Announcements
Colleagues -
Please would you read aloud the following statement to your classes and include the statement in your syllabus and publications. Please copy this communication for all adjunct faculty and staff in your department. Please encourage all office staff to use the following procedure when responding to requests from students with disabilities.
"SBCC students with disabilities who are requesting accommodations for classes, college activities or tests should use the following SBCC procedure. (NOTE: This also includes students who are requesting to bring service animals into classes. The animals will be registered in DSPS. The request also includes requests to bring personal service attendants into classes. DSPS is required to submit Board authorization forms for any classroom attendant who is not an SBCC employee.)
- Contact Disabled Student Programs and Services(DSPS).
- Submit documentation of your disability to the DSPS office.
- Communicate with a DSPS counselor regarding options for services and accommodations.
- Reach written accommodation agreement with the DSPS counselor and your instructor.
SBCC requests you complete this process at least ten working days before your accommodation is needed, in order to allow DSPS staff time to provide your accommodation."
Contact: DSPS office, (805) 965-0581 ext.2364, SS Building room 160, dspshelp@sbcc.edu
The above statement is valuable in assuring an equitable SBCC procedure. The procedure is important for three main reasons
1. Educational Support for Student Success
A referral to a DSPS disabilities specialist assures the student has the opportunity to learn more about the types of disability-related support that are available in the community. Your referral gives the student the opportunity to utilize services that will lead to student success.
2. Civil Rights and Responsibilities
This process of referral to DSPS is an opportunity to teach students their civil rights. The Americans with Disabilities Act mandates a level of student responsibility that involves many skills. At SBCC students learn how to request their accommodations and support ahead of time. In DSPS students learn how to communicate their disability-relative limitations, analyze their academic strengths, identify the resources necessary to be successful, understand the fundamental requirements of their courses, and communicate their need for reasonable accommodation. In this way we hope the students will be better prepared for transfer and employment.
3. Compliance
The Office of Civil rights requires a standardized, published procedure for students with disabilities requesting accommodations. SBCC strives to be in legal compliance. A standardized, published procedure lends assurance that SBCC decisions regarding accommodations are equitable and consistent. Such a process not only protects the students, but also protects faculty and staff. SBCC wants students to receive accommodations in order to have access to learning and assessment. However, SBCC also wants to ensure that students are meeting the fundamental requirements of our SBCC programs and curricula.
Many thanks for your attention to this important procedure.
Sincerely,
DSPS Disability Specialists,
Janet Shapiro, Steve Conti, Susan Hamilton, Gerry Lewin, Henry Reed, Deborah Tolejko, Laurie Vasquez
