Chapter 1: College Organization
- Adoption: 1/10/10
- Revised: 10/11/24
- Last Reviewed: 1/13/16 (AASC info only)
- Cabinet Approved: 5/16/16
- Next Review Date: 5/16/21
- Authority: MnSCU Board Policy 1B.4
- Custodian of Policy: VP of Human Resources and Disability Services
Procedure for Requesting Accommodations
To Hennepin Technical College Employees or Students with Documented Disabilities:
For an employee or student with a disability, the first step in seeking accommodations at Hennepin Technical College is to make an appointment to meet with the ADA Coordinator or the Student Disability Services Coordinator, as appropriate. You will be asked to provide documentation of your disability at this initial meeting.
Here are some guidelines about what your documentation should provide:
- identification of the nature and extent of your disability
- educational testing results, if applicable
- specific information regarding the manner in which the disability affects your ability to function as an employee or student
- description of the current course of treatment, if any, including medications and side effects
- prognosis for the disability
- suggestions regarding possible accommodations
- credentials of the professional making the diagnosis
Reasonable accommodations will be provided only after the appropriate documentation has been reviewed by Human Resources or Disability Services and discussed with you.
- HR will provide services to help employees in identifying needs and developing a reasonable accommodation. Disability Services personnel are trained to assist students in assessing needs and developing reasonable accommodations.
- Adequate lead-time for accommodations is important. For students, for example, adequate lead-time is particularly important if you will need course materials in an alternate format. Acquiring materials in alternate formats can take six weeks or more.
- For students, request syllabi and lists of course materials sufficiently in advance of the beginning of your class/classes so that you can determine whether any materials will require an alternate format.
- For employees, it is important that you inform your supervisor of any issues that may arise as soon as possible.
- Keep the appropriate office informed about any physical and/or attitude barriers you encounter so that we may help you to resolve them. Your suggestions for solutions are valued.
- Meet reasonable deadlines established for submission of medical documents.
Self-advocacy is an important part of your employment and/or educational experience, and while Human Resources and the Disability Services offices are here to help, we encourage you to become your own best advocate. If you encounter difficulty and wish to seek other resources on campus, you may contact:
- Human Resources: Joel Nelson, Assistant Director of HR & ADA Coordinator, 763-488-2645
- Disability Services: Maggie Vyskocil, Access Service Specialist, 952-995-1548
- Counseling: To make an appointment with a counselor, 952-995-1300
- Student Services Administration: Torrion Amie, Interim Dean of Student Success, 763-488-2633
- Harassment/Discrimination: Hilary Dahlman, Director Academic Support Programs, 952-995-1300
The basic principles of reasonable accommodation are as follows:
A. A qualified individual with a disability MUST REQUEST reasonable accommodations, if s/he wants them. There may be times when an individual with a disability does not want to be accommodated. Therefore to ensure privacy, it is vital that the individual initiates this process. The individual must renew the request periodically, especially whenever changes occur. For example, each semester, students with disabilities will need to confirm which accommodations they are requesting for which classes.
B. The reasonable accommodation obligation is not retroactive. There is no obligation to provide a reasonable accommodation until the employee or student makes a request for accommodation and provides adequate documentation.
C. An employer or program provider must consider the accommodation requested by a person with a disability. A reasonable accommodation need not be the specific accommodation requested or the best accommodation available as long as it is an effective accommodation.
D. Reasonable accommodation must be determined on a case-by-case basis. A reasonable accommodation is individualized. What is a reasonable accommodation for one person with a disability may not work for another person with the same disability. Once implemented, it is very important that employees and students provide feedback to Human Resources or Disability Services regarding how well their accommodations are working.
E. The reasonable accommodation obligation applies only to accommodations that reduce barriers to employment or participation in programs, services, and activities related to a person’s disability. It does not apply to accommodations that a person with a disability may request for some reason other than the disability or that do not reduce the specific barriers to employment or program participation.
F. An employer or program provider is not required to provide an accommodation that is primarily for personal use.
G. The ADA’s requirements for certain types of adjustments and accommodations to meet its reasonable accommodation obligations do not prevent an employer or program provider from providing accommodations beyond those required by the ADA. The institution that provides these accommodations beyond the requirements of the law, however, is not obligated to continue to provide these services.
H. An employer or program provider is only obligated to make an accommodation to the known limitations of a qualified individual with a disability. “Known limitations” are those that are obvious, suspected, or disclosed by the person with a disability.
I. A person cannot be forced to accept an accommodation s/he does not want.
J. An accommodation will not be provided where: a) there would be a direct threat to the health and safety of others; b) there would be substantial change in an essential element of the curriculum or a substantial alteration in the manner in which services are provided; or c) there would be undue financial or administrative burden or hardship.
K. Reasonable accommodations do not include tolerating misconduct. Individuals with disabilities
(whether employees or participants in the institution’s programs) must meet the institution’s expectations and standards of conduct and performance.
Hennepin Technical College has implemented this process to comply with MMB HR/LR Policy 1433, Reasonable Accommodations, which applies to all state employees. This policy outlines steps that employees and students are required to follow in the accommodation process and the forms that are also required by this policy. This process ensures that HTC can fairly and consistently evaluate all ADA requests in accordance with state policy.
A member of the Minnesota State College and Universities System, Hennepin Technical College is an affirmative action, equal opportunity educator and employer. This document can be made available in alternate formats by contacting Disability Services at 763-488-2477 (voice) or through the Minnesota Relay Service at 711 or 1-800-627-3529.