VCOM College Catalog and Student Handbook

available to the Section 504 Committee. Upon receiving the appeal, the Dean will convene the Section 504 Appeal Committee. The members of the Section 504 Appeal Committee are individuals who were not involved in the initial eligibility decision. The new eligibility meeting will be held within 14 working days of the notice of the appeal. In addition to the documentation submitted with the appeal, the Section 504 Appeal Committee shall also review the documentation from the first eligibility meeting, and, as necessary, shall interview the Chair of the Section 504 Committee for background information regarding the decision of the Section 504 Committee. The Section 504 Appeal Committee will make a recommendation, in writing, to the Campus Dean within 7 calendar days of the appeal meeting. The Campus Dean will notify the student, in writing, of his/her decision within 14 calendar days following the meeting of the Section 504 Appeal Committee. The Dean may find the student eligible for accommodations, find the student ineligible for accommodations, or postpone a decision regarding eligibility pending submission of additional required information, which may include further evaluation. Upon receiving written notification from the Campus Dean, the student, within seven calendar days, may appeal the Dean’s decision to the Provost. The appeal must be made in writing and be based upon new, relevant, and material information that was not available to the Section 504 Committee, Section 504 Appeal Committee, or Campus Dean. The Provost may or may not meet with the student prior to receiving the written appeal material. The Provost will consider the request for appeal and will notify the student, in writing, of his/her decision generally within 14 calendar days of receiving the written appeal. However, the decision may take 30 days or longer depending upon the investigation of the case. The Provost may find the student eligible for accommodations, find the student ineligible for accommodations, or postpone a decision regarding eligibility pending submission of additional required information, which may include further evaluation. However, it is rare for the Provost to overturn recommendations of the Section 504 Committee and the decision of the Campus Dean. The Provost’s decision is final. Difficulty Accessing Allotted Accommodations Following the eligibility process, should students feel that they are not being given access to their allotted accommodations, they should contact the Vice Provost for the Centers for Institutional, Faculty, and Student Success to discuss their concerns.

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