Disabilities Services at Aurora University

Confidentiality and Advocacy

Confidentiality
Any documentation concerning a disability provided by a student to the Center for Teaching & Learning is confidential. The faculty and staff of the university will not have access to these materials unless a student specifically requests that an individual be allowed to view these documents or share in this information. In the event that a student were to challenge a determination made by the Center for Teaching & Learning, it would be necessary for the appropriate university officials to access these materials in order to review the Center for Teaching & Learning's determination.

In other words, if a student declines to ask individual faculty members for accommodations, then his or her professors will not be aware of the student's disability. It is always the student's choice whether or not to self-identify as a student with a disability.

Self-Advocacy, Advocacy by Staff, and Grievance Procedures
The disabilities services coordinator and the director of the Center for Teaching & Learning do play an important role in advocating for the needs of students with disabilities. However, students are their own best advocates. Students need to take responsibility for seeking accommodations and voicing concern when their accommodations need to be readdressed. In particualar, students should not hesitate to inform the Center for Teaching & Learning staff when they feel that they are not receiving their accommodations or when they feel their confidentiality is not being respected. The staff members are willing to accompany students in meeting with professors to resolve differences or seek new understandings.

Aurora University does have in place grievance procedures which allow a student to raise concerns when less formal processes have not been satisfactory to the student. Informal processes might include approaching the appropriate faculty or staff member, and meeting with the Center for Teaching & Learning staff. Formal processes are outlined below.

Any student who desires to challenge the accommodations made in his or her case may request:

• An Informal Review:
  The dean of the school in which the student is majoring will review the student's complaint and take appropriate action if necessary.
• A Formal Review:
  If the informal review does not resolve the issue, the student may request a formal review. The Provost of the University will ask the Faculty Senate to appoint a three-person committee to investigate and make a recommendation for his or her decision on the matter.