COP 06-0805: Substitution Policy for Students with Disabilities

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this policy is to identify eligibility and processes related to substitutions for students with disabilities.

Guidelines

Any student who has provided Florida SouthWestern State College’s Adaptive Services Office with appropriate documentation of a disability, as defined by Florida Statute §1007.02, shall be eligible to request a reasonable substitution requirement for admission to the College, admission to a program of study or course, graduation or other College policy or procedure in accordance with Florida Statute 1007.265 provided that the substitution does not constitute a fundamental alteration in the nature of the program.

Procedures

1. Eligibility: Persons with documented disabilities eligible for a reasonable substitution for any requirement(s) where it can be documented that the student’s failure to meet the requirement(s) is related to the disability. Substitutions shall be provided in the areas of admission to the college, admission to a program of study or course, or graduation/course substitution where the substitution does not constitute a fundamental alteration in the nature of the program.
2. Documentation: Documentation that is no more than three (3) years old, substantiating the nature of the disability shall be provided by the student concurrent with his or her request for a reasonable substitution. Such documentation shall be provided by a medical doctor, psychologist, or other specialist recognized to address the specific disability.
3. Review Policy: Students with disabilities requesting reasonable substitutions must submit a Substitution Request Form for Students with Disabilities to the Adaptive Services Office for review by the appropriate administrator or Academic Dean of the applicable School. The Substitution Request Form must identify the substitution desired and the justification for the substitution. The Adaptive Services Office will review the documentation provided by the student and complete the appropriate section of the Substitution Request Form stating documentation justifying the request is on file. Administrators from the appropriate office or applicable School, in consultation with the Director, Adaptive Services or designee, will consider reasonable accommodations appropriate for each individual.
4. Substitution Decision: The decision will be communicated to the student in writing to the student’s FSW email, and to the Director, Adaptive Services and the Associate Registrar, Student Records by the appropriate office or applicable School within twenty (20) business days.
5. Articulation: Florida SouthWestern State College will recognize any substitution previously granted to a transfer student by a Florida State postsecondary institution. In accordance with FAC 6A-10.041(3), substitutions granted by Florida SouthWestern State College will be honored at any public Florida State postsecondary institution.
6. Student Appeal: A student may appeal a denial of the substitution request(s) or determination of ineligibility in writing to the Provost (or designee) for academic requirements or the Chief Student Affairs Officer (or designee) for non-academic policies. The appeal should be filed within ten (10) College working days of receipt of the written denial. Decisions by the Provost, the Chief Student Affairs Officer, or their designees shall be final.
7. Records: The Adaptive Services Office shall maintain records on the number of students granted substitutions by type of disability, the substitution provided, the substitutions identified as available for each documented disability and the number of requests that were denied. Substitution Request Forms for Students with Disabilities for course/graduation requirements will be forwarded by the applicable School to the Office of the Registrar for processing.