Disability Resource Center
Overview
It is the policy of Asbury Theological Seminary (ATS) that no qualified persons with disabilities shall, on the basis of disability, be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any of its programs or activities. Any qualified student who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of major life activities, such as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and/or working, can receive assistance at ATS as provided in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008. The Disability Resource Center serves as the campus contact for disability related needs that a student may have.
A qualified student is defined as one who, with or without reasonable accommodation, meets the requisite academic and technical standards required for admission or participation in educational programs and activities.
Each student with disability admitted to ATS must meet the same academic requirements and standards as students without disabilities.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 refers to such an admitted student as an “otherwise qualified person.”
Otherwise qualified person can be “one who is able to meet all of a program’s requirements in spite of her disability.” Pickard v. Potter, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5564 (N.D. Tex. Mar. 24, 2003)
These requirements and standards must be considered necessary to maintain the integrity of a course, program, or institutional policy.
The Seminary adheres to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the applicable provisions of the ADA of 1990, and the applicable provisions of ADAAA of 2008 to provide requested auxiliary aids, services, and support for students with disabilities as specified by those legal mandates where necessary to afford such students an equal opportunity to participate in and enjoy the benefits of its programs and services. If housing accommodations or arrangements are needed, the student with a disability contacts the Disability Services Coordinator, who collaborates with Residence Life to ensure housing arrangements are made appropriately.
The Disability Resource Center makes available reasonable accommodations to students who submit appropriate documentation related to disabilities. This documentation is placed on file in the Disability Resource Center and the professional standards of confidentiality are maintained. Disability Services attempts to ensure, through the implementation of accommodations, that discrimination on the basis of disability does not occur within any of the campuses of ATS.
It is the responsibility of all faculty, staff, administrators, Disability Resource Center personnel, and students with disabilities to follow these stated policies and procedures in order to ensure that students are serviced in the most effective manner possible.
Inquiries concerning accommodations for prospective students can be emailed, mailed, faxed or called in to the Disability Resource Center. Enrolled students must self-identify for receipt of information or services from the Disability Resource Center.
The Disability Resource Center offers accommodations coordination, evaluation referral, disability-related information, assistive technology services, sign language interpreting, and transcription services for academically related purposes. Although the Disability Resource Center does not offer disability evaluation and/or testing, tutoring, personal expenses, attendants or scholarships, the Disability Resource Center will assist students with provision of resource contacts and referral information.