VCOM College Catalog and Student Handbook

Using the above guidelines, the Committee 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. If the student is found eligible for accommodations under Section 504, the Committee will proceed with writing the student’s Section 504 Accommodation Plan. If the accommodation for the condition reported and confirmed is not readily available, the College has the right to delay the student’s program for a period not greater than one year while such accommodations are arranged so that the best and most reasonable accommodations may be provided for the student. The Campus Section 504 Coordinator will notify the student, in writing and verbally, of the decision of the Campus Section 504 Committee. Students will receive a copy of the Section 504 Eligibility Summary Form, and if accommodations are provided, will receive a copy of the Section 504 Accommodation Plan. Upon receiving written notification of the decision of the Campus Section 504 Committee, the student, within seven calendar days, may appeal to the Campus Dean to reconsider the recommendations of the Campus Section 504 Committee. The appeal must be made in writing and be based upon new and significant information that was not available to the Campus Section 504 Committee. The Dean will appoint members for a new Section 504 eligibility meeting. The members will be individuals who serve on the Section 504 Committees of the other VCOM campuses who were not involved in the initial eligibility decision. The members shall consist of an Associate Dean for Pre-Clinical Education, an Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, a Director for Medical Education, a Director for Student and Institutional Success, a Mental Health Counselor, and a Discipline Chair for Psychiatry and Neuro Behavioral Sciences. The new eligibility meeting will be held within 14 working days of the notice of the appeal. The Dean shall Chair the eligibility meeting and shall vote only in case of a tie. In addition to the documentation submitted with the appeal, the members shall also review the documentation from the first eligibility meeting, and, as necessary, shall interview the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Accreditation for background information regarding the decision of the Campus Section 504 Committee. The Campus Dean will notify the student, in writing, of the decision within 14 calendar days following the meeting. 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 and significant information that was not available to the Campus Section 504 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 Campus 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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