Disability Support Services at USP
Disability Support Services Policy
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (USP) recognizes that
a diverse campus community is essential to enriching intellectual
exchanges and enhancing cultural understanding, and as such, values
equality of opportunity, mutual respect, and diversity. USP, therefore,
is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to all members
of the University community who have documented disabilities.
Two pieces of legislation, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), prohibit
discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in
the programs, services and activities of public entities, including
post-secondary institutions. The University is therefore mandated
both philosophically and legally to provide reasonable accommodations
for otherwise qualified individuals. This applies to virtually all
aspects of campus activities, including employment, academic studies,
student programming, and services provided to the community at large.
USP’s reasonable accommodation process is to provide reasonable
support to meet the individual needs of this diverse population,
which includes faculty, staff, prospective and enrolled students,
and others involved in the University’s services and programs.
Accommodations may be altered based on the individual’s needs,
changes in the law, or changes in USP’s curriculum, programs,
job requirements or services.
Contacts
Faculty or Staff Members:
If you are a faculty or staff member who may have a disability
and would like to request accommodations, please contact the Director
of Human Resources at (215) 596-7533.
Students:
If you are a student who may have a disability and would like to
request accommodations, please contact the Assistant Dean of Students
at (215) 596-8950.
Disability Support Services Appeals
If any individual who has been approved for an accommodation experiences
a delay in the implementation of an approved accommodation, is discriminated
against due to an approved accommodation, or is denied an approved
accommodation, that individual should contact the (students) Assistant
Dean of Students or (faculty and staff) Director of Human Resources
who will work with that individual, and try to informally resolve
any concerns.
If the informal approach does not result in a mutually agreeable
outcome, the unresolved issue should be presented in writing to
the Affirmative Action Officer (AAO). The written request must be
submitted within 10 working days after the last meeting with the
Assistant Dean of Students or Director of Human Resources. It should
provide the name and address of the individual filing the complaint,
and a brief description of the alleged violation. Upon receiving
the written request, the AAO will investigate the complaint and
render a decision within 30 working days of receiving the complaint.
The AAO’s decision is final and cannot be appealed within
the University.
If the complainant is a student, and who is not satisfied with
the AAO’s decision, she or he has the right to file a complaint
with the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education. Faculty
and staff have the right to file a complaint with the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission.
Disclaimer
Due to the continual changes in law, University
of the Science’s Disability Support Services Policies and
Procedures herein are living documents subject to fluctuation. USP
periodically reviews the policies and procedures and may revise
them, with or without notice. These policies and procedures are
not a contract; rather, they serve as guidelines, designed to be
used by faculty, staff, prospective and enrolled students, and others
involved in the University’s services and programs in assessing
proper procedures and accommodations.
This web page created: April 21, 2005
Last updated: April 21, 2005
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