Academic Accommodations Policy
Ref. No. | Executive sponsor | Policy steward | Approval authority | First approved | Last reviewed | Effective date | Next review |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
34.01 | Vice President, Campus and Communities | Director, Student Services | Board of Governors | Sept. 2015 | Sept. 2018 | Sept. 2018 | Dec. 2025 |
- Purpose
- Nova Scotia Community College recognizes its legal duty to provide a learning environment
free from discrimination and to address student needs with accommodations to the point of
undue hardship in accordance with the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act. - This Policy establishes the College’s goal of providing in an equitable manner:
- Equal educational opportunities and full participation for students in the learning
environment, and - access to programs and services offered by the College.
- Equal educational opportunities and full participation for students in the learning
- This policy supports Nova Scotia Community College’s values of student success,
accessibility, diversity and inclusion.
- Nova Scotia Community College recognizes its legal duty to provide a learning environment
- Scope
- This policy applies to students of or applicants to the College, who have a disability within the
meaning of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act.
- This policy applies to students of or applicants to the College, who have a disability within the
- Definitions
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Academic Accommodations |
|
Disability | For the purpose of this policy, disability includes “physical disability or mental disability” as defined in s. 3(l) of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act. A disability may be long-term, short-term, or recurring. |
Undue Hardship |
Undue Hardship exists when the costs of providing the requested accommodation would be disproportionate and place an undue burden on the College, considering factors including the following:
|
- Policy
- The College will provide reasonable and appropriate Academic Accommodations in its programs and services when requested by a student whose disability adversely impacts their access to or participation in programs and services. The College will not provide Academic Accommodations which result in undue hardship. Students, staff, and faculty share responsibility for planning, implementing and monitoring Academic Accommodations in accordance with the Academic Accommodations procedure.
- Students are responsible to:
- Self-identify a disability to the College.
- Request specific Academic Accommodations.
- Provide comprehensive disability information supporting each Academic Accommodation request.
- Participate in Academic Accommodation planning, implementation, and monitoring.
- Meet academic requirements of the program.
- The College is responsible to:
- Support students in self-identifying a disability and requesting Academic Accommodations.
- Request comprehensive disability information supporting each Academic Accommodation.
- Lead the planning, implementation, and monitoring of Academic Accommodations.
- Maintain the academic standards for all programs.
- Ensure academic standards reflect bona-fide occupational requirements where applicable.
- Evaluate whether a requested accommodation results in undue hardship.
- Any appeals of a decision relating to accommodation of disabilities will be dealt with under the College’s Student Appeals policy.
- Policy Supports
Policies
31.01 Academic Integrity Policy
32.01 Student Appeals Policy
34.02 Academic Accommodations Procedure
34.03 Recording Procedure (login required)
41.01 Respectful Community Policy
75.11 Confidentiality of Student Information Policy
Related Materials
Nova Scotia Human Rights Act
Accessibility Services | NSCC