Concordia College

Student Disability Services:

A Service of the Counseling Center

Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act states that institutions of higher education may not discriminate on the basis of disability. This means that all students who are academically qualified must be admitted to all programs of the institution. Aspects of the law with which advisors should be familiar include:

l. It is discriminatory to counsel a student with a disability toward a more restrictive career than a non-disabled person unless such counsel is based on the fact that, even with accommodations, the student is not able to perform essential requirements of the career.

2. No student may be excluded from any course or course of study solely on the basis of disability.

3. Modification in degree or course requirements may be necessary to meet the needs of some students with disabilities and are decided on a case-by-case basis. Such accommodations need not be made if the institution can demonstrate that the changes requested would substantially alter essential elements of the course or program.

4. Some students with disabilities have early registration privileges. This allows Student Disability Services more time in which to work out a specific plan for meeting their needs. Students early registering will need to meet with you ahead of the usual advisement time. You will be notified when you have a student who has early registration privileges.

5. Students with disabilities must be given equal access to professors/advisors. If your office is not accessible, you should inform students of this fact and make special arrangements to meet elsewhere.

General Guidelines

Student Disability Services is located within the Counseling Center. Monica Kersting, Director of the Counseling Center, is the point person for students with disabilities. The Assistant Registrar and the Director of the Counseling Center coordinate registration, academic regulations and other concerns for students with disabilities. You may refer a student to Student Disability Services at any time. You may also contact Monica Kersting to consult about a student or for assistance with advising. Encourage students to maintain regular contact with Disability Services, as well as with you, as they plan their academic agenda.

Students are generally very comfortable talking about their specific disability and how it impacts their daily life including, but not limited to, academics. The more straightforward you are in asking about the disability, the more comfortable you will make the students feel. Ask about how the disability impacts their ability to fulfill class requirements and whether there are certain classes that should not be taken in conjunction with one another. Ask about their most positive classroom experience and what they thought contributed to such a positive experience. Such information may be helpful in professor selection.  As you get to know the students you will feel more and more comfortable talking with them about their disability and its relationship to their academic plans and goals.

Sometimes advising considerations will differ. For example, a student with a learning disability may need to consider postponing a core course if his or her major requires that a course with a heavy reading load be taken next. Again, depending on individual needs, it might be advisable to schedule a variety of classes rather than taking all classes with a heavy reading load or all classes with a heavy writing load. Encourage a balance with regard to class schedule as well. Talk through options and potential consequences of options. Will taking fewer courses one semester delay graduation? Would a full course load jeopardize a GPA they are trying to maintain? Could postponed courses be taken during the summer? As with all students, the final decision is their own and your job is to assure that their decision is a well informed one. Students with disabilities may require a different focus when planning schedules and setting out academic plans, but they do not need someone to do it for them.

Please direct all questions and concerns to Monica Kersting, Student Disability Services, Counseling Center (#3514).