POLICY

One of the functions of the Office of Disability Services (ODS)is to coordinate 
the provision of educational auxiliary aids to enable students with disabilities
to participate in the college's educational programs and activities. All new 
students with disabilities are strongly encouraged to contact ODS prior to 
coming to campus and are required to make an appointment with the Director of 
Disability Services prior to requesting services. While such meetings can be 
arranged at SOAR (Student Orientation, Advising, & Registration) in July, 
during New Student Week in the fall, or at the student's earliest 
opportunity to come to campus, it is to the student's advantage to meet with 
the Director and request services as soon as possible if services are expected 
on the first day of class.  Students returning to Western Oregon University are 
responsible for initiating contact with the Disability Office to request 
services needed.

All requests for educational auxiliary aids (support services) for regularly 
scheduled classes, must be requested in writing on the green support services 
request form provided by ODS. The form must be completely filled out by the 
student.  Because of the possibility of error, verbal requests for educational 
auxiliary aids will not be accepted unless the Director determines an emergency 
situation exists. If you are adding or dropping a class, complete the salmon 
"Add/Drop" form. For campus events, meetings, sessions, etc., complete the pink 
"Interpreter Request" form.  All requests are to be turned in to the Disability 
Services secretary.

If educational auxiliary aids are requested that are not regularly provided by 
ODS, the office needs at least six weeks notice to ensure provisions of that 
service.  This is true when providing books-on-tape through "Recording for the 
Blind."  If you would like taped textbooks, ODS will need a copy of the syllabus
listing the texts required six weeks prior to the beginning of class. We will 
contact Recording for the Blind (RFB) regarding availability of taped texts.

Registration is mandatory for students expecting to have educational auxiliary 
aids on the first day of class.  Requests for educational auxiliary aids should 
be made immediately after registration. This includes registration at SOAR.  If 
written requests are not made immediately after registration, ODS cannot 
guarantee that services will be available when requested, though all efforts 
will be made to provide services as quickly as possible.  Students must 
recognize that ODS receives a large number of requests from many students at 
the same time and, thus, it may take one week or longer for ODS to schedule a 
service provider.

For requests for an educational auxiliary aid for an out of classroom activity 
(lecture, club meeting, etc.), Disability Services requires a minimum of 48 
hours advance notice.  However, educational auxiliary aids will be provided as 
quickly as possible and will be dependent upon the availability of service 
providers.

It is your responsibility to notify the director's secretary in the Disability
Office if you will not be attending a class meeting, event, etc., for which you
have requested an interpreter or a notetaker. (See the ODS "No Show Policy") 
Interpreters/Notetakers will wait outside the classroom for you to arrive. If 
you are late, they will wait 10 minutes each hour of class time (15 minutes for 
1-1/2 hour class). If you do not show by the specified waiting time, the 
interpreter/notetaker will leave.

Any problems with the provision of educational auxiliary aid, including service 
providers failing to show up or perform duties adequately, must be reported 
immediately by the student with disabilities to the Director of ODS.  However, 
the quickest and most effective way to solve a problem is for the student to 
communicate directly with the service provider.  In addition, ODS will monitor 
the provisions of educational auxiliary aids through direct contact with 
student users, service providers, and the faculty and staff involved.

    PURPOSE

Provision of Educational Auxiliary Aids for Students at Western.

    PROCEDURES

In order to implement this policy, the Disability Office follows these 
procedures:

1. ODS initiates contact with all disabled students who so identify themselves 
   who are new to Western Oregon University.

	a. When Students apply to Western Oregon University, the Admissions 
            application allows them to indicate it they are disabled and wish 
            services of any type.
	
	b. When such information is received by the Admission's Office, it is 
	   immediately forwarded to ODS.

	c. ODS then writes a personal letter to the student welcoming him/her 
            to campus, including information about the ODS, a copy of the 
            Policy of Provision of Educational Auxiliary Aids, and the 
            Disability's brochure.

2. During SOAR, which occurs in July of each year, and New Student Week, which 
   occurs in September just prior to the beginning of school, ODS offers 
   orientation and information sessions specifically geared to disabled 
   students.  Notification of SOAR and New Student Week are sent to all new 
   students who have been admitted to Western Oregon University for the 
   coming year.  The times and locations of the events specifically for dialed 
   students are printed in the general schedule.

3. The Director for ODS meets with each new disabled student who has been 
   identified. Such a meeting should occur in conjunction with SOAR or at the 
   earliest date that the student can come to campus if services are expected 
   on the first day of class.  The means by which a student requests educational
   auxiliary aids, the necessity of pre-registration, and other important 
   information will be provided to the students again at this time.

4. Students returning to Western Oregon University are responsible for 
   initiating contact with the ODS.  Continuing students must pre-register for 
   classes for the upcoming term if they expect to have services by the first 
   day of classes.  Preregistration is widely publicized to students and is 
   open to all continuing students.

5. Once the completed request form for educational auxiliary aids has been 
   submitted, ODS will begin to schedule services.

6. The ODS notifies and informs the campus of its existence in the following ways:

	a. The location and telephone number of the office are listed in the 
            campus telephone directory and the university's catalog. Further, 
	   organizational charts of the campus administration, which are 
	   distributed in various ways across campus, represent the ODS as 
            being part of the Division of Student Affairs & Enrollment 
            Management which reports to the President.

	b. Handouts explaining the process for requesting services through 
            ODS are readily available in the Disability Office and are handed 
            out at SOAR, New Student Week, and other appropriate times.

	c. The Director of ODS periodically goes to faculty meetings 
            throughout the campus to inform faculty about the office and the 
            services provided.  Faculty are encouraged to refer students in 
            their classes who may not be utilizing the office.

	d. Disabled students who have made themselves known to the university 
            are informed verbally and by policy handouts of the policies of the 
            Disability Office.

7. ODS will immediately investigate any reports of service providers not 
   performing their duties adequately.  Appropriate steps will be taken to 
   rectify any problems which are found.

8. ODS maintains a log that identifies students requesting educational auxiliary
   aids from the office, the course or other educational activity for which the 
   aid is requested, the assigned provider of the educational auxiliary aid, 
   the date of dates the aid is needed, and the date on which the educational 
   auxiliary aid was initially provided.

9. In the absence of the Director of ODS, primary responsibility for 
   coordinating the provision of educational auxiliary aids will remain with 
   an office staff member appointed by the Director during short absences and 
   with a staff member appointed by the Vice President for Student Affairs & 
   Enrollment Management during long absences.

TIME LINES

1. Student requests are received in writing and date stamped.

2. A minimum of five days to two weeks are required for scheduling service 
   providers. PLEASE NOTE THAT DURING BUSY TIMES, SUCH AS THE BEGINNING OF A 
   TERM, THE SCHEDULING OF SERVICE PROVIDERS MAY TAKE EVEN LONGER THAN TWO 
   WEEKS, AS IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO RECRUIT AND HIRE ADDITIONAL SERVICE 
   PROVIDERS.  Therefore, late requests for services may result in delayed 
   provision of services.  This is especially critical during fall term.

3. Services are available at requested time (except in cases of unexpected 
   occurrences or emergencies) if written requests are made according to 
   above procedures. 

    AUTHORITY

Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management

    APPROVAL

Office of Disability Services (ODS).