Policy Purpose
The College is committed to ensuring full compliance with Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. This policy serves to establish and maintain a robust grievance procedure and oversight framework to prevent discrimination and ensure academic/campus life accommodations are provided effectively.
Grievance Procedure
The College provides a grievance process that includes:
- Notice to students on how and where to file complaints.
- An impartial investigation process conducted by the ADA Coordinator (or her designee), allowing for witnesses and evidence identification.
- Established timeframes for investigations, responses, and appeals.
- Written notice to all parties regarding the outcome and applicable appeal rights.
Appealing Accommodation Decision Process
If a student would like to address concerns about a decision made by the Disability and Access Team, they may follow the process outlined below. The appeals must be made in writing within 14 calendar days of the student’s receipt of notification of the accommodation(s) determination.
- Discuss concerns directly with their assigned DAC specialist if possible. Staff can be reached by emailing dac@stolaf.edu or by emailing the specialist’s individual St. Olaf email address.
- If concerns persist, students may submit an Appeal Form which will be reviewed by the members Disability and Access Appeal Committee.
- If a student believes they have been discriminated against because of disability and is not in agreement with the response from the Disability Grievance Review Board, the student will be directed to contact Pamela McDowell, Director of Equal Opportunity/Title IX and Section 504 Coordinator (Email: mcdowell@stolaf.edu Phone: 507-786-3465). If the Director of Equal Opportunity is unavailable, students should reach out to the Vice President of Community and Belonging, Eduardo Pazos Palma (Email: pazos1@stolaf.edu Phone: 507-786-3334). The appeal must be made in writing within 5 calendar days of the student’s receipt of notification of the response from the Disability and Access Appeal Committee.
Students always retain the right to file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights if they believe they have been discriminated against on the basis of disability, regardless of whether or not they have utilized the internal grievance procedures for St Olaf College.
Failure to Receive Approved Accommodations
If a student does not receive an accommodation approved in the Accommodation Letter, the student should immediately notify their Access Specialist and Julie Olson Rand, Director of the Disability and Access Center (Email: rand6@stolaf.edu Phone: 507-786-3966). The Access Specialist will work with students and faculty members to resolve disagreements regarding approved accommodations in a timely manner. If this step has been completed, and the situation has not been resolved, the student should contact Pamela McDowell, Director of Equal Opportunity/Title IX and Section 504 Coordinator (Email: mcdowell@stolaf.edu Phone: 507-786-3465). If the Director of Equal Opportunity is unavailable, students should reach out to the Vice President of Community and Belonging, Eduardo Pazos Palma (Email: pazos1@stolaf.edu Phone: 507-786-3334).
Retaliation Prohibited
St Olaf College prohibits any form of retaliation against a student for requesting or receiving accommodation services. Any employee or student who commits such retaliation will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination of employment or expulsion. A student who suffers retaliation in violation of this policy should promptly report the violation through completing a Discrimination/Retaliation Report.