camera during testing to prevent academic dishonesty.

Student Responsibilities in Arranging Test Accommodations

Students are responsible for arranging test accommodations by adhering to the following procedures:

• Meet with the OAR Director to determine appropriate accommodations.
• Present a letter regarding accommodations to instructors and request accommodations in a timely manner.
• Discuss with instructors and fully agree upon which test accommodations are needed and how they will be implemented. The OAR recommends that students meet with their instructors at least one week before the scheduled exam.
• For exams at the OAR, complete and submit an electronic Exam Proctoring Request Form at least three business days before the test. (Business days do not include Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays.)
• Students must arrive at the OAR by their scheduled testing time. Students who arrive late may have the late time deducted from the total time allowed for the test.

Faculty Responsibilities in Arranging Test Accommodations

Faculty are asked to assist in the facilitation of exam accommodations by doing the following:

• After a student makes a request for accommodation, instructors and students should fully discuss and agree upon which test accommodations are needed and how they will be implemented. Possible options include:
  • taking the exam with accommodations in the classroom.
  • taking the exam with appropriate accommodations arranged by the instructor.
    • determine if the classroom is available for an early start or late finish
    • identify a department office or conference room that can be used for proctoring
    • determine which individuals in the department can assist with exam proctoring
  • taking the exam at the OAR.
• If the agreement is for the OAR to proctor the exam, professors will receive a continuation of the online request form and are responsible for answering the questions and confirming that the requested arrangements are satisfactory.
• Instructors are responsible for secure and timely submission of exam materials to the OAR at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled administration, not including weekends and holidays. The OAR is unable to pick up or return exams to offices.

General Information about Alternative Testing through the OAR

• Testing services are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• The OAR will generally proctor exams at the same time as the standard class administration. However, occasionally, other arrangements are warranted. Some of the legitimate reasons that would justify proctoring an exam outside of the standard class administration times include:
  • if obtaining an accommodation of extended time would cause the student to miss a portion of a class;
  • if it is necessary to reschedule based upon the OAR hours of operation;
  • other reasons with permission of the professor.

Drew University is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. Drew is committed to making its website accessible to all individuals, including individuals with disabilities.

If you are having difficulty accessing information on our website, we encourage you to direct accessibility-related suggestions, comments, or complaints to Dana Giroux, Accessibility Resources Director, via phone at 973-408-3962 or via email at [email protected], and the Drew University Communications Department via email at [email protected]. Drew’s Communications Department will respond within 24 hours and address any issues within 72 hours of receiving a request.