The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a person with a disability as someone who:

  • Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, or
  • Has a record of such an impairment, or
  • Is regarded as having such impairment.

According to Title III of the ADA, some examples of physical or mental impairments include, but are not limited to, contagious and non-contagious diseases and conditions, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mental retardation, emotional illness, specific learning disabilities, HIV, tuberculosis, drug addiction, and alcoholism. Furthermore, the ADA defines a “major life activity” to include such functions as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working. Determination of substantial limitations are based on the nature and severity of the condition, the duration or expected duration of the condition, and whether the condition is characterized as permanent or long-term.  

Students With Disabilities

Students with disabilities have the right to:

  • Access courses, programs, services, activities and facilities offered through Kenyon College.
  • Work, learn, and receive reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids and services.
  • Confidentiality of all information about their disability, except as disclosures are required or permitted by law.
  • An appeal process to review decisions related to accommodations and access.

Students with disabilities have the responsibility to:

  • Meet qualifications and maintain the essential College standard for courses, programs, services and activities.
  • Self-identify as an individual with a disability and seek information, counsel and assistance when necessary.
  • Document (from appropriate licensed professional) the current functional limitation of the disability.
  • Follow College procedures for obtaining reasonable accommodations.
  • Request specific accommodations in a timely fashion and ensure that the professor is aware of needed accommodations prior to each instance (i.e., each exam).

Student Accessibility and Support Services

Student Accessibility and Support Services has the right to:

  • Identify and establish appropriate accommodations for course, programs, activities and facilities.
  • Request and receive current documentation that supports the need for accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids and services.
  • Deny a request for accommodations, academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids and services if documentation demonstrates that the request is not warranted, if the request would alter the essential elements of the course/curriculum or if the individual fails to provide the appropriate documentation.

Student Accessibility and Support Services has the responsibility to:

  • Provide or arrange reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids and services for students.
  • Maintain appropriate confidentiality of records and communication, except where permitted or required by law.
  • Make referrals to the Health and Counseling Center, Career Development Office, and other departments or organizations.

Faculty and Staff

Faculty and staff have the right to:

  • Receive verification of a documented disability from the office of Student Accessibility and Support Services in the form of an accommodation letter, which may or may not state the disability — per the student’s request.
  • Contact the Student Accessibility and Support Services to discuss the appropriateness of the accommodations.

Faculty and staff have the responsibility to:

  • Keep all disability-related information regarding a student confidential.
  • Maintain the same standards for students with disabilities as are applied to all other students.
  • Provide and arrange for reasonable classroom accommodations.
  • Inform students of procedures for arranging accommodations at the beginning of each semester.
  • To develop a shared commitment to inclusive excellence for individuals with diverse abilities.
  • To prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities.
  • To identify, reduce or eliminate physical, academic and attitudinal barriers.
  • To provide reasonable accommodations.
  • To maintain confidentiality.
  • To promote self-advocacy.