YOUR RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES
As an “otherwise qualified student with a documented disability:”
► You have a right to equal access to MSU’s programs, courses, facilities, and activities.
► You have a right to forego identifying your disability or registering with the DS office, however doing so is required if you wish to use special services and accommodations.
► You have a right to determine to whom information about your disability will be released. Your documentation will be maintained confidentially in the DS office and your use of accommodations will not be noted on your transcript.
► You have a right to receive reasonable accommodations, at no cost to you, including auxiliary aids that are essential to your particular needs as a student, and to be an active participant in the determination process.
► You have a right at any time to discontinue using any or all of the accommodations for which you have been approved.
► You have a right to appeal if you believe you were unjustly denied accommodations or believe that discrimination occurred during the course of their delivery. If your complaint cannot be resolved with the help of the DS Coordinator, you may discuss it with the Office of the Provost, 205 Howell-McDowell Building, 606/783-2002. You are also entitled to file a grievance with the U.S. Office of Civil Rights.
► You are responsible for providing documentation to DS that establishes your eligibility for services. Additional information about this requirement can be found in a special section on this website (Disability Documentation Guidelines).
► You are responsible for making a reasonable advance notification to the DS office to allow time for accommodations to be arranged prior to your need for them.
► You are responsible for accessing your accommodations once they are established. It will involve some assertiveness on your part to make specific arrangements with professors and other providers.
► You are responsible for reserving the services and materials provided to you as part of an approved accommodation for your use only. They are not be shared, loaned, or sold to others.
► You are responsible for the expense and arrangement of any personal aids or services that exceed the university's obligation. You can clarify any confusion about this distinction at your initial intake session or by contacting DS in advance.
► You are responsible for renewing your request for accommodations each new semester. Renewal is a simple matter of e-mailing, calling or stopping by the DS office.
►You are responsible for notifying the DS Coordinator if you need help to trouble-shoot a situation, or if you should need additional referrals.
►You are responsible for informing the DS office if there is a substantial change in the status of your documented disability that might alter your entitlement to continued services.
