Accessibility Guidelines and Procedures

Notre Dame of Maryland University (“University” or “NDMU”) values safety, diversity, equity, inclusion, and social responsibility. Consistent with these principles, the University does not discriminate in offering equal access to its educational programs and  activities or with respect to employment terms and conditions on the basis of age, color, creed,  disability, genetic information, marital status, national or ethnic origin or ancestry, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression) or veteran status or any other characteristic protected in accordance with applicable federal, state, 
and local laws and regulations including but not limited to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 as amended (Title IX), Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended (Title VI), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended (Title VII), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as amended (ADA), Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 as amended, etc.
 

Please refer to the Undergraduate Academic Catalog.

It is the students right to update their accommodations if they experience obstacles in their courses that were not discussed in the initial intake or received a new diagnosis. If a student has requested an accommodation that has been denied, they can appeal this decision through requesting an informal appeal to speak with another member of the Office of Accessibility Team. If the attempt to resolve the issue with The Office of Accessibility and
Student Inclusion is not viewed as successful, the student may contact the 504/ADA Coordinator gfitzgerald@ndm.edu. For more information see the grievance procedures.

This policy applies to undergraduate students who wish to take a reduced course load to accommodate a disability. Students with disabilities that significantly limit their ability to manage a full-time course load (12 or more credits) may be accommodated by receiving approval to take a reduced course load. It may be necessary for a student to request a reduced course load because of a more severe academic impact of a significant disability.

FULL REDUCED COURSELOAD POLICY AND PROCESS

Reporting Concerns, Informal Resolution, and Formal Grievance Procedures

NDMU has the following procedures in place to assist individuals in the resolution of any concerns or complaints alleging disability discrimination in violation of the American with Disabilities Act 1990 or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973:  

Reporting Concerns:

Any concern should first be brought to the attention of the Director of Accessibility. The Director will discuss the issue with the individual and strive to resolve the concern.

Informal Resolution:

NDMU encourages informal resolution of complaints when possible. If an attempt to resolve the issue with The Office of Accessibility and Student Inclusion is not viewed as successful, the student may contact the 504/ADA Coordinator at gfitzgerald@ndm.edu. A meeting will be arranged to discuss the individual's concerns.

Formal Grievance Procedures: 

An individual may file a formal, written grievance with the 504/ADA Coordinator after an informal attempt to resolve the concern has been made with DSS and the 504/ ADA Coordinator. The written grievance must include the following:

• the individual’s name, address, email and phone number
• a full description of the individual's concern
• a description of the individual's attempts to resolve the issue with DSS and the 504 /ADA Coordinator
• a description of the desired remedy to the issue

Once the grievance has been received, the 504/ADA Coordinator will provide written notification of receipt and initiate an investigation expeditiously in accordance with the University’s Non-discrimination policy and procedures. Following the investigation, the 504/ADA Coordinator will prepare a written reply to the individual and to the party to which the grievance was filed.

A student may always contact the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, regarding allegations of disability discrimination in violation of Section 504. See additional information.

Contact Us

Appointments available upon request.
Email: accessibility@ndm.edu