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Academic Policies
Accommodation of Students with Disabilities
General Guidelines
Specific Procedures
Normal and Acceptable Progress
Residence Requirement
Cocurricular Participation
Class Attendance
Snow Days
Academic Probation and Dismissal
Academic Responsibility Code
Accommodation of Students with Disabilities
Concordia College is committed to providing access to learning opportunities for students with disabilities who meet the standard criteria for admission. Students accepted for admission are considered capable of meeting academic standards if reasonable accommodations can be made for their disability which do not compromise the academic integrity of the College or the students' educational program. The College's commitment stems from its desire to provide opportunities for an education to all who meet the admissions criteria and to fully serve its constituency.
The College is further committed to complying with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and interpreted, in meeting the needs of students who have disabilities under the law. It is the policy of the College to make services available for students who, through a recent assessment, can document a disability. Services provided shall include support, counseling, information and academic assistance.
Furthermore, Concordia College policy calls for appropriate accommodations to be made for students with documented disabilities on an individual and flexible basis. It is the responsibility of students, however, to make their needs known and to seek available assistance at the College.
The following guidelines describe procedures by which reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities enrolled at Concordia College can be accomplished.
General Guidelines
It is the responsibility of each student with a disability to provide written notification to the director of the Center for Educational Counseling and Personal Growth immediately upon acceptance for admission to the College. This notification must include the nature of the disability and the need for special services. The director of the Center will respond by providing a copy of this policy to the students and their families. Students should provide results of formal testing and/or evaluation of the disability as well as historical documentation of having received services in educational settings. The College will accept testing and/or evaluations from appropriately licensed personnel in recognized agencies. The College may require additional testing or evaluation if the documentation is inadequate or more than three years old.
All Concordia students are expected to assume an appropriate level of responsibility for their educational and personal needs during their time at the College. This means that the students may initially need more support from the institution but that over a period of time the goal is to have the students doing as much as possible for themselves.
The considerations essential for determining the scope
of academic adjustments necessary centers on three major points:
1. The essential course content and requirements necessary for
academic credit;
2. The course standards for academic performance which must be
met to complete the course; and
3. The accommodations necessary for the students to access the
course content, thus being provided an opportunity equal to that
afforded others in meeting the requirements.
Accommodations will be designed to meet the individual needs of the students. However, they cannot compromise curricular goals, standards, or the essential course content, nor interfere with the rights or opportunities afforded others. All acceptable accommodations will recognize the faculty members' right to determine the content and academic performance standards in the classroom.
Specific Procedures
Step 1: Notification
It is the responsibility of each student with a
disability to provide written notification to the director of the
Center for Educational Counseling and Personal Growth immediately
upon acceptance for admission to the College.
Step 2: Referral
Other individuals, such as faculty, staff, family or
representatives of the Division of Rehabilitation Services that have
reason to believe that a student may have a disability that hinders
their academic performance, can refer the student to the Center for
Educational Counseling and Personal Growth.
Step 3: Certification/Validation
If the disability has been previously identified (either
through documentation of a history of having received services in
other educational settings or through independent testing by
appropriately licensed personnel in a recognized agency), copies of
the documentation must be provided to the director of the Center for
Educational Counseling and Personal Growth. If the disability has not
been diagnosed or if a more recent or adequate evaluation is
necessary, further assessment may be required by the College to
determine eligibility for services. If further testing or evaluation
is necessary, the student will be referred to an appropriate public
or private community agency, with the cost to be borne by the
student.
Step 4: Development of an Accommodation Plan
The director of the Center for Educational Counseling and
Personal Growth or a representative, and appropriate faculty and
staff will confer with the student and appropriate support persons.
They will strive to develop a plan to provide the reasonable
accommodations necessary for the student to achieve the course or
curriculum requirements and to provide support services as necessary.
Responsibilities of the student as well as accommodations to be made
by the faculty will be outlined in the plan.
When changes in the required course sequence for graduation, the major/minor, or Core are requested, the director of the Center for Educational Counseling and Personal Growth, the 504 Officer and the Registrar will confer. As necessary and appropriate, depending upon the nature of the request, approval may need to be obtained from the Core Committee, the Curriculum Committee or the department chair. The College Registrar will be notified of any changes in graduation requirements. If the changes are not mutually agreeable, the student, faculty member or director of the Center may use the resolution procedure as outlined in step six.
Step 5: Implementation
The college will assist students in implementing
accommodation plans by:
1.Working with students to plan a course of study early enough
so that the students may schedule an appropriate load or courses each
semester;
2. Communicating, either in writing or through conferences at
the beginning of each semester, to explain to faculty the nature of
the disability, review the requests for accommodation, and determine
the specific responsibilities of the parties involved.
3. Meeting with the student regularly to review personal
adjustment and course progress, to engage in any necessary
problem-solving with students, and to provide encouragement and
support;
4. Making appropriate referrals to campus and community
resources.
Step 6: Resolution Process
In the event that a reasonable accommodation plan cannot be
formulated or thereafter implemented, or if questions arise as to its
implementation, the following process shall be employed:
1. The matter shall be brought before the director of the
Center for Educational Counseling and Personal Growth.
2. If not resolved, the matter shall be brought before the
Committee on Academic Regulations and Procedures under its
established procedures. The Committee on Academic Regulations and
Procedures will hold a review at which time all involved parties will
be allowed to present rationale for their positions. The Committee on
Academic Regulations and Procedures will give recommendations to all
parties.
3. If that process does not result in agreement, an appeal may
be made to the College 504 officer, the vice president for academic
affairs. His or her decision will be final in all cases.
Normal and Acceptable Progress
(See page 40.)
Residence Requirement
To fulfill this requirement, students must earn at least seven courses on campus and must spend the last two semesters preceding graduation as a full-time student at Concordia.
Cocurricular Participation
Every college-sponsored activity should provide the Committee on Academic Regulations and Procedures with its eligibility requirements. While those responsible for coaching, directing or coordinating these activities are encouraged to develop eligibility requirements that suit their particular activity best, the minimum requirement at Concordia College is students participating in college-sponsored activities must be enrolled for at least three course credits. Students who do not meet this minimum may appeal to the committee for an exception to the rule, as may directors who have special needs that this policy makes impossible for them to meet.
Class Attendance
Students who miss class because of participation in college-sponsored activities (e.g., intercollegiate athletics, choral and instrumental groups, forensics, mock trial, and department-sponsored activities) should be allowed to complete missed work without penalty. Faculty will determine whether and what kind of make-up work is required, and whether the work is to be completed prior to their departure or upon their return. If class attendance is a factor in determining the final grade, students who miss class because of college-sponsored activities should not be assessed a penalty. If class participation is a factor in determining the final grade, faculty should allow students to fulfill the participation requirement by some other means or at some other time.
Students who participate in college-sponsored activities should be notified by their coaches, directors or activity coordinators of the dates of the scheduled absences as soon as possible. (This information is useful before students preregister for classes.) It is the responsibility of students to notify faculty of scheduled absences at the beginning of the semester, or as soon as that information is available to them. Students must complete all missed work unless excused by the faculty member from this obligation.
Faculty and staff who are responsible for coaching, directing or coordinating college-sponsored activities should provide students with the dates of scheduled absences no later than the beginning of the semester, and provide faculty with verification or rosters and scheduled absences at the earliest point available. If exact dates are unavailable, the number of scheduled absences and their approximate dates should be provided. To the extent that coaches, directors and coordinators have control of the number of scheduled absences, they should be prudent in the number of absences they require of the students. Faculty or students should bring to the attention of the Committee on Academic Regulations and Procedures any college-sponsored activity which, in their opinion, has scheduled an excessive number of absences. Programs which, in the opinion of the Committee, persist in over-scheduling will be reported to the dean and the president.
Snow Days
Since about 80 percent of our students are on campus or within a few blocks of campus, most students are generally able to attend classes in bad weather. A large percentage of faculty and staff also live close enough to the campus to make it to the college in bad weather. Because of these two factors, classes are generally held and the college remains open for everyone who is able to be here. Faculty who are unable to attend their classes on storm days are asked to first call their department, or second, the Office of the Registrar, so that notices can be posted for their classes. Staff who are unable to make it to the office are asked to contact their supervisor.
There will be times when the college may be forced to cancel classes or, on rare occasions, to close when the whole community is at a standstill, when winds are raging and there is no relief in sight. In that event, the decision-making process on whether or not to hold classes or close the college will begin at approximately 5 a.m. with a final decision before 6:30 a.m. The decision will be announced on radio and television, on campus e-mail messages, or on the information line (4000). If you do not hear any notice being given, assume classes are being held and the college is open. Please do not call Campus Security unless it is an emergency.
Academic Probation and Dismissal
While the guidelines listed under the Academic Progress section (page 40) represent acceptable progress, it is expected that students will exceed these standards. Students not meeting the standards for acceptable academic progress are placed on academic probation, which requires the student to work with an assigned academic counselor and attend a skills improvement seminar.
If a student on probation does not meet the standards for acceptable academic progress but attains a 2.0 grade point average in a minimum of three courses, he or she may be given permission to remain on probation for another semester. Failure to improve, however, may result in academic suspension.
Students may be suspended from Concordia at any time if the student's academic performance in any given semester falls below a 1.00 GPA. The Committee on Academic Standards may consider appeals on suspension actions.
A student who has been suspended from the college may be reinstated on a probationary and contractual basis after one year. The appeal for reinstatement must be submitted in writing to the Committee on Academic Standards. A student who has fallen below minimum standards and who has been out of school for an extended period of time may have his or her financial assistance reinstated upon written appeal.
Students are encouraged to take advantage of summer school as a way to raise their academic standing to minimum standards.
Academic Responsibility Code
A Joint Statement on Academic Responsibility (found in the College Handbook), adopted by both the faculty and student senates in 1968, and the Academic Integrity at Concordia Handbook, adopted in 1995, outline the responsibilities faculty and students have in maintaining academic integrity. If possible, complaints are to be resolved by the involved parties. If necessary, problems may be referred to the Academic Responsibility Board for resolution. Student or Consumer Inquiries by students, parents or persons with concerns should be forwarded to the academic deans' office for information.
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Date of last update: 7/8/97
Copyright © 1997 Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn. All
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