2-07 Substitute Admission and Graduation Requirements for Students with Disabilities

Policy: 6Hx28:2-07

Responsible Executive: Executive Vice President, Academic Affairs and College Provost

Policy Contacts: Chief Human Resources Officer

Specific Authority: 1001.64 and 1001.65, F.S.

Law Implemented: 1001.64 and 1001.65, F.S.

Effective Date: 02-25-2015

Date of Last Policy Review: 08-12-2019

Policy:

Policy Statement:

1. Any student who has provided Valencia College’s (“College”) Office for Students with Disabilities with appropriate documentation of a disability, as defined by Florida Statute §1007.02, shall be eligible to request a reasonable modification/substitution for admission requirements to the College, a program of study, or graduation requirement(s) provided that the individual’s inability to meet the requirement is related to the disability and where the failure to meet the graduation requirement or program admission requirement does not constitute a fundamental alteration in the nature of the program.

   The College will provide a mechanism:

   1. for determining, upon receipt of notification by a student that they are seeking a substitution, whether students are eligible for reasonable substitutions;
   2. for identifying reasonable substitutions for criteria for admission to the institution, admission to a program of study, or graduation related to each disability for eligible students;
   3. for making substitutions known to affected persons;
   4. for making substitution decisions on an individual basis; and
   5. for a student to appeal denial of a substitution or a determination of eligibility.
2. Articulation with Other State Institutions

   In order to provide articulation with other state institutions, the College shall accept all comparable substitutions previously granted by other state postsecondary institutions as they may relate to admission to the College, admission to a program of study, or graduation from the College.

Policy History:

Adopted 12-10-02; Amended 12-21-04; Amended 2-25-2015; Formerly 6Hx28:5-15

Procedures:

1. Course substitutions will be considered only for those students who have documented disabilities. Documentation must specifically show that the student’s failure to meet the requirement is related to the disability and must follow the College guidelines for appropriate documentation.
2. Course substitutions will only be granted in cases where failure to meet the graduation or program admission requirement(s) does not constitute a fundamental alteration in the nature of the college program or when the academic requirement(s) are not essential to the program of study or to meet licensing or certification requirements.
3. Mechanism for Considering Course Substitution Requests
   1. The College has created the Collegewide Course Substitution Committee as the mechanism for students with disabilities to request reasonable course substitutions in the areas of admission to the college, admission to a program of study, graduation, or entry into upper division courses where appropriate. The Committee will evaluate all substitution requests made by eligible students with disabilities; make substitution recommendations; and forward substitutions granted under this policy to the Assistant Vice President of Records and Registration for inclusion in the student's permanent record. The Committee’s decision will be communicated to the student making the request and any pertinent departments in writing.
   2. The Substitution Committee shall be a collegewide body. With the exception of the Chairperson and other positions with no alternate, new committee members will be appointed every two years. The Committee will consist of five voting members; alternates are trained to fill in if assigned members cannot meet: Committee Chairperson (Director, Curriculum and Articulation); one Mathematics faculty member (and alternate); one Foreign Language faculty (and alternate); one Student Services representative (and alternate); Director, Office for Students with Disabilities (and alternate). All official members of the Substitution Committee shall have one vote.
   3. The Substitution Committee will meet three times during the academic year, once in each of the principal academic terms. Meetings will be scheduled by the Committee Chairperson and held in November, March and June of each year.
4. Mechanism for Admission Substitution/Modification Requests
   1. Students may also request substitutions or modifications for admission to the College and/or a program of study or graduation requirement (other than the requirements addressed in the Course Substitution process). The request must be related to the substantial limitation of the documented disability; the request must not alter the fundamental nature of the program. Note that a successful substitution to the College or a program of study may not alter federal requirements such as federal financial aid, residency requirements, etc.
   2. All requests must be made to the Director of the Office for Students with Disabilities, who will convene an ad hoc committee of the relevant departments to engage in an interactive discussion to determine if the request:
   3. Is related to the documented disability; and
   4. Does not alter the fundamental nature of the program.
   5. The ad hoc committee may be made up of the Dean of the relevant department and/or program chair, advisors or faculty member, the Registrar, and/or other relevant College administration.
   6. Students may address the committee in person or in writing to make their requests.
   7. The ad hoc committee’s decision will be communicated to the student making the request and any pertinent departments in writing.
5. Mechanism for Making Substitutions Known to Affected Persons
   1. The mechanism for the making of designated substitutions shall be made known to affected persons by inclusion in the College catalog, and the Office for Students with Disabilities Handbook.
6. Mechanism for Student Appeal
   1. Within ten (10) business days of the email notification by the College of either the decision of the Course Substitution Committee referenced in Section A(1) or the decision by the ad hoc committee referenced in Section B(3), the student may appeal in writing to the Executive Vice President, Academic Affairs and College Provost. The student's written appeal must contain:
      1. A statement outlining the background of the case, including all pertinent information the student wishes the Executive Vice President, Academic Affairs and College Provost to consider.
      2. An explanation as to why the appeal is being sought, including the decision or action being sought by the student.
   2. The Executive Vice President, Academic Affairs and College Provost shall set a date to hear the appeal within ten (10) days following receipt of the request. The purpose of the hearing shall be to obtain information on which the Executive Vice President, Academic Affairs and College Provost can make a decision regarding the appeal.
   3. Final determination of the matter shall rest with the Executive Vice President, Academic Affairs and College Provost, who shall promptly transmit the decision in writing to the student and the Course Substitution Committee chair in the case of Course Substitutions, or to the Director of the Office for Students with Disabilities in the case of Admission Substitutions.

Procedure History: Adopted 12-10-02; Amended 12-21-04; Amended 2-25-15; Amended 08-12-19; Formerly 6Hx28:5-15

Date of Last Procedure Review: 08-12-2019