Students with disabilities

1. WU is committed to accommodate all qualified students and shall not deny students access to any academic programs of WU on the basis of their disability.
2. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended in 2008, defines the term "Disability" as follows:
1. A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual;
2. A record of such an impairment; or
3. Being regarded as having such an impairment.
3. The law further requires institutions of higher education to provide reasonable accommodations for the needs of qualified students as they pursue postsecondary education.

Reasonable accommodations

1. Reasonable accommodations include any modifications or adjustments to academic programs or services that will enable a student with disabilities to have equal opportunities and benefits available to students without disabilities.
2. Students with disabilities will however, adhere to the same academic standards, behavioral expectations, and ethical conduct as all other students. The quality and quantity of work required of students with disabilities will at all times remain equal to that of other students. Reasonable accommodations ensure equal access to education but cannot alter the essential nature of courses or programs of study. The boundaries of substantive changes are at the discretion of WU.
3. Examples of reasonable accommodations may include: accessible facilities, alternative assignments, extended time to submit assignments, alternative testing arrangements (oral presentations), preferential seating in the classroom, a note taker, permission to record lectures, etc.

Procedure

1. WU will accept students who meet its admission requirements without regard to disability. To ensure non-discrimination, students must complete all prerequisites for admission before requesting assistance to receive reasonable accommodations.
2. Requests for reasonable accommodations must be made within one week of admission to permit sufficient time to faculty to devise a plan to deal with special requests before the start of the trimester.
3. Students who wish to apply for special accommodations need to submit full documentation and disclosure of disabilities to WU from an appropriate professional person defining and verifying the nature and extent of the student's disability. Documentation shall clearly substantiate the need for each of the student's specific accommodation requests. The diagnosis must have been made or confirmed in the last three years. The student is responsible for the financial cost involved in obtaining documentation of a disability.
4. Once documentation is submitted and reviewed, WU will meet with the student to determine what accommodations will be needed. WU will make every reasonable effort, within its means, to accommodate students with documented disabilities.

Appeal procedures

1. Informal resolution
   Any student who has reason to believe that they have been denied equal access to a program or service due to disability, are encouraged to first meet with the relevant staff member or faculty member with whom there is a disagreement to find a resolution.
2. Formal complaint
   a. If independent resolution is not satisfactory, the student should submit a formal and written complaint to WU within 30 days after the independent resolution process has failed. The written complaint shall include a statement indicating the potential impact on the complainant as well as all supporting documents serving as evidence of the alleged injustice. The complainant has to prove that an accommodation was wrongly denied.
   b. Within fourteen (14) business days of receipt of a written complaint, the appropriate reviewing authority will initiate an investigation of the complaint. The complainant will be notified in writing of the outcome of the investigation. This decision will be final and binding.