Disability Services
- Policies and Procedures
Policies and procedures for disability services will be developed by the Office for Equity and Diversity and the Diversity Management team. All policies and procedures should be system-wide in perspective, and will be reviewed as needed by the System Administrative Council.
- Disability Compliance
The Office for Equity and Diversity serves as the disability compliance office for the university system.
- Student Requests for Academic Accommodations – Shared responsibility
For all students requesting accommodations on the Springfield and Mountain Grove Campuses, DS will serve as the initial contact point. Requests for accommodation on the West Plains Campus will be initiated with the Student Advising and Academic Support Center (SAAS Center) on the West Plains Campus. DS will provide referral to the LDC for evaluation of documentation and requests for accommodation when a mental or psychological impairment is claimed or indicated by the student. DS will provide evaluation of disability documentation and requests for accommodation for students when a physical disability is claimed or indicated as the primary disability. DS and LDC will serve in a consulting role to the SAAS Center on the West Plains Campus and to the Mountain Grove Campus.
- Oversight of Administration of Recommended Academic Accommodations – Shared responsibility
DS will oversee the administration of DS-recommended academic accommodations on the Springfield Campus and provide recommendations to a contact person on the Mountain Grove Campus. LDC will oversee the administration of LDC-recommended academic accommodations on the Springfield Campus and provide recommendations to a contact person on the Mountain Grove Campus. LDC will also oversee administration of all LDC-recommended accommodations that result from diagnostic testing provided by the Counseling and Testing Center, and/or Taylor Health and Wellness Center. The West Plains SAAS Center will oversee the administration of DS and/or LDC recommended accommodations on the West Plains Campus.
- Diagnostic Testing for Learning Disability and Attention Deficit Disorder
All students in the University system can request diagnostic testing from the LDC. This testing is designed primarily to identify and document learning disabilities (LD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). No referral from the DS or the Academic Support Center is required for a student to request LDC diagnostic testing. There is a sliding-scale fee charged for LDC testing services.
- Requests for Employment Accommodations for Faculty and Staff – Shared responsibility
Requests from faculty or staff from the West Plains campus for accommodations for disabilities of any type is initiated with the campus liaison. Requests from all other faculty and staff in the University system are initiated with the Office for Equity and Diversity.
- Assistive Technology– Shared responsibility
The Springfield Campus Assistive Technology Coordinator will provide technical assistance and consultation with academic accommodations for all students in the Missouri State University System. Requests for assistance with academic accommodations for students should be initiated on respective campuses with the disability service provider. Requests for assistance with employment accommodation requests should be initiated with the campus liaison for employees at the West Plains campus and with the Office for Equity and Diversity for employees at any other campus location.
- Assistive Listening Devices – Shared responsibility
For community performances/events, the request for an assistive listening device should be initiated with the performance/event coordinator. At the West Plains campus, the campus liaison and the SAAS Center can provide consultation. For community performances/events, the request for an assistive listening device should be initiated with the performance/event coordinator. The Office for Equity and Diversity and Disability Services can provide consultation.
- ADA Training and Education for Faculty and Staff - Shared responsibility
Office for Equity and Diversity and the Disability Management Team will develop and coordinate ADA training and education for the University system. The West Plains and Mtn. Grove campuses will send representatives to training on the Springfield campus who will then share with the home campus. The Office for Equity and Diversity will facilitate a minimum of one training session a year at the West Plains campus.
- Accessible Physical Facilities – Shared responsibility
The Office for Equity and Diversity and the Disability Management Team will provide consultation to all campuses in the University system.
- Grievance Procedure for ADA-related Grievances – Shared responsibility
The system Office for Equity and Diversity processes all complaints other than those handled under the informal resolution processes at the West Plains campus. The West Plains campus liaison processes complaints under the informal resolution processes (unless the unique circumstances of the complaint indicate otherwise) and notifies the Office for Equity and Diversity of the complaint.
- Grant and Legislative Proposals
All grant and legislative proposals for disability-related needs should be comprehensive in nature (i.e., system-wide in perspective and encompassing a broad range of disability types). The Office for Equity and Diversity and the Disability Management Team primarily initiates grant and legislative proposals.