Disability Services

Rights and Responsibilities of Students with Disabilities

 

A short guide to knowing and understanding the law and what it means to you

 

Student Rights

 

In college you are responsible to make sure that your needs are met. Two federal civil rights laws can assist you in reaching your education goals. These laws are called the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. These laws provide students with these rights:

 

  • the right to equal access to postsecondary education;
  • the right to non-discrimination;
  • the right to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of MSUM;
  • the right to an accessible education;
  • the right to an appropriate accommodation;
  • the right to have information about your disability kept private.

 

Please realize that the laws do not require MSUM to lower its academic standards. MSUM will not:

 

  • give you easier work; or
  • change the rules to make it easier for you than other students.

 

You must continually meet relevant academic and conduct standards to receive protection of the law.

 

Accommodations

 

The law states that some students with disabilities have a right to academic accommodations.

 

Examples of accommodations/services include:

 

  • Extended testing time
  • Quiet test environment
  • Special seating
  • Taped textbooks
  • Note taking
  • Assistive Technology
  • Interpreter
  • Scribe
  • Reader
  • Priority registration
  • Individual support
  • Tape-recorded lectures
  • Enlarged print
  • Faculty liaison
  • Strategy development
  • Rehabilitation Agency liaison

 

Disclosure

 

You will not receive accommodations or assistance unless you tell Disability Services of your disability.

 

Your responsibility is to tell Disability Services that you will need an accommodation and provide recent professional documentation of your disability.  (Please see Documentation Guidelines)

 

Accommodations must be appropriate and effective for your situation. An effective accommodation will address the specific limitations caused by your disability.

 

Finally, understand that MSUM must provide educational accommodations at no cost to you. But they do not have to provide or pay for:

 

  • personal devices;
  • accommodations for personal use;
  • accommodations which fundamentally alter a school program, cost too much money or need too many people to make it work.

 

This means that MSUM will not pay for personal care attendants; will not pay for you to have an accommodation at home to do your homework; and do not have to provide an accommodation if it is too expensive.

 

Student Responsibilities

 

  1. Once you have been admitted at MSUM, contact Greg Toutges, Coordinator of Disability Services at 218-477-2131 (Voice) or 800-627-3529 (MRS/TTY) to schedule an intake appointment.
  2. Provide Documentation  It is the student’s responsibility to provide recent professional documentation of his or her disability.  (Please see Documentation Guidelines)
  3. Request Accommodations
    Request accommodations as far in advance as is possible.
  4. Meet Academic and Conduct Standards

 

You get no special treatment because you have a disability. You must still meet the essential requirements of a class or program.