Whereas, Students with disabilities are legally entitled to equal access to education and are required to receive reasonable academic accommodations under federal and state law;
Whereas, While Title 5 section 56000 [1] stipulates that academic accommodations may not result in fundamental alterations of curriculum, as defined in Title 5 section 56001 [2], yet there are often disagreements between instructional faculty and Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS) professionals on what constitutes fundamental alterations of curriculum, the roles of DSPS offices and instructional faculty in providing academic accommodations, and the rights of instructional faculty to challenge academic accommodations on the basis of fundamental alterations;
Whereas, Academic accommodations may impact instruction, regardless of whether or not an academic accommodation results in a fundamental alteration of curriculum and is a policy regarding student preparation and success, both of which make the provision of academic accommodations an academic and professional matter under the purview of local senates; and
Whereas, Given recent legislative changes that impact remedial or developmental education, local senates need additional resources and professional guidance on how to effectively serve students with disabilities from a faculty perspective;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges establish a new committee focused on serving students with disabilities, providing resources such as breakout sessions, Rostrum articles, and regional meetings on effective practices for serving students with disabilities to local senates.
MSC
[1] See https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs/Document/I0438A1F41C994288ADE3D1CD05AB… pe=FullText&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=( sc.Default)
[2] See https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs/Document/IFB07D3A5F96D4AEC84571FC3BF34… pe=FullText&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=( sc.Default)