Morningside College will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities who are applicants for enrollment, enrolled students, applicants for employment, or employees.   Morningside College will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines, with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required, to provide equal opportunity to qualified individuals with disabilities.

Faculty Exam Accomodation Form

Student Exam Accomodation Form

Background - Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. "Nondiscrimation Under Federal Grants and Programs, "Sec. 504(a), states in part:   "No otherwise qualified handicapped individual in the United States, as defined in section 7 (8), shall, solely be reason of his handicap, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance..."

Statement of Purpose

It is the policy of Morningside College to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities who are applicants for enrollment, enrolled students, applicants for employment, or employees.   Morningside College will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to provide equal opportunity to qualified individuals with disabilities.  

     The following policy relates specifically to qualified individuals with disabilities enrolled at Morningside College who have qualified for admission by meeting standard institutional requirements.

Definition of Determination of a Disability

Morningside College will require supportive data to verify that a disability exists.   These may include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

              1. High school records.

              2. Rehabilitation organization records.

              3. Data from other colleges (for transfer students).

              4. Specific plans recommended by qualified professionals and/or consultants.

              5. Satisfactory medical determination as required.

The concepts of "reasonable accommodations" and "undue hardship" will be applied in implementing accommodations for each individual with a disability.

The accommodations selected will be based on the individual needs of the student who has a disability and the college's ability to reasonably accommodate the disabilities without undue hardship.   Examples of potential reasonable accommodations for students taking courses might include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:

                1. Classroom accessibility

                2. Note-taking services

                3. Copies of instructor's notes

                4. Tape recordings of class

                5. Reasonable equipment modification

                6. Preferential seating

                7. Large print materials

                8. Books on tape

                9. Test taking accommodations

              10. Word processor adaptations

              11. Reader service

Accommodations Procedures

Accommodations will be coordinated by the Associate Dean for the Learning Center. Students must initiate the accommodations process by notifying the Associate Dean for the Learning Center of their disability(s), by providing the appropriate documentation, and by meeting with the Associate Dean for the Learning Center to discuss appropriate accommodations.   Once the disability(s) has been verified, the Associate Dean for the Learning Center will serve as facilitator for the accommodations process.   The Associate Dean for the Learning Center will help students contact professors, will provide training, and will answer any questions faculty may have about the process.  

It is anticipated that the faculty/staff person will make adjustments based on reasonable actions as required and set forth in a "Plan of Accommodation," agreed in writing between the student and the Associate Dean for the Learning Center and based upon a student's documented needs.   Students who are denied requested accommodations should first contact the Associate Dean for the Learning Center, who will work with the student to find an adequate solution for the situation. If the situation is still not resolved, the student may appeal to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College.

For additional information contact:

Karmen Ten Napel

Associate Dean for the Learning Center

(712) 274-5191

tennapel@morningside.edu