Accessibility/Disability Services

Overview, Policies & Accommodations

Students with documented disabilities are offered individual accommodations on a case-by-case basis with confidentiality in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.  It is up to students with disabilities to seek out available resources on campus through Disability Services and to utilize individualized accommodations that support the opportunity to achieve academic success.

Students with documented disabilities are responsible for meeting with the Disability Services director at the start of each semester to develop an Accommodation Plan.  Students are responsible for providing current and comprehensive documentation of a visible or invisible disability, for requesting specific accommodations, and for following the procedures for utilizing any accommodations. Students are encouraged, but not required, to utilize any recommended accommodations.

Accommodations Policy for Students with Disabilities

Wheeling University (the “University”) is committed to non-discrimination on the basis of disability and compliance with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and other applicable laws. (See Wheeling Equal Opportunity and ADA Policy for Students and Visitors.) No person with a disability shall be excluded from participating in any University program, nor be denied benefits of any University program, or otherwise be subject to discrimination, on the basis of such disability.

Students with disabilities who are seeking any type or form of accommodation in any programs and services at the University must do so through the Student Success Center (“SSC”) for those accommodations to be covered under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 504”) or Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA Title III”). University administrators and employees involved in academic and non-academic programs and services are permitted to, but not required to, make accommodations based upon requests received directly from students with disabilities or to modify accommodations as they see fit. Accommodations are not considered to be official unless processed through SSC.

For purposes of all SSC and University policies and procedures, the term, “accommodations” is used as a general term that may include, but are not limited to, modifications to policies, procedures or practices; provision of auxiliary aids and services needed for effective communication; and any other supports or services that are provided to a  student with a disability  to enable that student to participate in and benefit from University programs and services.

For purposes of all SSC and University policies and procedures, the term “disability” is defined and interpreted consisted with ADA Title III and Section 504, as modified by the ADA Amendments Act. To be eligible for accommodations, students must have an actual disability—a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Students who have a record of a disability or who are perceived as having a disability are protected from discrimination but not eligible for accommodations if they do not have a current disability. 

The University is not required to provide requested accommodations under certain circumstances permitted by Federal law. These include, but are not limited to, where the accommodation would not enable the student to meet essential requirements of the program; impose an undue financial or administrative burden on the University; burden or adversely affect other students; involve waiver or changes in essential requirements of programs; be a fundamental alteration of the nature of a particular program or service; and/or pose a significant risk to the health or safety of others.

The Student Success Center Director is responsible for implementing these procedures and coordinates support and accommodations for students with disabilities, including students with physical, learning, medical, psychiatric, or other documented disabilities.

Find out more about obtaining accomodations at Wheeling University.