Disability Services
Office of Disability Services
- Services/Accomodations Available
- Other CSC Services Resouces
- Disability Services Office Hours
- Links/Disability Resources
- Applying for Services
- Accomodations Appeal/Complaints
West Virginia State prides itself on its numerous efforts to make the campus as accessible as possible. If you have a documented disability or would like assistance in determining if you have a disability, please contact our office immediately and print yourself a copy of the Disability Services Handbook.
Housed within the division of Student Affairs and the department of Collegiate Support and Counseling Services, the Disability Services Office provides individualized accomodations and support for students with physical and/or learning disabilities. It is the policy and practice of WVSU/WVSCTC to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and state and local requirements regarding indivuals with disabilities. Under these laws, no qualified individual with a disability shall be denied access to, or participation in services, programs and activities of WVSU/WVSCTC.
The disability services counselor, Carla Blankenbuehler, is available to assist students with academic concerns, provide accommodations for differently-abled students, and offer assistance programs through a computerized learning center. Students utilizing these services are afforded the confidentiality of this office and this institution.
Before you came to college, your school records followed you; now they don't. There is still help available IF you let us know you need it. The office is located at 123 Sullivan Hall East, the phone number is 766-3083 or 766-3168, and Carla's email is blankenc@wvstateu.edu. It will also be helpful if you print a copy of the Disability Services Handbook
After appropriate application for services has been completed AND documentation of the student's disability has been submitted, the following services/assistance may be provided depending on the need. This list is not exhaustive - the Disability Services Counselor will work with students on an individual basis to determine appropriate services and accommodations.
- Note Taker
- Extended Test Time
- Alternative Test Area
- Brailed Materials
- Oral or Large Print Exams
- Test Proctor
- Taped Text Books
- Interpreter
- Preferential Seating
Click on the following items to be connected with the resource webpage.
- Personal Counseling
- Diversity Programming
- Ombudsperson Services for students w/ harassment and/or discrimination concerns
- Peer Tutoring
- Learning Assistance Workshops
The Disability Services Counselor maintains varied weekday office hours, depending upon students' needs/schedules each semester; some evening office hours will be posted on her door (Sullivan Hall East 123) each term.
The Department of Collegiate Support and Counseling Services is open Monday through Thursday, 8:30am - 7pm, and Friday 8:30am - 5pm. For questions, concerns or comments E-mail blankenc@wvstateu.edu or toledoke@wvstateu.edu
Please scroll down for information regarding applying for services, documentation required for services, and the appeal/complaint process should there be a problem. Also, see the navigation buttons to the left for further information about this department.
West Virginia Rehabilitation Center
Institute, WV 25112
(304) 766-4600
www.icdi.wvu.edu/others.htm
website providing links to many other disability awareness websites
APPLYING FOR SERVICES
Policy
WVSU/WVSCTC shall provide appropriate services and accommodations for students with documented impairments as outlined in the Verification and Documentation of Disabilities Policy. The services provided will be based on the recommendations made by a licensed health care professional who is qualified to diagnose the impairment. WVSU/WVSCTC reserves the right to request a second opinion. It will be helpful if you print a copy of the Disability Services Handbook which outlines the following procedures, as well as providing other helpful information.
Please note: accommodations cannot be made for situations that occured prior to the disability disclosure and request for accommodation.
Procedure: New Students
Newly admitted students are requested to meet with the disability services counselor upon admission to the college. Students requesting services are also required to complete a Student Data form; the form is available through the Disability Services Office or online (click here). In addition to the form, students must provide recent (less than five years old) medical documentation that will verify the disability. The Disability Services Counselor will work with the student to review the acceptability of the documentation.
Procedure: Continuing Students
Continuing students should complete a new Application for Services form at the beginning of each academic year.
Procedure: All Students
All students requesting disability services or accommodations are encouraged to meet with the Disability Services Counselor prior to registering for classes. At that time an Application for Services can be completed and assistance with scheduling provided (this does not substitute for academic advising with a faculty member).
After completing each term's registration, new and continuing students requesting services must complete a Service Schedule form to be used when scheduling staff and/or services. To allow enough time for scheduling of any needed staff, students must complete this form at least one week prior to the date the services are to begin. Should short-term assistance be needed, a separate Service Schedule form should be completed.
NOTE: WV State and the Disability Services Office will assume that no services or accommodations are needed if a Service Schedule form is not completed each semester.
Changes to Service Request and Other Critical Information
Students scheduled for services are required to notify the Disability Services Office of any changes or cancellation to the schedule twenty-four (24) hours prior to the change or cancellation. A "good cause" exception will be accepted only if the student's failure to provide 24-hour notice was beyond his/her control.
Dilligent effort will be made to provide impaired students with their preferred communication services; however, it may become necessary for the Disability Services Office to provide alternative communication services. In addition, the Disability Service Office may request, for staff scheduling purposes, that a student take a course at the same time as another student. This will only be requested if it will not result in any change in the student's anticipated graduation date or disturb the sequencing of courses.
Students receiving accommodations should notify the Disability Services Counselor of any problems, concerns, discrepancies, etc. relating to their accommodations. An Appeal and Complaint Procedure exists for appealing and/or lodging a complaint about the services or the Disability Services Office. Please scroll down for detailed information about this procedure.
Guidelines: Verification and Documentation of Disabilities.
A student with a physical, sensory, psychiatric or health-related disability must provide documentation verifying a disabling condition by a licensed health care professional who is qualified in the diagnosis of the disability and is currently or recently associated with the student. The diagnosis must not be greater than five years old and must reflect the student's present level of functioning of the major life activity affected by the disability. The student must present the verified documentation to the Disability Services Office prior to obtaining accommodations and services. The cost of obtaining the professional verification is the responsibility of the student. The Disability Services Office may elect to begin services/accommodations pending verification, but this waiver will not exceed one semester.
If the initial verification is incomplete or inadequate to determine the present extent of the disability and/or appropriate accommodations, the Disability Services Office may request supplementary documentation or an assessment of the disability. The cost of the supplementary documentation or assessment is the responsibility of the student.
The Disability Services Office must be notified of any changes in the diagnosis of the disability. Note: Specific documentation guidelines may be required in addition to those listed above. These will be provided by the Disability Services Counselor at the time of application for services.
ACCOMMODATIONS APPEAL / COMPLAINT PROCESS
This appeal process shall apply to situations where a student, based on a disability related issue, has requested an accommodation which has: (1) been denied; or (2) is experiencing problems or concerns with an approved accommodation. Students are requested to begin with a first level appeal and have the option to continue through level four.
Students experiencing problems with or having complaints about approved accommodations are referred to the Disability Services Office for assistance. If the problem and/or complaint involves the Disability Services Office itself, or is not resolved to the student's satisfaction, then the student may request an Accommodations Appeal/Complaint form to move on to the next level in the process.
First Level Appeal / Complaint
Complete an Accommodations Appeal/Complaint form and submit it to the Disability Services Office within ten days of the concern/issue. The Disability Services Office may render a decision or request additional information. Upon receiving the additional information, a decision must be rendered in writing within ten days, excluding weekends/holidays/vacation. The final decision of the Disability Services Office can be appealed to level two.
Second Level Appeal / Complaint
The decision at the first level may be appealed within ten days of the level one decision by notifying, in writing, the Director of Collegiate Support and Counseling Services. The Director may request additional information, but must rule in writing within ten days upon receiving the additional information excluding weekends/holidays/vacation. The Director's final decision may be appealed to level three.
Third Level Appeal / Complaint
The decision at the second level may be appealed within ten days of the decision by notifying, in writing, the ADA Coordinator for West Virginia State. The ADA Coordinator may request additional information, but must rule in writing within ten days upon receiving the additional information excluding weekends/holidays/vacation. The ADA Coordinator's final decision may be appealed to level four.
Forth Level Appeal / Complaint
The decision at the third level may be appealed within ten days of the decision by notifying, in writing, the President of West Virginia State University or the President of WV State Community and Technical College. The President or designee may request additional information, but must rule in writing within ten days upon receiving the additional information excluding weekends/holidays/vacation. The President's decision is final.
Disclaimer
Maximum confidentiality will be maintained, although the appeallant may be asked for permission on a "need to know" basis to provide or allow disclosure of pertinent medical, academic, and other significant records as necessary, in order to investigate and make appeal/complaint decisions. Failure by the student to release information may result in halting the process at the last level in which the information was disclosed, or cancellation of the appeal in its entirety due to lack of supporting documenation. Nothing in the West Virginia State Disability Accommodations Appeal/Complaint Procedures should be construed as an effort to impede or prohibit a timely filing of an ADA or discrimination complaint with the appropriate external governmental agency.
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