Student Grievance Procedures for Students with Disabilities
If a student believes that he or she has been discriminated against in connection with any University program
or activity because of a disability, he or she has the right to seek a review of such concerns. It is Boston
College policy that no qualified student with a disability shall be denied the benefits of, excluded from
participation in, or otherwise subjected to discrimination under any University program or activity. In
response to a request made by a qualified student with a properly documented disability, the University will
arrange for the provision of reasonable accommodations determined by the University to be necessary to
afford the student the opportunity to participate in University programs. The Disability Services Office within
the Office of the Dean of Students is available to assist all undergraduate and graduate students
in obtaining reasonable accommodations for hearing, visual, mobility, medical, and psychiatric disabilities. In addition, the Connors Learning Center provides academic services to students with learning disabilities and can assist in arranging for reasonable accommodations for such disabilities.
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Grievances Covered
These Student Grievance Procedures are applicable to grievances arising from disagreements regarding requested accommodations or other complaints alleging that the University has violated applicable disability anti-discrimination law. However, these Procedures are not intended for the resolution of disputes arising from requests for modifications or waivers of academic requirements or standards. Any student who seeks a review of the denial of such a request, or who has a grievance that is primarily academic in nature, shall be referred to the academic standards committee or other appropriate body of the relevant school. The school will handle the student’s complaint in accordance with the school’s grievance procedures and in compliance with applicable law. Nothing in this policy shall be deemed to require the University to fundamentally alter its programs by modifying or waiving academic requirements that it deems essential to a course of study, or materially altering applicable codes of conduct or academic integrity.
Informal Complaints
Before initiating a formal complaint process under these Procedures, the student shall contact the Dean of Students or Designee who shall attempt to resolve the matter through informal consultations with the student, the Director of Counseling Services, the Director of Health Services, and/or other appropriate administrators over a period not to exceed ten days. If the complaint is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction in a timely manner, the student may initiate a formal grievance process as described below.
Formal Complaints
A student who has not achieved a satisfactory resolution through an informal process may submit a written complaint for review by an ad hoc grievance committee. The complaint shall be filed with the Executive Director for Institutional Diversity, who serves as the University’s ADA/504 Coordinator, not later than ten days following the conclusion of the informal process, and shall include the following information:
- a.ÌýA full description of the problem and any relevant facts;
- b.ÌýA summary of the steps the student has already taken in attempt to resolve the problem, including the names of persons involved;
- c.ÌýA statement of the requested resolution and the student’s rationale for the requested accommodations;
- d.ÌýAny supporting documentation; and
- e.ÌýThe name, contact information and signature of the person initiating the complaint.