Support and Accessibility of Campus Programs and Facilities for People with Disabilities

Policy Type: 
Operations

I. Policy Title: Support and Accessibility of Campus Programs and Facilities for People with Disabilities

II. Who Does This Policy Affect

HFC Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, employees, students, vendors/contractors and visitors to our campus

III. Purpose

To provide appropriate academic, employment or other accommodations to all qualified students, faculty, employees, vendors/contractors and visitors of the College with disabilities as required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Americans with Disability Act as Amended (ADAAA) 2008 and any other applicable state and/or federal regulation.

This policy is not intended to expand or otherwise modify applicable state and federal laws and regulations.

IV. Policy Statement

HFC strives to provide an accessible campus in both its physical plant and programs offered for all students, faculty, employees and visitors.

HFC is committed to ensuring that no otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall be either excluded from or denied access to participation in academics, employment or any program, service or activity offered by the College, as mandated by federal and state laws and regulations.

Furthermore, no qualified individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of a disability or disabilities with regard to employment application procedures, hiring or discharge of employment, compensation, advancement, job training and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.

Qualified individuals with disabilities have the right to request and will receive reasonable accommodations based on their needs in order to fully participate in or benefit from academic instruction, employment or any other program, service or activity offered by the College in accordance with ADA and ADAAA. The College’s Office of Assisted Learning Services will assist qualified students with appropriate documentation in determining their needs and discuss any reasonable accommodations that may assist students and others.

Employees should advise their immediate supervisor or the Office of Human Resources for their potential accommodation requests, which shall be evaluated in accordance with the definitions and legal interpretations of the ADA and ADAAA to ascertain whether a reasonable accommodation may be implemented.

The College is obligated to make a reasonable accommodation only to the known disability of an otherwise qualified student. Students should request accommodations for their disability through the Office of Assisted Learning Services.

Students who have concerns or good faith complaints regarding their access to public accommodations or participation in College programs, services and events are encouraged to raise their concerns when they become aware of them to increase the likelihood of an effective investigation and resolution.

No HFC employee shall coerce, intimidate, threaten or interfere with any individual for exercising a right under this policy or for assisting or supporting another to exercise a right under this policy. The College will not tolerate any form of retaliation against any person for bringing charges of discrimination or for participating in an investigation. If you feel that you are being retaliated against, please see the College’s Non-Retaliation policy for steps you need to take in order to file a complaint.

The President and his/her designee is authorized to develop procedures to implement this policy.

V. Definitions

Disability – A physical or mental impairment or medical condition that substantially limits a major life activity, or has a history or record of such an impairment or medical condition. Major life activities include, but are not limited to, seeing, hearing, eating, walking, standing, sitting, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and performing manual tasks. Major life activities could also include the operation of major bodily functions such as: the immune system, skin, normal cell growth, bowel, bladder, neurological, circulatory, cardiovascular, endocrine, hemic (blood), lymphatic, and reproductive functions.

Qualified Individual with a Disability – A qualified individual with a disability is a person who meets legitimate skill, experience, education, or other requirements of an employment position that she/he holds or seeks, and who can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Reasonable Accommodation – For students, a reasonable accommodation is a reasonable modification in the College’s policies, practices, or procedures, when the accommodations are necessary to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability, unless the accommodations would fundamentally alter the nature of a College service, program or activity.

For employees, the College is only required to accommodate a “”known” disability of a qualified applicant or employee. The College’s review of the reasonable accommodation will be triggered by the request from an individual with a disability. The College is not obligated to make a reasonable accommodation except where an individual’s known disability impairs his/her ability to know of, or effectively communicate a need for, an accommodation that is obvious to the employer. The College is not required to make an accommodation if it would impose an “undue hardship” on the operations of the College business, such as but not limited to, the action to accommodate would include significant difficulty or expense. After consideration of a number of factors, the College will examine and evaluate requests for reasonable accommodations on a case by case basis.

The President/designee may develop procedures to implement this policy.

VI. Responsible Party for Policy Interpretation/Review

Office of Assisted Learning Services
Vice President of Student Affairs (who is also designated as the College's Section 504 and Title II liaison)
Department of Human Resources

VII. Related Documents

  1. ADA, Section 504 and Title II Complaints
    https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?HenryFordCC

  2. Assisted Learning Webpage
    https://www.hfcc.edu/campus-life/counseling/assisted-learning

  3. Accessibility Student website
    https://www.hfcc.edu/student-services/accessibility

  4. Accessibility Faculty and staff website
    https://my.hfcc.edu/faculty-and-staff/accessibility

  5. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
    http://www.ada.gov/pubs/ada.htm

  6. Americans with Disabilities Act as Amended (ADAAA) 2008
    http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/adaaa_notice.cfm

  7. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
    https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/civil-rights-center/s...

  8. Form for Filing an Accessibility Complaint
    https://my.hfcc.edu/forms/accessibility-complaint

  9. Student Information Form/Request for Accommodation - please see Office of Assisted Learning Services

  10. Electronic Information and Technology Accessibility Policy
    https://policies.hfcc.edu/policy/electronic-information

  11. Non-Retaliation Policy
    https://policies.hfcc.edu/policy/non

  12. Equal Educational and Employment Opportunities and Non-Discrimination Policy
    https://policies.hfcc.edu/policy/equal

  13. U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Disability Rights Section Title II Highlights
    https://www.ada.gov/2010_regs.htm

  14. Pregnancy Discrimination and Pregnancy-Related Disability Discrimination | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (eeoc.gov)
    https://www.eeoc.gov/pregnancy-discrimination

  15. FLSA Protections to Pump at Work | U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov)
    https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pump-at-work

  16. Michigan Legislature - Act 197 of 2014 – Breastfeeding Antidiscrimination
    https://law.justia.com/codes/michigan/2022/chapter-37/statute-act-197-of...

  17. Michigan and Federal Breastfeeding Legislation
    https://mibreastfeeding.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022-Current-Mich...

  18. Student Testing Procedures - please see Office of Assisted Learning Services

  19. Special Populations Identification Form - please see Office of Assisted Learning Services

  20. Student Note Taking Services Procedures - please see Office of Assisted Learning Services

  21. Student Lab/Adaptive Equipment Checklist - please see Office of Assisted Learning Services

VIII. Policy History

a. Adopted by Board: February 20, 1995
b. Previous Policy Section: Students; Previous Policy No. 8200 and 8250

This policy supersedes and replaces any and all policies related to this subject

Reviewed/Updated:

March 19, 2024 - updated title to be more sensitive to individuals with disabilities
September 15, 2021 – Reviewed with no changes
December 18, 2017

Adopted Date: 
Monday, February 20, 1995
Revised Date: 
Monday, December 18, 2017
Monday, December 18, 2017
Status: 
Board Approved