The mission of the Cornerstone University Student Disability Services Office is to partner with students to provide equal access to a quality university education in a community where Jesus Christ is preeminent and learning is viewed as a natural response to his work in our lives. The SDS staff also strives to be a valuable and informed resource to students, families and the campus community by promoting accommodations, access and inclusion of all people.
Any Cornerstone University student who believes that he or she has been subjected to discrimination on the basis of disability or has been denied access or accommodations required by law shall have the right to invoke this grievance process. In general, this grievance process is designated to address the following types of concerns:
- Disagreements or denials regarding requested services, accommodations or modifications to university practices or requirements
- Alleged inaccessibility of a university program or activity
- Alleged harassment or discrimination on the basis of a disability
- Any other alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and/or Section 504.
This grievance process, however, is not intended to and shall not supersede other university policies and procedures for which separate university policies and procedures exist, including, for example, grade appeals and appeals for re-admittance following disciplinary academic probation or suspension. Students are encouraged to consult with the director of the Cornerstone University Learning Center, the accommodations officer or their respective designees regarding the most appropriate university policy or procedure to address a particular concern.
I. Procedures
Regardless of the specific grievance procedure invoked by a student, all grievances must be filed in written form within 30 days of the specific event or action precipitating the student’s complaint(s). As an initial matter, all grievances shall be reviewed by the Director of the Learning Center to determine whether they are submitted within a timely manner and/or whether they contain all required information. The university shall not review a grievance that is untimely or fails to contain all required information, including a clear statement of all grounds for the grievance. To facilitate a clear and prompt resolution, a grievance, once initiated, shall not be expanded beyond the issues presented in the student’s initial complaint. The university reserves the right to redirect a grievance to the proper grievance procedure or to any other appropriate review procedure.
II. Designation of Responsible Employee
Consistent with federal law, Cornerstone University has designated employees to coordinate its efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibilities, including any investigation of any complaint communicated alleging its noncompliance. The names, office addresses and telephone numbers of these employees are indicated below:
Director of Learning Center
Learning Center
Miller Hall
Phone: 616.949.5300, ext. 1596
Accommodations Officer
Student Disability Services at the Learning Center
Miller Hall
Phone: 616.949.5300, ext. 1596 (Receptionist)
III. Informal Grievance Process
With respect to any grievance covered under this policy and as a prerequisite to initiating one of the formal grievance procedures described below, a university student shall first attempt to resolve the issue directly with the faculty member or staff member(s) involved. Second, it is also expected that the student has addressed his or her complaint informally by meeting with the director of the Learning Center, the accommodations officer or his or her designee. When a student files a formal grievance, he or she will be asked to summarize the effort that has been made to resolve the issue informally both with the faculty or staff member involved as well as with the director or designees. If the grievance is not resolved informally, then the student shall have the right to invoke the appropriate formal grievance procedure detailed below.
IV. Formal Grievance Process for the Denial of Disability-Related Accommodations and Services (denoted as “grievance process” in this document)
1. An otherwise qualified student with a disability, as defined by the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act, shall have the right to request the director of the Learning Center and/or accommodations officer to review alleged denial of any requested academic accommodation or service by fully complying with the procedures detailed below. This provision shall also apply to a student requesting an academic accommodation who believes he or she has been wrongly denied certification of a disability by the university.
2. The student shall fully complete an Accommodations and Services Review Request Form (“review request”) and forward it to the director of the Learning Center within 30 days following the date of the alleged denial of the requested academic accommodation or service. A student may obtain a copy of the review request form from Student Disability Services in the Learning Center in Miller Hall. The student’s completed review request must clearly state:
a. The basis and rationale for the review
b. The specific facts and/or policies supporting the student’s position
c. The effort that has been made to resolve the issue informally
d. The remedy and resolution desired by the student
e. All other information required on the form.
3. A timely review request will not be considered to have been filed unless it includes all of the required information. The student is solely responsible to supply all required information in the review request. Upon receiving a timely review request, the director of the Learning Center shall send a notice of acknowledgment of receipt to the student.
4. The director of the Learning Center and the accommodations officer shall together assess the review request and review all information necessary to render a written determination. If requested, the student shall supply any additional information and/or documents as requested by the director or accommodations officer. The director or designee will issue a written SDS Letter of Determination on the student’s review request within 30 days after receiving the student’s completed review request or as soon as possible thereafter. Furthermore, the director shall provide the student with a copy of the SDS Letter of Determination and take any steps necessary to implement his or her decision, including, but not limited to, providing a copy of the Letter of Determination to appropriate university faculty members and officials.
5. Within 10 days following receipt of the director’s written SDS Letter of Determination, if the student disagrees with the determination, the student may seek a review with the associate provost to whom the director of the Learning Center and the accommodations officer report. The student shall submit a written letter requesting a review of the SDS Letter of Determination to the associate provost, with a copy sent to the director of the Learning Center, setting forth:
a. The name, address, e-mail address and phone number of the student
b. The specific facts and grounds that form the basis for the student’s appeal, including the specific basis of the student’s disagreement with the director's Letter of Determination
c. All other information that the student reasonably believes is relevant to the appeal.
6. A timely request for review of the Letter of Determination will not be considered to have been filed unless the student’s letter of appeal includes all of the required information. Upon receiving the student’s letter requesting a review by the associate provost, the director of the Learning Center shall forward a copy of the original Review Request Form, the SDS Letter of Determination and all other records or documents forming the basis of the Director’s determination to the associate provost.
7. Upon receiving a timely letter seeking a review of the SDS Letter of Determination, the Associate Provost shall send the student a written notice of acknowledgment of receipt.
8. The Associate Provost, or designee, shall review the student’s letter, the Review Request Form, the SDS Letter of Determination as well as any additional records or documents forwarded by the Director. The associate provost, at his or her sole discretion, may also gather additional information necessary to the consideration of the student’s appeal, including, but not limited to, interviewing individuals, including the student, who may possess relevant information. If requested, the student shall supply any additional information and/or documents as requested by the Associate Provost. The associate provost shall complete his or her review within 30 days or as soon as possible thereafter.
9. After completing his or her review, the Associate Provost shall send a written Letter of Determination to the student to explain his or her decision. Further, the Associate Provost shall take any steps necessary to implement his or her decision, including, but not limited to, providing a copy of the Letter of Determination to appropriate university officials. The Associate Provost’s Letter of Determination shall constitute the final decision of the Learning Center in response to the student’s grievance (“Learning Center Final Grievance Response”).
10. Within 10 days following the receipt of the Learning Center Final Grievance Response, if the student disagrees with the Associate Provost’s response, the student may submit a written appeal to the Provost, with a copy to the Associate Provost and the Director of the Learning Center. The student’s letter of appeal shall be in writing and must including the following information:
a. The name, address, e-mail address and phone number of the student;
b. The specific facts and grounds which form the basis for the student’s appeal, including the specific basis of the students disagreement with the Learning Center Final Grievance Response; and
c. All other information the student reasonably believes is relevant to the appeal.
11. A timely appeal of the Learning Center Final Grievance Response will not be considered to have been filed unless the student’s letter of appeal includes all of the required information. Upon receiving the student’s letter of appeal, the Associate Provost shall forward a copy of the original Review Request Form, the SDS Letter of Determination, the Learning Center Final Grievance Response and all other records or documents forming the basis of the Final Grievance Response to the Provost.
12. Upon receiving a timely appeal, the Provost shall send the student a notice of acknowledgment of receipt of appeal.
13. The Provost or designee shall review the entire written record, including the student’s letter of appeal, the Review Request Form, the SDS Letter of Determination, the Final Grievance Response and any additional records or documents forwarded by the Associate Provost. The Provost, at his or her sole discretion, may also gather additional information necessary to the consideration of the student’s appeal, including, but not limited to, interviewing individuals, including the student, who may possess relevant information. If requested, the student shall supply any additional information and/or documents as requested by the Provost or designee. The Provost or designee will issue a written Letter of Determination on the student’s appeal within 60 days after receiving it or as soon as possible thereafter. The Provost shall provide the student with a copy of the Letter of Determination and take any steps necessary to implement the decision, including, but not limited to, providing a copy of the Letter of Determination to appropriate university officials.
14. The decision of the Provost or designee shall be final and no additional university appeals shall be available.
15. During the grievance process, the student will be entitled to receive the academic accommodations/services offered, if any, by the university. The university recognizes the importance of the student’s concerns being addressed promptly so that his or her participation in the course or activity is not affected.
V. Time Periods
For purposes of calculating all time periods set forth in this grievance process, official university holidays and breaks set forth in the university’s academic calendar (such as Thanksgiving break, Christmas break and spring break) or dates the university officially closes (such as for inclement weather) shall be excluded in determining the time period for taking any required action. Moreover, the day of the act or event from which the designated period of time begins to run shall not be included. The last day of any time period provided in the grievance process shall be included unless it is a Saturday or Sunday, and in such an event, the next business day shall be counted in the time period.
VI. Right to Review Records
A student filing a grievance shall have the right to review all records maintained in the grievance file or relied upon by any decision-maker, unless any such review is prohibited by federal or state law. Upon a student’s request, the university shall establish a mutually acceptable time and location for the student to review the requested records.
VII. No Retaliation
Retaliation against any person who files a bona fide complaint of discrimination, participates in an investigation or opposes a discriminatory employment or education practice or policy is prohibited by university policy and federal and state law.
VIII. Self-Representation
A student exercising his or her right to invoke this grievance process is free to consult with others but shall be expected to represent himself or herself directly in the grievance process.
IX. Appeal by Administrator
An administrator who disagrees with a determination made by a decision-maker in a formal grievance process is permitted to appeal the decision by notifying the appropriate university official of the basis of the appeal consistent with the procedures outlined in this policy.
X. Urgent or Unusual Matters
Depending upon the specific circumstances and the urgency of any issue(s) raised by a student in his or her grievance, the university reserves the right (but shall not be required) to modify its procedures or conduct an expedited review.
XI. OCR Complaint
Although students are encouraged to attempt to resolve complaints pertaining to disabilities by utilizing this grievance process, they have the right to file a complaint directly with the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (Indianapolis regional office). Information regarding applicable timelines and procedures is available from OCR.
XII. Effective Date
This grievance policy shall be effective on November 28, 2008. The university reserves the right to amend its grievance process.
View/print the Accommodation Grievance Form.