Disability Services

Accommodations and Services

PNWU reasonably accommodates students with disabilities, who are otherwise qualified for admission and can meet the minimal technical standards for the academic program as stated in the student catalog, with or without accommodations.The ADA defines a person with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity. This includes people who have a record of such an impairment, even if they do not currently have a disability. It also includes individuals who do not have a disability but are regarded as having a disability. Accommodations and services for students with disabilities are determined on an individualized case-by-case basis using an interactive process. The Director of Student Success and Disability Services (ods@pnwu.edu, 509-249-7912) works closely with students and the University in consultation with academic counselors, faculty, academic administration, and community providers as necessary to determine disability eligibility, reasonable accommodations, and to design an individual plan for student accommodations. Determinations regarding whether reasonable accommodations will cause a fundamental alteration to a particular program or course are made using reasoned deliberation, including a diligent assessment of available options.  

Once a student completes the accommodation request process including completing the application (PNWU Student Disability Accommodation Application), submitting appropriate supporting documentation, and engaging in the initial access meeting with the Director, the accommodation plan will be confirmed and reviewed with the student (see the step-by-step process outlined below). PNWU personnel require AT LEAST 48 hours during the typical business week to implement already approved accommodations. Student applications cannot be processed last-minute. Approved accommodations cannot be implemented on short notice.

PNWU welcomes the opportunity to meet with you to discuss your application, potential accommodations, and program requirements. Accommodation requests must go through the Office of Disability Services. Students should not ask faculty or others for accommodations.
  
We encourage early disclosure or inquiry about disability-related resources to allow sufficient time to coordinate accommodation needs. During the process, if you have any questions regarding the status of your request do not hesitate to contact the Disability Services Office, ods@pnwu.edu or 509-249-7912.  

PREGNANCY: Pregnancy is not, in and of itself, considered a disability. However, if you are pregnant you are entitled to modifications similar to accommodations for which someone with a disability would qualify. If you need pregnancy-related modifications, please complete the accommodation application in RedCap.

Below is an outline of the process, the documentation requirements, as well as the grievance and appeal process. 

Step 1: Student Submits Application  

The student begins the process with the online application and submits documentation of their disability(ies).  

Step 2: Documentation Review 

Once the application is received, the Director of Student Success and Disability Services (Director) will begin the review process which includes reviewing the student’s documentation. 

 While reviewing documentation, the Director will determine if:  

1. The source of the documentation is appropriate 
2. The documentation is complete 
3. The information in the documentation is current 
4. The student is a qualified person with a disability under the ADA 
5. The documentation supports the requested accommodation(s) 
6. The requested accommodation(s) are reasonable and do not fundamentally alter the curriculum 

If the documentation is incomplete or insufficient to support the request, the Director will either: 

1. Request that the student obtain and submit additional documentation; or  
2. With the students’ permission, they will contact the student’s health care provider directly to obtain needed information.  

Note: If, during the review process, the Director determines additional information or documentation is required, the student will be contacted via the e-mail address listed in the application.  

Step 3: Access Meeting 

Once the documentation has been reviewed and approved, the Director will invite the student to an access meeting to obtain additional information regarding the disability and the requested accommodation(s). 

During the meeting, the Director will ask questions and converse with the student to gain a better understanding of the day-to-day impact of the disability. PNWU values the student’s insight and the lived experience of disability, making the access meeting a critical and required step in the accommodation request process. Students will also receive information regarding policies, procedures, and accommodation implementation during the access meeting.  

Step 4: Course/Programmatic Consultation  

In addition to the documentation review, and the student access meeting, the Director will consult with the appropriate program professional(s) to determine the reasonable nature of accommodation(s) and to confirm that accommodations do not fundamentally alter the program requirements or technical standards. If this step is required, the Director will ensure the disability-specific information remains private and that the accommodation related needs and program specifics are the focus of the conversation. 

Step 5: Accommodation Determination 

Once the interactive process is complete, the Director will make the final eligibility determination and identify reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and modifications. To determine reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and modifications, the Director will consider the student’s preferred method. However, an alternative, equally effective and suitable method of accommodation may be provided.  

If a requested accommodation is determined to be unreasonable, an undue burden on the University, poses a direct threat to the student or others, or would result in a fundamental alteration of the program, the Director will determine if any reasonable alternative accommodation(s) exist to accommodate the student. 

Step 6: Accommodation Implementation 

When relevant, students are required to notify the course director each term of their intention to utilize their approved, reasonable accommodation(s), academic adjustment(s) or modification(s). This applies to any accommodations that need to be implemented outside of written lecture exams.

Notifications to faculty are handled via an accommodation letter. The Director will provide the student with an accommodation letter to share with faculty. The accommodation letter outlines the approved accommodations and does not include any information about the nature of the student’s disabilities.  Students are required to share this letter with their faculty member to initiate receiving accommodations for that course. 

Students receiving accommodations only for written lecture exams are required to notify the Director each term of their intention to utilize their approved, reasonable accommodation(s), academic adjustment(s) or modification(s). The Director will then notify the Assessment Office, which administers all written lecture exams and implements relevant testing accommodations.

If a student’s request for accommodation is denied, the Director will provide detailed information, including reasoning for the denial, any available alternative to the accommodation, and will notify the student of the appeal and grievance process. 

Updating Accommodation Plans 

If a student feels their current accommodation plan is not meeting their disability related needs, they can request a review of their accommodations. To update an accommodation plan, the student does not have to resubmit an application. Instead, students are encouraged to schedule a meeting with the Director or e-mail PNWU Disability Services. In some cases, updated or additional documentation may be required to support the new request. This will be discussed and determined through the same interactive process as listed above (Steps 2-5). 

PNWU Process for Determining Disabilities
Disability Documentation Guidelines
Disability Privacy
Student Grievance Procedure Under ADA
Technical Standards