Grievance Procedure

If a student is denied an accommodation or receives an accommodation that they consider ineffective in a Student Accommodation Notification letter or Faculty Accommodation letter issued by Disability Services (DS), the student may file a grievance of the decision to the Director of Disability Services within the timeframe set forth below. The scope of a grievance review is limited to determining whether an accommodation decision was reasonable under the circumstances.

Grievance Process

A student who wishes to file a grievance must submit a Grievance Form to the Director of Disability Services (Ida Dilwood, idilwood@uccs.edu). The student’s statement should indicate the specific basis for the grievance (see below) and supporting arguments. Students are afforded the opportunity to provide names of individuals that have relevant information (i.e., witnesses) and supporting documentation. 

A grievance review is limited to information provided for the Accommodation Notification during the prior interactive process. Should a student have new or updated information they would like the Director to consider, the student will need to re-engage in the interactive process with their Accommodation Coordinator by submitting an updated request for accommodations.

Basis for Grievance

If a requested accommodation was denied in whole or in part, a student should identify:

• Any procedural errors by the Accommodation Coordinator that materially impacted the interactive process and/or the determination to deny the requested accommodation(s); or
• Any information made available during the interactive process that was not adequately considered by the Accommodation Coordinator; or
• Any factual or analytical errors in the Student Accommodation Notification which materially impacted the denial of accommodation(s).

Notice of Grievance Decision

The Director of Disability Services (DS) will provide a Grievance Decision Letter to the student within twenty (20) business days following submission of the Grievance Form and all supporting documentation. This 20-day time limit may be extended at the discretion of the Director, upon written notice to the student.

In making the decision, the Director of Disability Services will consider materials obtained during the interactive process, the Student Accommodation Notification, and the student’s grievance form. The decision of the Director may result in:

• Upholding the Student Accommodation Notification in its entirety; or
• Sending information back for reconsideration (by the same or different Accommodation Coordinator) and re-engagement in the interactive process; or
• Reversing or amending the Student Accommodation Notification in part or in whole.

If a student believes that a grievance decision is unreasonable or that Disability Services did not follow their procedures and policies in making the decision, they may file an appeal with the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Health & Wellness within the timeframe set forth below.

Appeal Process

If a student wishes to appeal a grievance decision, they must submit a written statement to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Health & Wellness (shanenbe@uccs.edu) within ten (10) business days of the date of issuance of the Grievance Decision Letter.

 The student’s statement should indicate the specific basis for the appeal (see below) and supporting arguments. The student should be aware that an appellate review involves consideration of the Student Accommodation Notification based information that was made available to the Director during the grievance process and the grievance decision letter. 

Should a student have new or updated information they would like the Assistant Vice Chancellor to consider, the student will need to re-engage in the interactive process with their Accommodation Coordinator by submitting an updated request for accommodations.

Basis for Appeal

If requested accommodation(s) were denied in whole or in part, a student should identify:

• Any procedural errors by the Accommodation Coordinator that materially impacted the interactive process and/or the determination to deny the requested accommodation(s); or
• Any factual or analytical errors in the Student Accommodation Notification or grievance decision letter which materially impacted the denial of accommodation(s).

Notice of Appeal Decision

The Assistant Vice Chancellor for Health & Wellness will provide an Appeal Decision Letter to the student within twenty (20) business days following submission of the appeal. This 20-day time limit may be extended at the discretion of the Director, upon written notice to the appealing student.

In making the decision, the Assistant Vice Chancellor will consider materials obtained during the interactive process, the Student Accommodation Notification, the grievance process, and the student’s appeal statement. The decision of the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Health & Wellness may result in:

• Upholding the Student Accommodation Notification in its entirety; or
• Reversing or amending the Student Accommodation Notification in part or in whole.

The decision of the Assistant Vice Chancellor is final and not subject to further appeals.

Students who want to contest university decisions regarding academic or other accommodations can utilize the institutional appeal process as described above. Any availability and use of this grievance procedure does not prevent a student from filing a complaint of discrimination on the basis of disability with the UCCS Office of Institutional Equity, pursuant to UCCS’ Discrimination and Harassment Policy and the grievance process provided in the OIE Resolution Procedures.