Platt College is Becoming Part of Concordia University, St. Paul

Revision Responsibility: Student and Career Services Coordinator

Responsible Executive Office: Dean of Nursing

Purpose: To establish equal access and participation for all persons, including those with disabilities in academic and other programs sponsored by Platt College.

Policy:

Platt College recognizes and supports the standards set forth in Section 504 of the Rehabilitations Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which are designed to prevent discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities. In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act, students are encouraged to contact the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator located in the Academic Support and Career Services Department at the beginning of their program for possible assistance with accommodations. Individuals are responsible for voluntarily and confidentially disclosing a disability and providing appropriate documentation regarding the nature and extent of a disability and the individual’s functional limitations. Documentation need only discuss a disability or limitation that pertains to the reasonable modification(s) being requested. Platt College cannot make reasonable modifications that are *”unduly burdensome” or that fundamentally alter the nature of the College’s programs. Medical documentation of disabilities and requested reasonable modifications must be presented in writing according to this policy.

Platt College is committed to equal access and participation for all persons, including those with disabilities, in employment, academics and other programs sponsored by Platt College. The Academic Support and Career Services Coordinator currently serves as the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator, and assists the College community to create and maintain a welcoming, accessible environment for perspective students, students and employees with disabilities.

Services provided through the Office of the Student and Career Services:

• Accommodation/Modification consultations for employees, supervisors, potential students, current students, and external constituents with disabilities
• Consultation with Platt College Administration regarding adapted technology
• Training for faculty, supervisors, and staff
• Classroom presentations about the ADA or other disability related issues
• Community referrals for students and employees
• Information about legislation that impacts persons with disabilities

What is considered a disability?

The ADA defines an individual with a disability as:

• Any person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the person’s major life activities (such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working).
• Any person who has a record of, a history of, or who has been classified as having a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more of the person’s major life activities.
• Any person regarded or perceived as having such impairment. This may encompass:  (1) any person who is regarded as having such an impairment that may not substantially limit major life activities, but that is treated by others as constituting such a limitation, or (2) any person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities only as a result of the attitudes of others toward such an impairment.

Examples of commonly reported disabilities are as follows:

• Attention Deficit Disorder and/or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
• Blind/Low Vision
• Deaf/Hard of Hearing
• Fibromyalgia
• Head Injury
• Learning Disability
• Migraine Headaches
• Physical Disabilities and Systematic Illnesses
• Psychiatric/Psychological Disabilities

If you would like additional information about any of the above disabilities, click here.

The Office of the Student and Career Services facilitates reasonable modifications for students and prospective students. Those who wish to request reasonable modifications should contact the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator, and provide up-to-date (within 3 years) documentation of disability. All information discussed is confidential between the designed Platt College ADA Coordinator the perspective student, student or employee, and any other Platt College representative deemed to be in a “need to know” position.

Examples of frequently requested student reasonable modifications include:

• Extended time for entrance test and class tests
• Sign language interpreters
• Tape recorded materials
• Peer note takers
• Access to adapted computer technology
• Referrals to other services and programs

If you are interested in applying to Platt College, and require reasonable modifications during the admissions process, an admissions coordinator will connect you with the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator to discuss your specific needs and provisions taken to accommodate those needs.

Procedures for Prospective Students and Enrolled Students

To arrange reasonable accommodations for a disability, a prospective student or enrolled student must complete the following steps:

Step 1: Students, during the admissions process, must inform the Admissions Representative that there is a need to speak with the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator, Darla Dolph, for ADA reasonable modifications that is neither a fundamental alteration nor an undue burden to the college to be made during admissions and enrollment processes.

Step 2: Students should review Policy 03:05:00 ADA in its entirety, as well as the Procedures for Request of ADA Accommodations document. In order to qualify for accommodations, students must complete and submit the following three completed forms to the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator describing specific reasonable modifications that would assist in the application processes:

Form 1: Accommodations Request;
Form 2: Permission for Release of Information; and
Form 3: Documentation of Disability-Related Need for an Accommodation  

Step 3: Upon request of the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator, students may be required to submit additional comprehensive diagnostic reports documenting their disability from a qualified and licensed medical professional. A comprehensive diagnostic report should include a diagnosis, all standardized assessment scores, a narrative/interpretation of the scores, a description of the educational impact on the individual (based on diagnosis and assessment results) and recommendations. The diagnostic report must be on letterhead, typed, dated, and signed, and otherwise legible. The name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator must be clearly stated. Professional credentials refer to an appropriately licensed professional qualified to administer and interpret diagnostic testing. Diagnoses written on prescription pads and/or parent’s notes indicating a disability are NOT considered appropriate document. 

Step 4: Once the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator has received all required forms and documentation, an intake meeting is scheduled with the student to discuss appropriate accommodations.

Step 5: After the appropriate documentation has been received and approved, the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator will send confidential letters to applicable College employees outlining needed accommodations.

Documentation on file should:

• Be completed within the last 3 years
• State clearly the diagnosed disability and educational or medical documentation.
• Describe the functional limitations resulting from the disability.
• If medication is prescribed, list relevant medication and side effects that the individual may experience.
• Describe the specific accommodations requested and explanation of why each accommodation is recommended.
• For learning disabilities, provide all psychological and educational testing instruments used in the evaluation report and relevant subtest scores used to document the stated disability.
• Privacy for Students

Students have privacy and confidentiality protections. College employees, by law cannot talk with parents, guardians or other individuals about an applicant's enrollment process, unless granted written permission to do so. 

Information for Employees with Disabilities

Title I of the ADA prohibits discrimination in all employment practices. Qualified persons with disabilities, including applicants and current employees are protected. Employers must provide reasonable accommodations that enable an employee to perform the essential functions of a job. Essential job functions consist of duties which require certain skills and/or abilities which cannot be delegated to another employee without substantially altering the position or imposing undue financial or administrative hardship. Essential duties must be clearly stated in all job descriptions. An employee must be able to perform these essential duties with or without accommodations. If an employee cannot perform the stated essential functions the employee may be considered unqualified for that specific job.

Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations consist of adjustments or modifications to a job or work environment that enable a qualified employee to participate in the application process, perform essential duties, and enjoy benefits and privileges afforded to other employees. It is the employee’s responsibility to disclose a disability and request accommodations.

If a request is made for a “Service Animal”, please note the following information provided by the Department of Justice:

• Under the ADA, a service animal is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability.  The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person's disability.

• Emotional support, therapy, comfort and/or companion animals are not considered service animals because they have not been trained to perform a specific job or task, therefore do not qualify as service animals under the ADA. Exception: The ADA makes a distinction between psychiatric service animals and emotional support animals. If the dog has been trained to sense that an anxiety attack is about to happen and take a specific action to help avoid the attack or lessen its impact, that would qualify as a service animal. 

Under Colorado Service Animal Laws, the following applies:

• Service animals, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), are either trained canines or miniature horses ONLY. There are no specific requirements about height and weight of canines, however, such specifications exist for miniature horses.
• Service animals in training are not protected by the ADA, however, they are protected under Colorado Revised Statute 24-34-803.
• Under Colorado state law HB16-1426 (effective January 2017), it is a crime to knowingly misrepresent an animal as a service animal.
• Service animals are working animals, not pets. They should not be pet, fed, or instructed to perform tasks by individuals other than their handler.
• Service animals must always be under the handler’s control. Service animals must have a harness, leash, or other tether unless the handler’s disability prohibits their use or if the animal’s tasks would be directly hindered by such equipment.

Requests for a Service Animal should be directed to the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator, supported by medical documentation to establish the existence of your disability and how the service animal assists you will be required. Please refer to “Procedures for Prospective Students and Enrolled Students” or “Procedures for Employees” as appropriate, for information on how to request this accommodation.

Procedures for Employees

The Academic Support and Career Services Coordinator serves as the ADA Coordinator and meets with employees regarding requests for reasonable workplace accommodations.  Reasonable accommodations are modifications made to remove workplace barriers and enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform their jobs.

The interactive process of requesting reasonable accommodations, in writing or verbally, can be initiated by an employee or applicant, or by someone acting on that person’s behalf. Requests for accommodation are often made by an employee’s administrator or a hiring official during the selection process. 

Employees or applicants should review Policy 03:05:00 ADA in its entirety, as well as the Procedures for Request of ADA Accommodations document. In order to qualify for accommodations, employees or applicants must complete and submit the following three completed forms to the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator describing specific reasonable modifications that would assist in the application processes:

Form 1: Accommodations Request;
Form 2: Permission for Release of Information; and
Form 3: Documentation of Disability-Related Need for an Accommodation  

The name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator must be clearly stated. Professional credentials refer to an appropriately licensed professional qualified to administer and interpret diagnostic testing. Diagnoses written on prescription pads and/or notes indicating a disability are NOT considered appropriate document. 

Once the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator has received all required forms and documentation, an intake meeting is scheduled with the employee or applicant to discuss appropriate accommodations. After the appropriate documentation has been received and approved, the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator will send confidential letters to applicable College employees outlining needed accommodations.

When a request is made, the ADA Coordinator secures and reviews the employee’s medical documentation in support of the request, and then makes a recommendation based on the health care provider’s suggested accommodation. 

As a matter of policy Platt College is committed to the full and total inclusion of all individuals and to the principle of individual rights and responsibilities, To this end, policies and procedures will ensure that persons with a disability will not, on the basis of that disability, be denied full and equal access to programs (Academic or employment) activities, or services or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under programs or activities offered by Platt College.

*Accommodations that are deemed to be “unduly burdensome” are usually decided by policy, curriculum, or finances. However, Platt College will work towards reasonably accommodating each individual.

Revised: August 4, 2009, August 12, 2011 to reflect ADA policy changes, Revised: November 9,2011 to reflect new ADA Procedures for Perspective Students and Enrolled Students, June 12, 2015 to reflect the addition of commonly reported disabilities, guidelines replaced with procedures list, addition of three forms in policy appendices, revised steps for ADA reporting process to the College for students and employees, deleted Opt In/Opt Out Form and Guidelines, July 12, 2019 to include language from State of Colorardo regarding service animals.