In the spirit of our strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, here at Kalamazoo College we are committed to making education accessible to all students. We strive to increase access and opportunities for students with disabilities, and promote self-advocacy and growth. Dana Jansma, the Dean of Students, collaborates with students with disabilities on an individualized basis to create reasonable accommodations that support and promote success.

Policy on Meeting the Needs of Students with Disabilities

In compliance with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as Amended, and with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), Kalamazoo College recognizes that qualified students who have diagnosed or identified learning, physical, or emotional disabilities are entitled to the same benefits from the educational programs of the college as non-disabled students. Kalamazoo College is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified students with disabilities, unless that accommodation imposes undue hardship or burden or would not alleviate a direct threat to the student or others. The Dean of Students and the student will work together to negotiate and ensure appropriate accommodations that will work for the student. Cost associated with diagnosis, evaluation, and testing is the responsibility of the student, except in cases of severe financial need demonstrated to, and upon recommendation of, the Dean of Students. The office also makes assistance available to students experiencing short-term illness or physical injury.

Kalamazoo College has the right to deny a request for accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids and services if the documentation demonstrates that the request is not warranted, or if the individual fails to provide appropriate documentation.

Please direct questions to Dana Jansma, Dean of Students, Student Development Office, 269.337.7209, dana.jansma@kzoo.edu.

Procedure

• Complete the online Request for Disability Accommodation form. This needs to be initiated by the student. Parents cannot initiate or complete the accommodations process on behalf of a student.
• Provide documentation (guidelines for documentation are on the accommodation form) and any recommendations about necessary accommodations that are included. If the assessment does not provide the necessary information with which to determine accommodations, the Dean of Students may ask the student for additional assessment. IEP and 504 Plans from high school are not considered as documentation for college accommodations. However, they may be included as supplemental documentation.
• The Dean of Students will review the accommodations form and documentation, and will then reach out to the student to schedule an appointment to meet to discuss their needs in more detail. One should not assume that specific accommodations offered in high school would necessarily be offered by the College.
• The Dean of Students will communicate in writing to the student the approved accommodations.
• At the beginning of each academic term, the Dean of Students will email a letter about the accommodation(s) to the faculty of courses in which the student is registered (copied to the student and their academic advisor) unless the student requests that this step not be taken. It is the responsibility of the student to communicate with their faculty when they need to utilize their approved accommodation(s).
• If the accommodations do not seem to be working or modification need to be considered, the student should contact the Dean of Students and they will work together to discover why the accommodations are not working and to develop additional or different accommodations if that becomes necessary.