Rights and Responsibilities for Accessibility Services

Responsibilities to apply for and receive accommodations for a disability involve a collaboration between the student and Bemidji State University.

Student Rights

• Equal access to Bemidji State University courses, programs, services and activities.
• Ability to request reasonable accommodations to access courses, programs, services and activities.
• Confidentiality of information about their disability, unless disclosures are required or permitted by law.
• Access to information in accessible formats.
• Report grievances if needs are not met.

Student Responsibilities

• Self-identify as having a disability in a timely manner to Accessibility Services.
• Meet qualifications and standards for academic progress and activities.
• Follow established procedures for requesting accommodations.
• Provide documentation of the impact of their disability from a reliable healthcare provider, when requested.
• Report concerns and grievances in a timely manner.
• Request accommodations each semester.

Bemidji State Rights

• Establish essential functions, skills and standards for courses, programs and activities.
• Deny accommodations if documentation shows they are not needed or if appropriate documentation is not provided.
• Choose among equally effective accommodations.
• Refuse an accommodation request if it poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others, changes essential elements of the curriculum, creates undue financial or administrative burden or is a substantial alteration of service.

Bemidji State Responsibilities

• Provide information in accessible formats.
• Provide reasonable accommodations in a timely manner.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality.
• Engage in the interactive process of requesting accommodations.