EECS has a strong commitment to maintaining a diverse and thriving academic community, representing a broad spectrum of talents and experiences. Students with disabilities are an essential part of that diversity. We are committed to supporting students with disabilities and to meeting our obligations to all students as mandated by Federal and State law and by University policy
Accommodation Process
Accommodation Process
- Academic accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis. Please note that academic modifications should in no way compromise the essential nature of a course. If an accommodation appears to impose an undue hardship or fundamentally alter a program or activity of the University, faculty must engage first with Disability Specialists if there are any concerns regarding the implementation of a specific accommodation.
- Another key point is that faculty and/or course staff should not seek to independently assess or arrange accommodations for students who might have disabilities. If a student approaches you for a disability-related accommodation that has not already been included in an accommodation letter from DSP, please refer him or her immediately to the DSP office.
Provide Notice Regarding Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
- Notify students that accommodations are available by:
- Announcing during the initial class session that accommodations are available for eligible students with disabilities through DSP;
- Including a statement in the course syllabus:
Students who may need an academic accommodation based on the impact of a disability must initiate the request with the Disabled Students’ Program (DSP). Professional staff will evaluate the request with required documentation, recommend reasonable accommodations, and prepare an Accommodation Letter for faculty dated in the current semester in which the request is being made. Students should contact the DSP as soon as possible since timely notice is needed to coordinate accommodations. DSP is located at 260 César E. Chávez Student Center, #4250 (phone: 510-642-0518, URL: http://dsp.berkeley.edu).
Students who have disability-related needs in the event of an emergency or evacuation should inform the faculty member or their GSI of any special arrangements that need to be made. Please contact us in office hours or by email.
Only Use DSP-Approved Accommodations
Provide accommodations only to students who are registered with DSP and who have submitted an Accommodation Letter. DO NOT seek to arrange accommodations with the student by yourself, other than to figure out how to implement accommodations already listed in their LOA. If a student has questions about accommodations, please refer them to the DSP office as soon as possible.
Collaborate with the Student and DSP Staff in Arranging & Providing Accommodations
Unlike K-12, faculty in postsecondary educational institutions have the right to object to any potential accommodations if those accommodations fundamentally alter the essential nature of their course. In brief, DSP authorizes accommodations based on documentation receipt/interpretation, and the interactive process with the students, but faculty have the right to protect the academic integrity of their curriculum. Hence, the process of determining appropriate accommodations for courses may vary depending on the essential nature of the curriculum and may require collaboration between faculty, DSP and the student in determining an accommodation that is best suited for all parties.
To prevent misunderstandings, it cannot be emphasized enough that it is the responsibility of the student to meet with faculty and/or their proxy to review any complex conditions of LOA and faculty curriculum requirements.
Faculty are not responsible for providing retroactive accommodations from previous semesters. Faculty responsibility for complying with accommodation provisions begins upon receipt of the most current LOA within the semester it is given. In some cases, such as exam accommodations, at least two weeks prior notice may be required before appropriate accommodations can be arranged (explicitly stated in syllabi AND communicated to DSP).
When faculty or proxy informs the Disability Specialist that an accommodation proposed by DSP is not appropriate for a specific course, both parties confer and agree regarding an alternate accommodation (or agree that no accommodation is appropriate), and that agreement is reflected in a new accommodation letter for that course issued by DSP to the student (or by affirming to the student that the current letter will be observed by the instructor).
Protect Student Privacy & Confidentiality
- Maintain student confidentiality and treat all disability-related information as strictly confidential.
- Although faculty do not have the right to ask about the nature of a disability, if students choose to disclose their disability, this information should be treated confidentially.
- Refrain from identifying the student with a disability in class or openly discussing accommodations or disability issues in front of others.
- Faculty and/or proxy must meet privately with a student when approached to review and discuss their LOA.
Provide an Accessible Syllabus & Specific Reading Requirements
Determining whether a requested accommodation would fundamentally alter an essential requirement of a course will generally need to be determined on a case-by-case basis, in light of the specifics of the course and the requested accommodation. The following general discussion may be helpful to illustrate some of the relevant considerations:
Determining what accommodations are appropriate is most effectively accomplished through collaboration:
- Faculty bring knowledge of the course content, methods, and essential requirements;
- Disability Specialists understand what accommodations are possible;
- Students understand their own limitations and how their disability impacts learning in a classroom.
Essential requirements are the outcomes (including skills, knowledge, and attitudes) all students must demonstrate with or without using accommodations. Some students might use accommodations and some might not, but all students must achieve the same outcomes. Process is important, of course, but not necessarily essential. Focusing on course outcomes will help instructors to define the course’s essential requirements. To learn more about ‘Determining Essential Requirements for Courses and Programs’, please read DSP Accommodations for EECS Course Staff.
If your faculty and course staff believe an accommodation listed in the Accommodation Letter fundamentally alters an essential element of the course, their recourse lies within the collaboration between the assigned course staff member and DSP staff member. Academic adjustments listed in the student’s Accommodation Letter are open for negotiation. You can and should bring your concerns about specific accommodations to the assigned Disability Specialist working with your student. It may be that a different accommodation would be better suited to your particular course and the Disability Specialist can help develop the alternative.
In that case that DSP and faculty disagree regarding the appropriateness of an accommodation for a particular course, the matter is referred by DSP to the Vice Provost for Faculty Welfare, who decides what accommodation is appropriate, and directs DSP to either issue a new accommodation letter or inform the student that the existing accommodation letter will be observed by the instructor. DSP, not the student, is responsible for managing disagreements between DSP and faculty.
A formal complaint must be made in writing, must state unambiguously that it is a “formal complaint,” and must be sent to the attention of the Director of DSP at knielson@berkeley.edu or may be filed here: https://forms.gle/T6dPktqtSxnHopFZ6