Access and Equity
Tompkins Cortland Community College is committed to providing equal access for all qualified individuals to its programs and educational opportunities.
It is the College's policy to provide, on an individual basis, academic adjustments to its requirements for students who have disabilities that may affect their ability to fully participate in program or course activities or to meet course requirements as well as nonacademic program or activity requirements, including, but not limited to clubs, residence life and meal plans, and athletics. Modifications may include, but are not limited to: testing or classroom modifications, modifications to policies and practices in academic and student activities, and use of auxiliary aids or services. Baker Center for Learning (BCL) staff members are available to work with students with physical, learning, psychological, medical, or other disabilities to help them better understand the nature of their disability, develop self-advocacy skills, and to determine appropriate access plans.
To receive academic adjustments, students must identify a disability that impacts their ability to access the academic environment, and work with BCL personnel and classroom faculty and/or other Tompkins Cortland staff to develop and implement an appropriate plan for access (“Access Plan”). Individually-specific information provided concerning a disability is private and is released only with the student's consent or as required by law.
A person with a disability is "any person who (1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, (2) has a history of such an impairment, or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment. Substantial impairment means that an individual cannot perform the life activity at all, or that he or she is limited in the condition, manner, or duration of the activity. Major life activities include, but are not limited to, walking, seeing, breathing, learning, working or performing manual tasks."
For further information, or to identify a disability, students should contact:
Baker Center for Learning
Phone: 607.844.8222, Ext. 4415
bcl@tompkinscortland.edu
Fax: 607.844.6549
A note about the term “reasonable accommodations,” which has been widely used in postsecondary education. “Reasonable accommodations” is a term that is not found in Section 504 Subpart E (Postsecondary Education) but is found in Subpart B (Employment). At Tompkins Cortland, we prefer the terminology used in Subpart E – “academic adjustments.” “Academic Adjustments” are modifications (to policies and practices) and auxiliary aids and/or services (such as captioning, interpreters, use of a recorder or smart pen, etc.). We do recognize that others may more routinely use “reasonable accommodations.”