Disability Resource Center

The University of Oklahoma will reasonably accommodate otherwise qualified individuals with a disability unless such accommodation would pose an undue hardship, would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of the service, program or activity or in undue financial or administrative burdens. The term “reasonable accommodation” is used in its general sense in this policy to apply to employees, students, and visitors.

Reasonable accommodation may include, but is not limited to:

   1. Making existing facilities readily accessible and usable by individuals with disabilities.
   2. Job restructuring.
   3. Part-time or modified work schedules.
   4. Reassignment to a vacant position if qualified.
   5. Acquisition or modification of equipment or devices.
   6. Adjustment or modification of examinations, training materials or policies.
   7. Providing qualified readers or interpreters.
   8. Modifying policies, practices and procedures.

The Disability Resource Center, unless otherwise provided, is the central point-of-contact to receive all requests for reasonable accommodation and to receive all documentation required to determine disability status under law. This center will then make a recommendation on accommodation to the appropriate administrative unit. Reasonable accommodation with respect to employment matters should be coordinated with the Office of Human Resources. Reasonable accommodation with respect to academic matters, including but not limited to faculty employment, should be coordinated with the Office of the Provost while all other issues of reasonable accommodation should be coordinated with the Office of the Vice President for Administrative Affairs.

Individuals who have complaints alleging discrimination based upon a disability may file them with the Equal Opportunity Office in accordance with prevailing University discrimination grievance procedures.

Reduced Course Load/Full-Time Status for Students with Disabilities

Purpose
To provide full-time status to qualified students with significant disabilities who, as a direct result of disability, are unable to carry a full course load and, consequently, would be unable to participate fully in the benefits and privileges afforded full-time students.

Policy Statement
Under University policy, full-time status for undergraduates requires enrollment in no less than 12 credit hours and no less than 6 credit hours for graduate students. While it is typically preferable for a student with a disability to be accommodated through methods such as academic advising, priority enrollment, and academic accommodations, it may be necessary for a student to request a reduced course load because of a more severe academic impact of a significant disability. Factors unrelated to the disability such as employment, curricular activities, family/personal obligations, inadequate academic preparation, failure to use appropriate academic accommodations, or poor class attendance cannot be the primary reason(s) for a reduced course load. Students who are approved for reduced course loads should work closely with their academic advisers on a coursework plan, particularly with respect to university and college degree completion time limitations. Approval under this policy does not automatically grant extended time for degree completion or acceptance of over-aged credit. Students must continue to make satisfactory progress toward their degree.
This policy will allow an eligible student to carry a reduced course load without forfeiting the benefits and privileges of full time status such as tenancy in university housing, participation in intramural or intercollegiate athletics or other extra-curricular activities, or access to athletic event tickets. However, eligible students should follow up with auxiliary services such as federal financial aid, personal health insurance, and non-University sponsored scholarships as these and other services may be adversely affected by the reduction in semester hours. The University cannot require outside entities to abide by the University’s determination of a reduced course load/ full-time status designation.
Under no circumstances will full-time status be approved for credit hours totaling less than half time as defined in University Enrollment Regulations. If a student who has been approved for a reduced course load further reduces his or her course load below the approved number of hours for full-time status, the student’s full-time status shall be revoked automatically and will no longer be in effect.

Procedure
Requests for reduced course loads/full-time status should be submitted using the Request for a Reduced Course load /Full-Time Status form to the Director of the Disability Resource Center. The reduced course load, if approved, is not permanent but must be requested and re-evaluated each semester. To provide adequate time for review before the end of the add/drop period, deadlines for requesting the reduced course load/full-time status are as follows:

Fall semester August 19
Spring semester January 14
Summer semester May 12

The Director of the Disability Resource Center, a representative from the Office of the Provost, and the student’s college Dean or Dean’s designee (the “Review Committee”), will make a decision on the student’s request. The Review Committee will evaluate the student’s request in terms of the impact of the disability, the demands of the student’s degree program, and the proposed academic schedule.

The Process:

Submit the form to the Director of the Disability Resource Center. The form must be accompanied by the appropriate supporting medical and/or psychological documentation that is recent enough to evaluate the current impact of the disability. If professional documentation is already on file with the Disability Resource Center, students should check with the Director to determine if it is sufficient. It is the student’s responsibility to cooperate by providing any additional documentation requested by the Review Committee in order for it to reach a timely decision.
Upon making a determination on the request, the Review Committee will sign the Reduced Course Load/Full Time Status form with copies forwarded to the:
- Student
- Student’s College
- Registration and Records
- Director of Athletic Compliance, if applicable
If the student makes a request for a reduced course load for a subsequent semester, the basis for such a renewal will be contingent on the following factors:
- Documentation of disability is current and continues to establish the need for the reduced course load, and;
- The student made satisfactory progress toward his or her degree in the preceding semester(s), and;
- The student consistently used accommodations for which he or she was determined eligible by the Disability Resource Center.

Appeal

The Review Committee’s decision may be appealed to the University Equal Opportunity office in accordance with prevailing University discrimination grievance procedures.

Federal Regulations

The University of Oklahoma provides services to all students with disabilities as defined by federal regulation. A qualified person with a disability means:

    …an individual with a disability who, with or without reasonable modifications to rules, policies, or practices, the removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers, or the provision of auxiliary aids and services, meets the essential eligibility requirements for the receipt of services or the participation in programs or activities provided by a public entity.

    (Public Law 101-336, Section 201)

    The federal definition of a disability includes a person who:

       1. has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of such a person’s major life activities;
       2. has a record of such impairment, or
       3. is regarded as having such impairment.

    (Public Law 101-336, Section 3)

[ Back ]