A student is considered a person with a disability, eligible for protection under the laws, if the student has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Disabilities may include impairments caused by accident, trauma, genetics, or disease that substantially limit activities such as seeing, hearing, speaking, walking, breathing, performing manual tasks, learning, caring for oneself, and working.

Conditions not considered a disability include minor, non-chronic conditions of short duration, such as a concussion, sprain, broken limb, or the flu.

It is only through a student’s voluntary disclosure of disability and request for accommodation that Central can support disability needs. Students who wish to receive accommodations or services must disclose the disability, make a personal request to the Student Success Director, submit required disability documentation, and formally request services, including accommodations.

Accommodations are not retroactive. They begin from the time they are approved. Requests may take up to two weeks to process, and depending on the nature of the disability, more time may be necessary.

Any new or modified requests for services or accommodation should be made prior to the start of each semester to allow time to review requests, documentation, and arrangements.

It is strongly advised that documentation for all disabilities be submitted. Disability documentation should be current and include a written evaluation from a physician, psychologist, or other qualified specialist that establishes the nature and extent of the disability, the basis for the diagnosis, and the dates of testing. Documentation should establish the need for an accommodation and contain suggestions for offsetting the effects of the disability.

The type of documentation will vary according to the disability. Whether documentation is current depends on the nature of the disability.

Documentation of a student’s disability is maintained in a confidential file in the Director of Student Success’ Office. This documentation is not part of the student’s academic record. Information related to a disability is confidential and may be disclosed only with permission of the student or otherwise as permitted by Central’s student records policy and federal laws.

• Students are responsible for obtaining documentation from the Academics Office that states that the student is a qualified student with a disability.
• Students are not required to divulge the nature of their disabilities or provide copies of their disability documentation to other faculty or staff.
• Students are responsible for working directly with the faculty or staff member involved in the provision of accommodation.
• Students should provide feedback to the Academics Office on the effectiveness of accommodations and notify the Director of Student Success if an accommodation is not provided.

Central reserves the right to deny services or accommodations if documentation does not comply with published guidelines for service eligibility, if the student does not meet ADA or Section 504 criteria, or if documentation is out-of-date or incomplete.

Central is not required to provide an accommodation that compromises essential requirements of a course or program, imposes an undue financial burden based on the institution’s overall budget, or poses a threat to the health or safety of the student or others.

A student who is denied an accommodation may dispute the determination directly with the Director of Student Success. A student who disputes the determination regarding the existence of a disability or denial of an accommodation may file a written complaint with the Vice President of Academics within 10 days of the date of determination. The Vice President of Academics, in consultation with appropriate members of CBU’s Administrative Executive Team, will make a determination within 10 days of the appeal. This decision shall be final.

A reasonable accommodation is a modification or adjustment to a class or program that enables a qualified person with a disability to participate in the program or class or to enjoy the rights and privileges offered by Central. Examples may include course load modifications, changes in the time permitted for exams, distraction-free testing spaces, or auxiliary aids and services when appropriate.

The accommodation or modification must be appropriate to the needs of the individual, so each request requires individualized analysis.

Central is not required to provide any aid, service, or modification that would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of the program. Central also does not need to make modifications or provide auxiliary aids or services if doing so would constitute an undue burden. Central is also not required to permit an individual to participate in or benefit from a program or service when the individual poses a direct threat to health or safety.

A service animal is a dog or, in some cases, a miniature horse that is individually trained to perform a specific task to assist an individual with a disability. That task must be directly related to the individual’s disability. Service animals are protected by both the Americans with Disabilities Act and the federal Fair Housing Act.

Emotional support animals do not require specific training and do not need to perform specific tasks related to an individual’s disability. ESAs may be part of a medical treatment plan and may help with depression, anxiety, or other disabilities, but emotional support animals are not service animals. They are protected in housing by the FHA.

Under the FHA, a qualified student with a disability may be allowed to bring an ESA to live with them in student housing. This reasonable accommodation applies to areas of housing where persons are normally allowed to go. The FHA accommodation does not apply to classrooms or other areas of campus, outside of housing, where animals would otherwise be prohibited. Service animals protected under the ADA would be allowed in all areas where members of the public are allowed to go.

At Central, the student needs to file an accommodations request in the Student Development Office. The request will be processed and sent to the Director of Student Success, who will meet with the student and assess the documentation. The Director of Student Success will make a recommendation to the Vice President of Student Development, who will decide whether to allow the ESA.

The student must provide a medical professional’s recommendation/diagnosis that an ESA is needed, proper and updated records showing the animal is vaccinated and healthy, and a signed contract noting that care of the ESA is the student’s responsibility.

Central does not have to allow an emotional support animal if it would pose an undue financial and administrative burden, fundamentally alter the nature of the provider’s operations, or if the animal’s behavior poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. Determinations are made case by case using objective evidence.

The student using the ESA is required to maintain control over the animal. While the student may not be charged an extra fee for an emotional support animal, the student is responsible for property damage caused by the animal to the same extent that other individuals would be held responsible.