Adjustment Agreements & Course Accommodations

MCU is committed to meeting the needs of its students and striving for inclusion and access to all classes, programs, and activities. This is done through determining reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. MCU engages in a collaborative process with each student and reviews requests for accommodations on an individualized, case-by-case basis. Students may be eligible for course accommodations depending on the nature and functional limitations of their documented disability. Flexibility with course standards can provide an alternate way for a student to meet course learning objectives and actively participate in the course while also managing a disability.

Adjustment agreements are provided to students who have a documented need due to experiencing variable and unpredictable disability-related symptoms..  Students can request reasonable accommodations for a great variety of disabilities such as but not limited to anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, PTSD, ADHD and learning disabilities such as dyslexia and dysgraphia, all of which are covered by the ADA and can qualify students for academic accommodations. For a more complete list, please visit https://www.upcounsel.com/list-of-disabilities-covered-under-ada.

Academic accommodations may include:

• Changes to a classroom environment or task that permit a student with a disability to participate in the educational process
• Modifications to policies, practices, or procedures (e.g., reduced course load, extended time to degree, etc.)
• Provision of accessible instructional materials and effective communication services

Other adaptations or modifications that enable a student to enjoy the benefits and privileges of the university’s programs, services, and activities. Students are expected to request flexibility associated via an adjustment agreement as early in the term as possible. Reasonable accommodations are determined following an individualized assessment of each request. Among the factors considered in determining reasonable accommodations for students are:

• The nature of the student’s disability
• Accommodations that have been accessed by that student in the past
• Whether the requested accommodations will allow the student to effectively access and participate in the course
• Whether the requested accommodations will alter the essential requirements of the course or program.

A student’s rights to academic accommodations do not expire at MCU and the agreement is presumptively renewed each term.  The finalized adjustment agreement will be valid for a specified time-period (typically one year) to ensure the adjustment agreements most importantly reflect the student’s needs (including capturing any changes to those needs throughout their time at MCU) and to incorporate any updates to MCU’s technology or policies 

It is up to the student to determine whether to disclose their diagnosis in the agreement letter and to decide which classes to request accommodations for each trimester. Students can decide whether or not to disclose their diagnosis to course instructors. They can also request accommodations at any point during the term or at any phase of their academic enrollment. Students identified as eligible for accommodations are not permitted to seek retroactive application of accommodations prior to the time of establishing eligibilty.  Additionally, students who fail to provide their Academic Adjustment letters to faculty, are not entitled to retroactive application of their accommodations.