Grievance Information

Our campus has over 40,000 students and a landmass larger than some cities.  This is further complicated by construction, weather, and terrain.  Literally overnight, changes can happen that could create access barriers in such a fluid environment.  Therefore, we greatly appreciate it when students or members of the general public let us know of any access problems e.g. curb cuts, doors that are difficult to open, sidewalk issues.  To report any of these concerns, please send an email to the ODA general email account: Apply.ODA@unt.edu

First, report any disability-related concerns to your primary contact with the ODA.  If you are not satisfied with the resolution suggested by your primary counselor, ask to meet with the ODA director. Failing satisfactory resolution, the issue should be taken to the Division of Equity and Diversity. Once a written complaint has been filed with the Division of Equity and Diversity, an official investigation will be conducted.

Before filing a written complaint, please read the following guide to understand your rights and learn other ways to resolve grievances.

Rights of People with Disabilities Under the Americans with Disabilities Act The ADA: A Practical Guide For Students

The ADA is designed to ensure inclusion of qualified people with disabilities. You have the right to meet the same qualifications and/or prerequisites (but only the same), as others are required to meet. If you meet those qualifications, with or without reasonable accommodation or academic adjustment ("reasonable" is defined in the ADA), you cannot be denied access on the basis of disability.

If you do not meet the qualifications, either with or without reasonable accommodation or academic adjustment, you may legally be excluded from the activity, program, or service, just as others may be excluded. In addition, if an activity, program, service or facility is not provided for others, it does not have to be provided for you.

You have the right to expect reasonable, effective accommodations (with the exception of aids or devices of a personal nature) and academic adjustments to be made where they are necessary to facilitate communication and equal academic or program access. No special charge can be made to you to cover the cost of auxiliary aids, which are necessary to provide you with access or communication. Such aids or devices are usually the responsibility of your vocational rehabilitation agency. If you are not eligible for the services of a vocational rehabilitation agency, the institution itself must see to it that you have access, whether through use of volunteers, outside funding, or by any other effective means.

You have the right to be treated with dignity and to have disability-related information kept confidential except for times when disclosure is necessary in order to provide you with the requested accommodations.

Prevention of Course-related Grievances

• To identify any problem areas, review the course description, syllabus, and other available information, and/or talk to departmental officials before it is too late to drop or add a course.
  • Do you meet all of the stated qualifications and prerequisites for the course?
  • Do you have the physical and academic abilities to meet the minimum course competencies with or without accommodation?
• If you are in doubt, talk with an advisor or the department chair. Other students are also a good source of information.
• Once enrolled, be sure to let your instructor know what your accommodation needs are so that mutually agreeable arrangements can be made.
• Requests for academic accommodation need to be presented in writing as early in the semester as possible.
• If you are not registered with the Office of Disability Access, you may need to present proof of disability.
• Inform your instructor about how your disability impacts your academic performance and how you plan to use your requested accommodations to put you on equal footing with other students.
• Instructors will appreciate knowing that your goal is to produce work of comparable quality to that of other students in the class and that your accommodations are necessary to achieve that goal.
• Begin the semester using all of the accommodations which you requested. If you decide some are not needed for that particular course, eliminate the ones which are not effective.
• Notify your instructor immediately if problems occur or if you have questions.
• The Office of Disability Access has resources and information to help you be academically successful. Keep ODA informed if you begin to experience difficulties, as the staff will work with both you and the instructor or academic department to resolve problems and to find options.

Problem Resolution/Steps to File a Grievance

If you feel that you have been discriminated against because of your disability, or if your request for reasonable accommodation has been refused, or if the instructor or department refuses to work with you to find workable alternatives, you should:

• Discuss it calmly and rationally with the person concerned. Document the matter by using email to follow up on any action items or resolutions from the discussion.
• Contact ODA to inform them of the problem and to request assistance. The ODA office is in Sage Hall 167, and the phone number is (940) 565-4323.

If you believe you have been discriminated against or harassed due to your disability, you have the right to file a complaint with the Office of Equal Opportunity. OEO is located in Hurley Administrative Building, Suite 175, at 940-565-2759. OEO conducts formal investigations using the process detailed here: http://edo.unt.edu/how-file-complaint. OEO is the office of the ADA Coordinator.

You may also choose to file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights. Further information on this process can be obtained by contacting OCR at ocr@ed.gov or 800-421-3481