University of Arkansas at Little Rock

To: UALR Faculty and Staff

From: Charles E. Hathaway, Chancellor

Date: August 17, 1995

Subject: Accommodation Responsibilities

As we begin a new academic year, I would like to emphasize the University’s commitment and my personal commitment to assuring that UALR is meeting the needs of students and employees with disabilities. While we have a legal obligation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to meet these needs, each of us also has a personal responsibility to be sensitive to student and employee requests for accommodations and to respond to those requests in a positive manner.

The Committee on the Americans with Disabilities Act (CADA) has completed its first year’s work. We will soon be entering the next stage of our campus-wide ADA program evaluation. This will involve meeting with each unit head individually. Because there will be questions about responsibility for accommodations, I would like to clarify with you the delineation of responsibility.

Interpreters

Disability Resource Center (DRC):
1. Schedule and pay for interpreters for academic courses, assignments, labs, field trips related to course work and tutoring sessions.
2. Provide names of certified interpreters as resources for other units.
3. Schedule and pay for interpreters for employees at department meetings and work related assignments when not included in department budget. (Please give DRC two weeks advanced notice to schedule an interpreter.)
4. Schedule and pay for interpreters for UALR sponsored off campus or on campus social events or programs that are not directly related to an academic class such as workshops, organizational meetings and other campus programs or events when not covered in department/unit budgets as indicated below.

Department/Unit:
1. Schedule and pay for interpreters for programs and events financed by fees or ticket sales. For example, the Theater Department and Student Activities budget for this and will continue to do so.
2. Budget for interpreters for employees for usual department meetings and events after these needs have been established.

Human Resources Services (HRS):
1. Schedule and pay for interpreters for applicants and interviews.

Human Relations:
1. Schedule and pay for interpreters for all grievance procedures or complaints.

Written Materials

Disability Resource Center (DRC):
1. Text books, other readings for class (tape, disk or braille).

Departments/Unit:
1. Exams, class handouts, departmental/unit publications, brochures, flyers, etc. (tape, disk, large print or braille).

Audio Visuals

Department/Unit:
1. Copies of overheads (handed out to student in accessible medium before class starts).
2. Request captioned videos.

Adaptive Materials/Equipment

Department/Unit:
1. 3-D models, tape recorders, lab equipment, braille paper, etc., under $500.
2. Accessibility needs incorporated into renovations.
3. Maintenance and repair of equipment purchased by CADA or other funding sources that is housed in the department/unit.

CADA:
1. Purchase of major equipment not within the department’s/unit’s funding possibilities.

Providing/Securing Accomodations

Department/Unit:
1. Notification on all publications of how to request accommodations.

Individual:
1. Request accommodations in a timely manner. Student must provide documentation of disability for classroom accommodation.

Outside Organizations

Department/Unit:
1. When you assist or contract with an outside organization to use UALR facilities, have a signed agreement with the organization that they will provide accommodations such as interpreters and alternative formats if needed. (If you do not do this, you run the risk of having to pay for these accommodations yourself.)

If departments feel they cannot fund an accommodation they should request assistance within their chain of command, i.e. from Dean to Vice Chancellor.

Thank you for your efforts in providing the needed accommodations. Together we will make UALR a better place to work and study.