Minimum Qualifications for Campus Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinators

Fall
2019
Resolution Number
10.01
 
Assigned to
Standards and Practices Committee
Category
Disciplines List
Status
Assigned

Whereas, Title 5 section 56048 requires, as a condition of receiving Disabled Student Program & Services (DSPS) funds, DSPS Coordinators must meet the minimum qualifications for DSPS faculty stated in Title 5 section 53414 or be academic administrators that “meet the minimum qualifications for academic administrators in Title 5 section 53420 and, in addition, have two (2) years full-time experience or the equivalent within the last four (4) years in one or more of the following fields:

(1)  instruction or counseling or both in a higher education program for students with disabilities;

(2)  administration of a program for students with disabilities in an institution of higher education;

(3)  teaching, counseling or administration in secondary education, working predominantly or exclusively in programs for students with disabilities; or

(4)  administrative or supervisory experience in industry, government, public agencies, the military, or private social welfare organizations, in which the responsibilities of the position were predominantly or exclusively related to persons with disabilities”;

Whereas, Students with disabilities have a right to equal access to education, regardless of whether or not they choose to utilize campus DSPS services, and campus Section 504/Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator/Compliance Officers, for whom there are no minimum qualifications, are typically permitted to determine accommodations for students with disabilities who choose not to use DSPS services;

Whereas, Title 5 section 56027 requires that colleges establish policies and procedures for providing academic adjustments in a timely manner, and that “procedure shall also permit the Section 504/ADA Coordinator/Compliance Officer, or other designated district official with knowledge of accommodation requirements, to make an interim decision pending a final resolution”; and

Whereas, Allowing Section 504/ADA Coordinator/Compliance Officers, who may have little understanding of how to provide appropriate academic adjustments, to make decisions on accommodations can adversely affect instruction and harm the education of students with disabilities who choose not to use DSPS services;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges assert that the phrase in Title 5 section 56027 “or other designated district official with knowledge of accommodation requirements” means that the Disabled Student Program & Services coordinator may be designated as the person who is authorized to make interim decisions on academic adjustments; and

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the California Association for Postsecondary Education and Disability, and other system partners to develop minimum qualification requirements for campus Section 504/Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator/Compliance Officer so that all students with disabilities are well served.

MSC