Disability Services Appeals Policy and Process

Introduction

Students who have been denied an accommodation by an instructor or other University staff member are encouraged to reach out directly to the Disability Service Coordinator (DSC) contact person listed on the top of their Accommodation Plan for immediate assistance (262.472.4711, csdat@uww.edu) .

Faculty or staff who disagree with a student’s accommodation or who are having difficulty implementing an accommodation are also encouraged to reach out directly to the DSC listed on the top of the student’s Accommodation Plan for immediate assistance.

If outreach to the Disability Services Coordinator does not resolve the issue, an individual may file a complaint by following the step-by-step process outlined below.

Step 1.
If an informal resolution cannot be reached, a complaint should be submitted in writing to the Director of the Center for Students with Disabilities outlining in detail the situation and attempts made to resolve it.

Step 2.
The Director of the Center for Students with Disabilities, or their designee, will meet with the complainant and attempt to resolve the complaint.

Step 3.
If Step 2 does not resolve the complaint, the Director of CSD, or their designee, will forward the complaint to the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs/Dean of Students. 

Step 4.
The Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs/Dean of Students , or designee, will meet with the complainant after receipt of the complaint and, upon review, investigation, or other action, provide a recommendation to the Director of the Center for Students with Disabilities, faculty member, and the Head of Academic Department.

Step 5.
The Director of CSD will provide written notice to the complainant after receipt of the Assistant Vice Chancellor’s recommendation and take necessary steps to implement the recommendation.

Note: Each step outlined above will typically be completed within one week to ensure timely review and resolution of a complaint. There are, however, many factors that may affect the length of time needed to resolve a complaint.

Individuals, including employees, visitors, and members of the public, who believe that they have been subjected to unlawful discrimination or harassment of any kind are encouraged to contact the Human Resources Office, ADA Coordinator (adacoordinator@uww.edu, or 262.472.1024)

Students who have been denied a requested accommodation by CSD Staff related to their status as a student (not student employee) may initially attempt to resolve matters by providing additional documentation, evidence, and/or support to the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) for review. The student may contact CSD to discuss the nature of the complaint and factors to consider as part of the interactive process for review.  Often this initial review is sufficient to resolve the matter.

Step 1.
If an informal resolution cannot be reached, the student should submit an accommodation appeal in writing to the Director of the Center for Students with Disabilities (reuterd@uww.edu).

Step 2.
The Director of the Center for Students with Disabilities, or their designee, will meet with the student and review the information and materials in the student’s file, the Disability Service Coordinator’s findings and recommendations, and the rationale provided by the individual denying the accommodation.

Step 3.
If Step 2 does not resolve the appeal, the student may send a written request for review to the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs/Dean of Students. 

Step 4.
The Assistant  Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs/Dean of Students , or designee, will meet with the student after receipt of the accommodation appeal and, upon review, investigation, or other action, provide a recommendation to the Director of the Center for Students with Disabilities.

Step 5.
The Director of the Center for Students with Disabilities after receipt of the Assistant  Vice Chancellor’s recommendation will take necessary steps to implement the recommendation.

Students who have been denied an accommodation by CSD may choose to contact the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs/Dean of Students directly without engaging in the interactive process. However, the Vice Chancellor may refer a student concern back to CSD if the interactive process has not been fully engaged before accepting an appeal request.