Accepted students who have paid their admissions deposit and who plan to request accommodations and services because of a disability should follow the procedures listed below.
Castleton is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified students with disabilities so that no such student shall, by reason of a disability, be excluded from participating in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs or activities of Castleton.
Accepted students who have paid their admissions deposit and who plan to request accommodations and services because of a disability should follow the procedures listed below:
Documentation may include educational or medical records, reports and assessments created by health care providers, school psychologists, teachers, or the educational system. This information is inclusive of documents that reflect education and accommodation history, such as an IEP, Summary of Performance (SOP), and teacher observations. IEP's and 504 plans are not applicable in the postsecondary context, but if provided, they must show the current impact of the condition and identify a connection between the disability and the accommodation(s) requested. Documentation will vary in its relevance and value, depending on the original context, credentials of the evaluator, the level of detail provided, and the comprehensiveness of the narrative. Additional documentation may be requested.
a) Diagnostic Statement identifying the disability
b) A description of the diagnostic methodology used
c) Date of diagnosis
d) Name and qualifications of the evaluator
e) Description of the current functional limitations
f) Recommendations for accommodations/services
Send documentation to:
Gerry Volpe, Coordinator of Disability Services
Castleton University
87 University Drive
Castleton, VT 05735
Phone: (802) 468-1428
Fax: (802) 468-1205
Email: gerard.volpe@castleton.edu
Students should set up an evaluation with the Coordinator of Disability Services to go over the documentation, discuss the requested accommodations, and secure approval for appropriate accommodations. Students must meet with the Coordinator of Disability Services each semester to secure accommodations.
For non-academic accommodation requests, such as requests relating to housing, the Coordinator of Disability Services may seek input from the Dean of Students, the Dean’s designee, or other Castleton personnel, as appropriate.
The Coordinator of Disability Services will develop an official form with approved accommodations, signed by the student as well. It is the responsibility of the student to give the form to the appropriate faculty and/or third party service providers, who will discuss the implementation of the accommodations.
If a student is denied a requested accommodation or believes the final accommodation(s) provided is not reasonable or the accommodation was not provided as agreed, the student should first seek to discuss this with the Coordinator of Disability Services. The student should provide the Coordinator of Disability Services with any additional documentation supporting the student’s position, such as additional disability documentation or documentation demonstrating the failure to provide an approved accommodation. If the student is unable to resolve the matter with the Coordinator of Disability Services, the student may use the following appeal process. During the appeal process, any academic accommodations or services that have been put into place will continue uninterrupted.
Appeals should be submitted, in writing, to the ADA/Section 504 Coordinator, with a copy to the Coordinator of Disability Services. The appeal may be submitted by hand delivery, email, inter-office mail or U.S. mail to:
Kelley Beckwith, Associate Dean of Student Success
Woodruff Hall
62 Alumni Drive
Castleton University
Castleton, VT 05735
Phone: (802) 468-1321
The ADA/Section 504 Coordinator or the Coordinator’s designee has discretion to conduct any investigation deemed appropriate, including requesting documents and interviewing witnesses, prior to making a final decision on the appeal. The ADA/Section 504 Coordinator or the Coordinator’s designee shall respond to the appeal in writing, with a copy to the Coordinator of Disability Services, and, if the appeal is denied, shall explain the reason for the decision.
If a student believes that he or she has been discriminated against or harassed on the basis of a disability, the student may file a complaint pursuant to VSC Policy 311: Non-Discrimination and Prevention of Harassment and Related Unprofessional Conduct. For additional information about Policy 311, contact:
Janet Hazelton, Director of Human Resources
Woodruff Hall
62 Alumni Drive
Castleton University
Castleton, VT 05735
Phone: (802) 468-1207
For more information about Disability Services at Castleton, please visit our Disability Services page.