Complaint, Appeal, and Grievance Processes

UMDDR Complaints, Appeals, & Grievance Processes

Disability Resources (DR) is committed to ensuring equitable access to educational opportunities and other programs and services at UMD for students with disabilities. DR explores accommodations on an individualized basis using an interactive process. If, after working with DR, a student believes that they have not received timely disability-related reasonable accommodations, they disagree with an accommodation determination made by DR, they have concerns about the provision of services provided by DR, or they believe they are experiencing disability-related determination, the student may follow the steps outlined in the Accommodation Complaints, Appeals, & Grievance Process. The purpose of this process is to explore solutions and engage in timely resolution of accommodation concerns.

What students can expect when they report a concern:

  • DR will seek to resolve concerns in the most accessible and timely manner available for the given concern, and most concerns are resolved at the first level, with their Disability Specialist.
  • Disability Resources will promptly respond to verbal or written notification from students concerned about their DR-approved accommodations and/or the provision of services through DR. The sooner you reach out with concerns, the sooner we can resolve them.
  • DR will communicate in a timely fashion with students, housing staff, facilities management, instructors, or other relevant parties to resolve the issue.
  • If DR is not able to remedy the situation by communicating with these parties, DR will contact the appropriate department administrators to discuss implementation of DR-approved accommodations. 
  • If the DR-approved accommodation is still not implemented, DR will direct the student to follow the processes set forth below.

Steps in the Complaint, Appeal, and Grievance Processes:

  1. Identify the type of concern you are seeking to resolve:

Complaint: a concern about provision of services or experience in DR, accommodations not being implemented in a timely or appropriate manner, etc.

Appeal: a concern about an accommodation determination made by DR staff

Grievance: a concern about disability-related discrimination or a concern about the findings of an appeal

 

  1. Engage the process to address your concern:

Complaint Process: 

  • Reach out to your Disability Specialist to share your concern. They will work to understand and resolve the concerns and will follow up with you regarding the resolution. 
  • In the event that a student does not feel the concern has been addressed and resolved, student may report concerns to the Disability Resources Director to seek resolution. 
  • If the student does not feel their concerns were addressed and resolved, they may contact the University’s …… to request initiation of a formal grievance process.

 

Appeal Process: 

  • Reach out to your Disability Specialist to share concern or disagreement regarding an accommodation decision. Student may present additional information or documentation to their DS and request they the request be reviewed again. 
  • If student is still dissatisfied with an accommodation determination, they may request a Review of Accommodation Determination by Disability Resources Director. DR Director will gather information from student and involved parties, make a determination, and provide a summary of findings to the student and involved parties. 
  • If student is still dissatisfied with an accommodation determination, they may request a review University’s Deputy ADA Coordinator for Accommodations and Grievances. The Deputy ADA Coordinator will conduct an inquiry into the student’s concern. This inquiry will generally include a case review and consultation with the student, DR staff, the instructor or program contact and/or others as needed.

In some cases, based on the information gathered in their inquiry, the Deputy ADA Coordinator will ask the DRC Access Consultant to facilitate further engagement in the interactive process. In other cases, the Deputy ADA Coordinator will assess whether the accommodation requested by the student, or an equally effective alternate accommodation, should be implemented. An accommodation would not be considered reasonable if it: 

  1. fundamentally modifies the essential requirements of the course, program, or activity;
  2. causes an undue hardship for the University;
  3. is not connected to a disability-related access barrier; or 
  4. would constitute a direct threat to health or safety.

 

The Deputy ADA Coordinator will communicate their assessment in writing to the student and in some cases the instructor or departmental contact. The Deputy ADA Coordinator may also make written recommendations to the student’s department. The Deputy ADA Coordinator will strive to complete a review within 15 business days. If this is not possible, the Deputy ADA Coordinator will communicate with the student about an adjusted time frame. 

  • If the student disagrees with the findings of the DADAC review and/or continues to feel they were not accommodated, they may request initiation of a formal grievance process (below). 

 

Grievance Process:

  • If the student disagrees with the determination of the Deputy ADA Coordinator after completing the Accommodation Complaint or Appeals Processes described above, the student may contact the University’s Equal Opportunity and Title IX Office (EOT) to request initiation of a formal grievance process. In a formal grievance process, EOT conducts an investigation and determines whether the University’s discrimination policy was violated. A student must proceed through the DRC’s Accommodation Complaint Process before they can initiate a formal grievance process under the discrimination policy. 

Concerns of Disability-Related Discrimination Not Linked to Accommodations

If a student believes they are being discriminated against on the basis of disability, the student is guided to report discrimination.

  • If the student believes a university employee has discriminated against them, students can contact UMD's EOAA Associate and Title IX Coordinator, Corey Christensen, via email to [email protected], via phone (218) 726-8809, or through the UReport online form. 

If the student believes another student has discriminated against them, students should consult with Chris Kaberline in the Office of Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution via email at [email protected].