Disabilities Services

Resolving Accommodation Disagreements

Chemeketa Community College supports you and your right to voice your concerns when you believe that you have been denied equal access in the form of appropriate accommodations or that you have suffered discriminatory treatment as described in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. While we encourage you to resolve your concerns directly with the Chemeketa Community College staff person involved, we recognize that this may not always be appropriate and offer the following informal and formal resolution procedures.

Informal Dispute Resolution Process For Students Receiving Disability Services

The following informal process is for students receiving services from the college's Disability Services and is a non-exclusive alternative to resolve issues of immediate concern:

I. Resolving Concerns with General College - Staff, Programs, Departments, and Organizations

You are encouraged to discuss your concerns with your Accommodation Specialist.

Your Accommodation Specialist will assist you in resolving concerns by clarifying your concerns and facilitating communication with the staff person, program, department, or organization. Your Accommodation Specialist may contact the appropriate department chair, dean of student development, or other necessary staff in an effort to clarify and resolve the situation.

Most situations are positively resolved through the Accommodation Specialist's support and mediation. You and other involved parties will be notified by your Accommodation Specialist of progress, findings, or resolution within fourteen business days. Due to the urgency of many issues, it is likely that many problems will be resolved much sooner.

At any time during this informal resolutions process, you may choose to submit a complaint or file a formal grievance. The college's "Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook" provides information on these procedures.

II. Resolving Concerns with Disability Services Staff

If you cannot directly resolve an issue with the disability services staff member or if you do not feel comfortable discussing this directly with the staff member, you may contact the appropriate supervisor.

The supervisor will attempt to resolve your concerns regarding the staff member. The supervisor may contact other necessary staff in an effort to clarify and resolve the situation.

Most situations are positively resolved through supervisor support and mediation. You and other involved parties will be notified by the supervisor of progress, findings, or resolution within fourteen business days. Due to the urgency of many issues, it is likely that many problems will be resolved much sooner.

If you have concerns regarding your disability services staff, contact the supervisor listed below:

Rebecca Bolante, Disability Services Coordinator, 503.399.5276, bolante@chemeketa.edu

If you have concerns about your in-class service providers, contact the following staff listed below:

Rebecca Bolante, Disability Services Coordinator, 503.399.5276, bolante@chemeketa.edu

If you have concerns regarding your accommodation services, or the Coordinator of Disability Services, contact the Associate Dean of Student Services, Jill Ward, 503.399.8111.

At any time during this informal resolutions process, you may choose to submit a complaint or file a formal grievance. The college's "Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook" provides information on these procedures.

Resolving Concerns of Discrimination or Harassment on the Basis of Disability

Chemeketa Community College policy prohibits any college employee, representative, or student from engaging in harassment or discrimination of another member of the College community on the basis of disability.

Harassment is verbal, visual, or physical behavior that can reasonably be perceived by the receiver as unwelcome/offensive and refers in a demeaning way to a disability, creates a hostile educational environment, and subjects students to different terms or conditions based on disability. The College will not tolerate such behavior and will promptly attend to complaints.

If you believe that you have been discriminated against or harassed, you are encouraged to file a complaint through contacting any member on the Harrassment Network Committee.

Resolving Discrimination Concerns Outside of the College

You may file an external complaint of disability discrimination with:

• U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights
  915 Second Avenue, Room 3310
  Seattle, WA 98174-1099
  Phone: 1.206.220.7900
  Fax: 1.206.220.7887
  www.ed.gov/ocr/complaintprocess.html
• Disability Rights Oregon
  620 SW Fifth Avenue, Suite 500
  Portland, OR 97204
  Phone: 503.243.2081 or 1.800.452.1694
  TTY: 503.323.9161 or 1.800.556.5351
  Fax: 1.800.513.2321
  www.disabilityrightsoregon.org

Updated August 4, 2008 by Web Services.