I. POLICY STATEMENT

The Administration, Faculty, and Staff of Hutchinson Community College (HutchCC) are committed to providing equal education, employment opportunity, and full participation for all individuals with disabilities.

HutchCC recognizes its responsibility to provide equal access to opportunity, full inclusion, and integration for persons with disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended in 2008. It is HutchCC's policy that "no otherwise qualified" person with a disability be excluded from participating in any HutchCC program or activity, be denied the benefits of any HutchCC program or activity, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination with regard to any HutchCC program or activity.

Prospective and current students with disabilities requesting accommodations must do so by contacting the Coordinator of Accessibility Services at 620-665-3554, or by emailing AccessibilityServices@hutchcc.edu.

Prospective and current employees with disabilities requesting accommodations must do so by contacting the Director of Human Resources at 620-665-3497, or by emailing hrinfo@hutchcc.edu.

Patrons with disabilities attending HutchCC sponsored functions requesting accommodations must contact the President's Office at 620-665-3505 at least 10 days prior to the event.

II. DEFINITIONS

1. Disability means, with respect to an individual:
   1. a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the person's major life activities; or
   2. a history of such an impairment; or
   3. being regarded as having such an impairment
2. Qualified Individual with a Disability is someone who (with or without accommodations) meets the essential eligibility requirements for participating in programs, services, and activities provided by the college.
3. Accommodations means adjustments including reasonable modifications to rules, policies, or practices; environmental adjustments such as the removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers; or auxiliary aids and services. Examples of accommodations include, but are not limited to: alternative testing, extended time, scribe services, sign language interpreting, reduced distraction environment, brailled material, recorded lectures, and computer-assisted instruction.
4. Essential Eligibility Requirement means the academic or other technical standards required for admission to or participation in the college's programs, services, or activities which an individual must be able to meet with or without accommodation.
5. Individual means any person applying for admission to or participation in a program, service, or activity of the College.

III. RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Hutchinson Community College Administration:
   1. shall designate a person or office (The Office of Accessibility Services located in the Parker Student Union) to coordinate its efforts to comply with and fulfill its responsibilities under Title II of the ADAAA and Section 504 and to investigate any complaints alleging the institution's non-compliance with Title II of the ADA and Section 504.
   2. shall maintain and require academic and technical standards in their individual programs.
   3. shall designate a person or persons (The Office of Accessibility Services located in the Parker Student Union) to coordinate student requests for accommodations, assess provided documentation, determine appropriate accommodations, and assist students with notification of accommodations to their instructors.
   4. shall provide students, faculty, and staff with information regarding disabilities, accommodations, and assistive technology.
   5. shall provide a student an opportunity to appeal decisions made by the Office of Accessibility Services if the individual feels that he/she has been denied equal access to a HutchCC program or activity because of a disability.
   6. shall make available information regarding policies and procedures to students with disabilities.
2. The Office of Accessibility Services
   1. shall serve as a clearinghouse for all Accessibility Services requests and documentation and maintain appropriate confidentiality of documentation and communication concerning students with disabilities.
   2. shall develop appropriate accommodations that will provide a student with disabilities equal access to the campus, courses, programs, and all college related activities.
   3. shall assist students with transition from high school to college.
   4. shall assist faculty who are providing accommodations.
   5. shall use the student interview, Application for Accessibility Services, disability documentation, and course requirements to make appropriate accommodation determinations.
3. The Student
   1. shall be responsible for self-identifying to the Office of Accessibility Services.
   2. shall complete and turn in an Application for Accessibility Services.
   3. shall provide appropriate documentation to support the need for accommodations.
   4. shall meet with the Office of Accessibility Services either in person, on-line, or on the phone each semester to set up accommodations.
   5. shall communicate with his/her instructor(s) regarding the accommodations needed to provide equal access to the course.
   6. shall return a signed copy of the Letter of Accommodation to the Office of Accessibility Services each semester.
4. The Faculty
   1. shall use accessibility guidelines when developing classroom material.
   2. shall provide approved accommodations for students with disabilities with support from the Office of Accessibility Services.
   3. shall supply required tests, handouts, and notes to the Office of Accessibility Services as warranted so they can be formatted for student use.
5. The Employee
   1. shall self-identify to the Human Resources Office.
   2. shall provide documentation as requested by the Human Resources Office.
6. The Human Resources Office
   1. shall provide reasonable accommodations as warranted.
   2. shall evaluate all requests individually.