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Establish Accommodations: Policies and Procedures

Drury University > Robert and Mary Cox Compass Center > Accessibility and Disability Services > Establish Accommodations: Policies and Procedures

Drury University Notification and Documentation Policy for Special Assistance under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

A student qualifies as disabled under the definition of Section 504 if he or she:

  1. Has a mental or physical impairment, a record of impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment.
  2. Is substantially limited in his or her major life activities that include abilities such as (but not limited to) self-care, breathing, walking, seeing, performing schoolwork, speaking, and learning.

Drury University is committed to meeting the needs of all students who meet the criteria for services through the office of Accessibility and Disability Services. These guidelines are designed to supply directions to students concerning the information necessary to accomplish this goal. It is Drury University’s policy to comply fully with federal and state law regarding students with disabilities and, to the extent of any inconsistency between these guidelines and federal and/or state law, the provisions of the law will apply.

Establishing Services

The Accessibility and Disability Services office at Drury University is pleased to serve our students seeking additional supports. It is encouraged that documentation be provided in a timely manner so that accommodations can be in place prior to the start of the semester. However, requests for accommodations can be made at any point in the semester and will be implemented as soon as processed.

If you are seeking accommodations for a disability, the following steps will guide you in this process.

  1. Complete and submit the Application for Services/Request for Accommodations form. This lets us know a little about you, your needs, and how we can serve you. You can use the electronic form above, download and print the form and submit it through mail or email at the information below.

    Accessibility and Disability Services
    Drury University
    900 North Benton Avenue
    Springfield, Missouri  65802
    Fax: 417-873-6833
    Email:  disability@drury.edu
    If you have questions, call: 417-873-7267.

  2. After your Application for Services/Request for Accommodations form is received, it is suggested that you make an appointment with Accessibility and Disability Services to discuss your application and your support needs.

Documentation Review Process

Once the interactive process has been completed, you will receive notification from the Accessibility and Disability Services office regarding the accommodations approved or why approval was not granted. If accommodations were approved, an Accommodation Letter will be attached to the email. It is the student’s responsibility to distribute their accommodations to their professors. You are encouraged to have a conversation with each professor about your accommodations as early in the semester as possible.

If you are not satisfied with the accommodations you have been authorized to receive, please contact the Accessibility and Disability Services office to discuss the situation. In some cases, we may be able to make adjustments. In others, additional documentation may be needed.

DO NOT ask your professor to provide accommodations if you have not submitted an Application for Services/Request for Accommodations form and been approved for those accommodations by Accessibility and Disability Services.

Your disability information is CONFIDENTIAL. Disability-related information will only be released on a need-to-know basis to those individuals within the university community who have a compelling reason for that information, such as for providing accommodations. This determination is made by the director of Accessibility and Disability Services. Accessibility and Disability Services does not release disability-related documentation. Accessibility and Disability Services will provide faculty with information on your approved accommodations only. We do not disclose specific information about your disability or diagnosis. This is your information and decision to disclose.

Temporary Disabling Condition

In the case of temporary disabling conditions, every effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodation for the duration of any disability. To insure prompt and appropriate action, the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services should be notified immediately of the arrangements believed to be necessary to accommodate a given temporary condition. Complete the Application for Services/Request for Accommodations form and schedule an appointment with the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services as early as possible so arrangements can be made.

Service Animal Policy

General Guidelines

Service animals may accompany students, employees, and visitors with disabilities to Drury University events, activities, and locations with rare exceptions.  Local, state, and federal laws regulate the use of service animals at Drury University.

  • Accessibility and Disability Services
    Drury University
    900 North Benton Avenue
    Springfield, Missouri  65802
    Fax: (417) 873-6833
    Email:  disability@drury.edu
    If you have questions, call: (417) 873-7457

Definitions:

  1. Service Animal:  According to the U.S. Department of Justice, service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.  Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition.  The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability.  Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors.  The crime deterrent effects of an animal’s presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.
  2. One a case by case basis, Drury University may also permit the use of a housebroken miniature horse by an individual with a disability if the miniature horse has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of the individual with a disability.

Specific Provisions for Service Animals

  1. Generally, Drury University will permit the use of a service animal by individuals with disabilities.  Drury University may ask an individual with a disability to remove a service animal from the premise if (1) the animal is out of control and the animal’s handler does not take effective action to control it; or (2) the animal is not housebroken.  If a service animal is properly excluded under this provision, the individual with a disability will be given the opportunity to participate in Drury University’s service, program, or activity without having the service animal on the premises.
  2. A service animal may be excluded if Drury University makes an individualized assessment based on reasonable judgment and best available objective evidence that the service animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others that cannot be mitigated by reasonable modifications.
  3. A service animal must be immunized against diseases common to that type of animal.
  4. A service animal must be under the control of its handler (e.g., harness, leash, voice control, signals, or other means).
  5. Student is responsible for the care, well-being, and supervision of a service animal at all times.
  6. An entity shall not ask about the nature or extent of a person’s disability, but may make two inquires to determine whether an animal qualifies as a service animal.  An entity may ask if the animal is required because of a disability and what work or task the animal has been trained to perform.  An entity shall not require documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal.  Generally, a public entity may not make these inquires about a service animal when it is readily apparent that an animal is trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability (e.g., the dog is observed guiding an individual who is blind or has low vision, pulling a person’s wheelchair, or providing assistance with stability or balance to an individual with an observable mobility disability).
  7. Individuals with disabilities shall be permitted to be accompanied by their service animals in all areas of a public entity’s facilities where members of the public, participants in services, programs or activities, or invitees, as relevant, are allowed to go.
  8. A public entity shall not ask or require an individual with a disability to pay a surcharge, even if people accompanied by pets are required to pay fees, or to comply with other requirements generally not applicable to people without pets.  If a public entity normally charges individuals for the damage they cause, an individual with a disability may be charged for damage caused by his or her service animal.

Emotional Support Animal Policy

Important Forms

Definition

An emotional support animal (ESA) may provide an individual with emotional support, comfort, companionship, a level of safety and security, and/or help with relaxation.

Approval Process

The following guidelines should be followed when applying for an Emotional Support Animal: 

  1. Appropriate documentation needs to be submitted to Accessibility and Disability Services including the following: 
    1. Completed Request for Accommodations Form unless an active file exists with Accessibility and Disability Services.
    2. Provider Request Form (PRF) completed by a licensed mental health professional (i.e., therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, family doctor, licensed clinical social worker) not provisionally licensed. 
    3. Completed PRF must state that the student is under the care of the treating professional, length of time under professional’s care, and show established professional/client relationship. Someone paid for the sole purpose of obtaining a provider request for an ESA will not be accepted as meeting this requirement.
    4. Licensed health professional must confirm that the student has a disability which substantially limits one or more major life activities; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an impairment. 
    5. The PRF must include a description of how animal is prescribed to alleviate one or more of the symptoms of the student’s condition. 
    6. ESA Registration Form completed by student.
    7. Acknowledgement of all roommates/suite mates of application for the ESA and agreement to have the ESA living in the unit.

PRF must be received by the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services 30 days prior to having the ESA move into the campus residence with you. 

  1. Accessibility and Disability Services may request a release of information be signed by the student authorizing permission for the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services to consult with the licensed health professional about the need for an ESA. The release form will be made available by the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services. 
  2. Once the documentation letter is received and the release of information signed (if requested), the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services will review your request, supporting documents, and consult with your mental health provider (as needed). The approval process may take one week. 
  3. Once the request for an ESA has been approved by the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services, you will then be contacted by the Drury Housing Office regarding species-specific parameters for having an animal in your housing assignment. Although you may receive permission from the Accessibility and Disability Services office to consider bringing an ESA to your campus room, the specific animal that you hope to bring must also meet certain criteria that will be outlined by the Director of Housing (i.e., full immunization records and proof of spay/neuter). Approval for your specific animal will only be granted after the Housing office has a completed ESA agreement and supporting documentation.