The purpose of the Disability Services Grievance Procedure at any educational institution is twofold:

• It protects student rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and
• It provides an internal process for resolution of complaints relevant to these laws in a timely manner at the level where they occur.

Students with Disabilities, who are concerned that their rights to obtain accommodations and access to educational programs have been compromised, are encouraged to resolve these issues through informal means. This is one reason the Disability Services Office (DSO) strongly advises students to register with us immediately and stay in touch with us throughout the semester. It is also why we encourage the student to learn about the law, their disability, and how to advocate for themselves. Peace faculty and staff are very interested in helping students to succeed but the student must work hard, follow policies and procedures, and communicate frequently with all concerned in order to ensure that their accommodations are not compromised.

It is to the student’s advantage to nurture the relationships they have with faculty and staff and especially the Disability Services Office in order to avoid unnecessary stress and grievance appeals. The DSO mission statement expresses our desire to help our students become effective self-advocates. Please use us to help you learn how to do that before you experience difficulty.

The Process

This process assumes that the student with a disability has registered with The Disability Services Office. If the student is not registered with DSO, our office may not be able to assist her in resolution of the issue.

If contacted by faculty or staff about a student who has not registered with the Disability Services Office we may advise generally regarding the law and procedures and recommend that the student be encouraged to register with our office.

Informal Resolution

• The student with a disability has the right to speak first with their professor, residence advisor, academic advisor, etc. to resolve whatever problem exists between them. The student also has the right to confer with the Disability Services Office first, if they would like guidance about their rights, and help in discussing a proactive approach to the problem.
• If the student has discussed the situation informally with the appropriate faculty or staff involved in the issue, and either party feels that further intervention is necessary, then the Disability Services Office should be notified.
• The Disability Services Office will attempt informal resolution with both parties. If this is unsuccessful, the unsatisfied party may submit a written complaint to the ADA Compliance Officer within 10 days of the unsuccessful informal attempt at resolution.

Formal Resolution

• All formal written complaints should include:
• Name, title and campus address of the ADA Compliance Officer
• the name, phone, and address of the person who is submitting the complaint
• a brief description of the incident and the informal process already attempted
• request a Disability Services Compliance Committee Review
• indicate what remedy the complainant is seeking

The formal written grievance should be delivered by the complainant in hard copy format to the ADA Compliance Office and a copy of that grievance should be submitted in hard copy format to the Disability Services Office to be entered in the student file. It is suggested that the complainant also keep a copy for their own records.

• The Disability Services Compliance Committee (DSCC) will review the issue within 30 days and return a written decision to both parties within 15 days following the DSCC Review.
• Documentation of complaint issues and their resolutions will be kept in the Disability Services Office or the Disability Services Compliance Office as appropriate. A copy of complete documentation of the issue will be provided to either party upon request.

Further appeal beyond the Disability Services Compliance Committee would require the unsatisfied party to file a complaint with the Governor’s Advocacy Council and/or the Office of Civil Rights within 180 days from the time the incident occurred.

Peace College prohibits retaliation against any student for filing a grievance under this process.

Resources: See Legal Compliance Resources at the end of this Handbook for contact info:

• Peace College Compliance Office
• Office of Civil Rights, District of Columbia
• Governor’s Advocacy Council (North Carolina Office)