Students with disabilities are entitled to the same rights, privileges, and opportunities as all other students at Caltech. Individuals with disabilities are protected by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. However, students entering the post-secondary setting should be aware that they are now responsible for identification, advocacy, planning, decision making, transitioning, and accommodation implementation.
Therefore, it is important for students to understand both their rights and responsibilities relating to their disability in the academic and residential setting. To that end, we have put together a list of “Rights” that students may expect to be afforded, as well as the “Responsibilities” they have to engage with the Institute.
Students:
Rights:
Students are eligible for consideration for requested accommodations
if they register with CASS and establish that they have a disability. CASS will assess requests for accommodations
on an individualized basis and engage in an interactive process with the
student to determine whether the functional limitations of the disability
require such accommodations. For each student, accommodations will specifically
address those functional limitations of their disability which adversely affect
access to Caltech programs, services and activities. Accommodations
may include auxiliary aids and services, as well as modifications to academic
requirements as necessary to ensure equal educational opportunity. Examples of
adjustments are: arranging for priority registration; reducing a course load;
substituting one course for another; providing note takers, recording devices,
sign language interpreters, extended time for testing, and equipping school
computers with screen-reading, voice recognition, or other adaptive software or
hardware. Caltech is not required to provide personal
devices and services such as attendants, individually prescribed devices, such
as eyeglasses, readers for personal use or study, or other services of a
personal nature, such as tutoring. Accommodations
that would lower or substantially modify essential program requirements; fundamentally
alter the nature of the Caltech service, program, or activity; or give rise to
an undue financial or administrative burden will not be granted. Students
will receive written notification in the event an accommodation request is
denied. Students may appeal the denial
under the disability grievance procedure.Responsibilities:
- Follow applicable procedures and timelines for requesting accommodations, including registering with CASS and submitting required documentation as a prerequisite to receiving accommodations.
Notify CASS before/at the beginning of each term about anticipated course schedules and accommodations requested.
Notify CASS immediately when an accommodation is not effective.
Notify CASS immediately when discontinuing an accommodation (e.g., notetaking) or dropping a course for which alternate format materials are required.
Provide timely notification to faculty of approved accommodations by providing the faculty member with your CASS Accommodation Letter, if you have chosen to do so yourself (upon request CASS will provide the CASS Accommodation Letter to affected faculty).
Provide for personal disability-related needs or services such as “personal care attendants,” transportation, housekeeping, wheelchair repair, etc.
Meet the same standards—academic, technical, performance and behavior—expected of all Caltech students.
- Abide by the terms of the Service/Emotional Support Animal agreement, if one is approved.
Caltech is committed to supporting a diverse community that includes students with disabilities, as well as meeting its obligations to such students under the law. In order to assist students to be able to participate in the various programs, services, and activities of the institution, CASS requires the support, cooperation, and active partnership of faculty, other teaching staff, and administrators.
Requests for Accommodation and Verification of Disability:
Faculty and teaching staff may require verification of a student’s eligibility for requested accommodations in the form of an Accommodation Letter prepared by professional staff at the CASS, and delivered by CASS staff or the student, in person or through email.
If a student does not provide an Accommodation Letter from the CASS, faculty are not obligated to provide accommodations. Students are expected to initiate accommodation requests in a timely manner.
CASS is the only office designated to make the decisions to approve or deny an accommodation. Faculty should not solicit or be asked to review a student’s documentation, or seek to arrange accommodations directly with the student.