
The University of Nevada, Reno and the Disability Resource Center is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973):
The University of Nevada, Reno does not discriminate in the admission or service of students on the basis of disability. It is the responsibility of all members of the university community to adhere to the philosophy of equal access and opportunity for students with disabilities as defined by ADA and Section 504.
While ensuring the academic integrity of its programs, the university is dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to educational opportunities for individuals with verified disabilities from an appropriately credentialed professional. Academic requirements that are defined by the University of Nevada, Reno and the UCCSN Board of Regents as essential to courses, programs of study or any related licensing or certification requirement are not regarded as discriminatory.
Qualified students with Disabilities are entitled to equal access in all programs. Consistent with necessary and legitimate academic programs, they may not be excluded from any legitimate academic requirements; they may not be excluded from a course, course of study or other educational program or activity; nor may the university impose on them rules that have the effect of limiting participation.
Reasonable adjustments/modifications may be required as necessary to provide equal access in order to prevent discrimination. Tests must measure the student's achievement, not his/her impaired sensory, manual or speaking skills (except when that skill is the factor being measured). The university may need to inquire whether an accommodation in the student's physical environment would permit continued participation in the program. Substantial modifications are not required (e.g. the university is not mandated to modify requirements essential to the program of instruction or directly related to any licensing requirement).
The President of the university, who is ultimately responsible for determining disability-related accommodations, has assigned the DRC the authority for making decisions regarding accommodations necessary to provide equal access on behalf of the university.
The Disability Resource Center (DRC) is responsible for the coordination of services to students with disabilities as defined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Section 202 of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The DRC also has the responsibility for determining the appropriate accommodations and coordination of services based on current academic standards and requirements to ensure and uphold academic integrity.
The Disability Resource Center is committed to a reasonable approach in the identification of disabled students. The DRC will contact all students who have voluntarily identified themselves in writing as having a disability after the university admission process is completed.
Faculty members who observe student difficulties that are indicative of a disability should refer that student for assistance to the DRC.
Students who have a disability or suspect that they have a disability should contact the DRC for information and assistance. Before a faculty member is expected to provide reasonable accommodations, the student must submit his/her request in writing to the DRC to be considered as a candidate for eligibility for services. Subsequently, the DRC will schedule a meeting with the student to review the request.
Students who claim to have a disability are responsible for providing the university with verification of their disability by providing documentation from an appropriately credentialed professional to receive any necessary academic modification and/or reasonable accommodation. The documentation must substantiate limitation(s) to a major life activity. In order to establish a current need for accommodation, documentation for a learning disability must include a complete adult-based (18 years of age or older) psycho-educational assessment which should be conducted every three years with the understanding that requests for assessments will be determined based on the individual's situation.
The DRC will then provide an interpretation of the evaluation and determine the need for appropriate accommodation. Supplemental assessment may be required to justify the student's request for a specific accommodation.
Reasonable accommodations and academic modifications are determined by the DRC based upon the specific needs of the student as identified by the DRC and the academic requirements of the appropriate department, college, school, etc. Recommendations for accommodations cited in a psycho-educational assessment or from medical health personnel will be considered. However, the DRC reserves the right to prescribe/provide accommodations its professional staff determines appropriate to the disability. Degree modifications such as a course substitution also require approval by the appropriate academic college dean and, in the case of a university requirement, the Core Curriculum Board.
Members of the university community who have concerns regarding recommended accommodations should contact the DRC rather than making their concerns known directly to the student. The DRC may refer the inquiry to the appropriate unit, department, or academic dean of the college in which the accommodation was made.
Service animals are animals trained to assist people with disabilities in the activities of normal living. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) definition of service animals is “…any…animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, altering individuals who are hearing impaired to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items.” If an animal meets this definition, it is considered a service animal regardless of whether it has been licensed or certified by a state or local government or a training program.
The ADA and the University of Nevada , Reno policy allow service animals accompanying persons with disabilities to be on the University of Nevada , Reno campus. A service animal must be permitted to accompany a person with a disability everywhere on campus.
This policy differentiates “service animals” from “pets,” describes types of service dogs, denotes campus locations that are off-limits to service animals, and sets behavioral guidelines for services animals.
Partner/Handler: A person with a service or therapy animal. A person with a disability is called a partner; a person with a disability is called a handler.
Pet: A domestic animal kept for pleasure or companionship. Pets are not permitted in university facilities, except the veterinary clinic.
Service Animal: Any animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. If there is a question about whether an animal is a service animal, contact the Disability Resource Center.
Therapy/Companion Animal: An animal with good temperament and disposition, and who has reliable, predictable behavior, selected to visit people with disabilities or people who are experiencing the frailties of aging as a therapy tool. The animal may be incorporated as an integral part of a treatment process. A therapy/companion animal does not assist an individual with a disability in the activities of daily living. The therapy/companion animal does not accompany a person with a disability all the time, unlike a service animal that is almost always with its partner. Thus, a therapy/companion animal is not covered by laws protecting service animals and governing their activities.
Trainee: An animal undergoing training to become a service animal. A trainee will be housebroken and fully socialized. To be fully socialized means the animal will not, except under rare occasions, bark, yip, growl or make disruptive noises; will have a good temperament and disposition; will not be aggressive. A trainee will be under control of the handler, who may or may not have a disability. If the trainee begins to show improper behavior, the handler will act immediately to correct the animal or will remove the animal from the premises.
Disruption: The partner of an animal that is unruly or disruptive (e.g., barking, running around, bringing attention to itself) may be asked to remove the animal from university facilities. If the improper behavior happens repeatedly, the partner may be told not to bring the animal into any university facility until the partner takes significant steps to mitigate the behavior. Mitigation can include muzzling a barking animal or refresher training for both the animal and the partner.
Cleanliness: Partners with animals that are unclean, noisome and or bedraggled may be asked to leave university facilities. An animal that becomes wet from walking in the rain or mud or from being splashed on by a passing automobile, but is otherwise clean, should be considered a clean animal. Animals that shed in the spring sometimes look bedraggled. If the animal in question usually is well groomed, consider the animal tidy even though its spring coat is uneven and messy appearing or it has become wet from weather or weather–related incidents.
Research Laboratories: The natural organisms carried by dogs and other animals may negatively affect the outcome of the research. At the same time, the chemicals and/or organisms used in the research may be harmful to service animals.**
Areas Where There is a Danger to the Service Animal: Any room, including a classroom, where there are sharp metal cuttings or other sharp objects on the floor or protruding from a surface; where there is hot material on the floor; where there is a high level of dust; or where there is moving machinery is off-limits to service animals. (e.g., mechanical rooms, custodial closers, wood shops, metal/machine shops)**
** Professors may make exceptions on a case by case basis. The final decision shall be made based on the nature of research or machinery and the best interest of the animal.
Any partner dissatisfied with a decision made concerning a service animal should contact the University Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action office and follow the University of Nevada, Reno ADA Accommodation Appeal/Grievance Procedure.
All students with disabilities are eligible to apply for special status, which if approved, allows them to take a reduced course load while maintaining full-time status. The approval of a reduced course load with full-time status is not a permanent status; students are not automatically eligible for this accommodation each semester. The request must be submitted and evaluated each term to determine the impact of the student’s disability in terms of the demands of his/her proposed course schedule.
The University of Nevada, Reno’s Statement of Policy and Intent represents our commitment to equal employment and educational opportunity. In conformity with federal and state law and university policy we are guided by the principle that there shall be no difference in the treatment of individuals because of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation. Equal opportunity and access to programs shall be available to all members of the university community, both students and employed personnel at every level, and to all units, facilities, and services of the university.
In the employment of all personnel, the university recognizes that, as a public agency, it has a further commitment: it is obligated to support federal and state policies which seek to achieve equal opportunity in employment for members of underrepresented groups, women, individuals with disabilities, and Vietnam era and disabled veterans. As used in this document, underrepresented groups will include African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaskan Native. Two important concepts are embodied in equal employment opportunity:
Affirmative action requires more than employment neutrality. It requires the University of Nevada to make additional efforts to recruit, employ, retain, and promote qualified women, members of underrepresented groups, individuals with disabilities, and Vietnam era and disabled veterans. The affirmative action concept requires positive action to insure against perpetuation of benign neutrality in employment practices.
Compliance with Laws
Through the policies and programs set forth in the Affirmative Action Plan, the university undertakes to comply fully with all federal, state, and local laws relating to educational opportunity, equal employment opportunity, and affirmative action.
Responsibility for Implementation
Through the policies and programs set forth in the Affirmative Action Plan, the university undertakes to comply fully with all federal, state, and local laws relating to educational opportunity, equal employment opportunity, and affirmative action.
Vice president(s)/Dean(s)
Overall responsibility for implementation of the affirmative action plan is delegated by the president to vice presidents, deans, directors, and department chairs, each of whom is responsible for the equal opportunity program within his or her respective unit.
Their responsibilities include, but are not necessarily limited to the following:
Affirmative Action Officer
Career Development
It is recognized that to some extent achievement of equitable distribution of underrepresented group members and women throughout all job classifications in the university, as projected in goals and timetables, will be the result of initial assignments, subsequent transfers, promotions, and possible training. All such appointments shall be made in accordance with affirmative action and equal opportunity concepts and policies and subject to review by the Affirmative Action Office.
Equal Benefits
University employment benefits will be formulated and administered without discrimination.
Dissemination of Statement
This Affirmative Action Statement will be treated as a public document. One or more copies will be kept on file in the university library and made available to any interested person upon request. All external recruitment sources used by the University will be notified that the University of Nevada, Reno is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.
Compliance with Laws
The university reaffirms its policy of administering all educational programs, related supporting services, and benefits in a manner which does not discriminate on grounds of any factor prohibited by law in providing any educational or other benefits or services of the University of Nevada, Reno.
Affirmative Recruitment
The university is committed to the proposition that the proportions of underrepresented group members and women in its student population should assure their adequate representation in careers of their choice and where their potential contribution has not been realized. The university is also committed to the identification and elimination of any discrimination in the provision of educational and related services and to the establishment of procedures which will assure equal treatment and educational benefits. To that end, the university will undertake a practice of affirmative recruitment for underrepresented group members and women.
Special effort will be made to encourage increased enrollment of underrepresented group members and women students (as well as individuals with disabilities) at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
University Sanctioned Organizations
All organizations, unless legally exempt, in order to be sanctioned by the university, will be required to submit to the Vice President of Student Services an annual statement of nondiscriminatory intent and practice.
Treatment of Students
Grievance procedures shall be provided to students for individual acts of unlawful discrimination, including discriminatory academic evaluation by faculty or administrative personnel in the teacher/student relationship and otherwise. Such acts include, but are not limited to, defamatory statements made by faculty members in class, or by other employees in the course of their work, which demean or insult individuals because of their race, sex, national origin, disability, or otherwise covered characteristic.
Multicultural Education
In performing its mission, the University of Nevada, Reno resolves to reflect and respect the rich ethnic and cultural diversity as well as the pattern of gender of the citizens of Nevada in its academic programs and in the composition of its faculty, administration and student body.
Nondiscrimination in Off-Campus Programs
In keeping with our Statement of Policy and Intent, the University must keep in mind and ensure the inclusion of all off-campus programs and activities. Programs or activities that the university does not operate but which are required components of educational or employment programs are subject to the Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity policy. The university can be held liable in instances where discrimination occurs against students or employees in such related programs.
Employees and students, while functioning in their university-associated roles, must also be protected from discriminatory acts (including sexual harassment) from vendors, subcontractors, and other non-university employees or students.
The university does not discriminate on the basis of disability or veteran status. It is the policy of the University of Nevada, Reno to provide equal opportunity in employment and to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities, disabled veterans, and Vietnam era veterans.
The University of Nevada, Reno does not discriminate on the basis of disability against a qualified individual with a disability in regard to:
Consideration of Qualifications
The University of Nevada, Reno will review all personnel practices to determine whether present procedures assure careful, thorough and systematic consideration of job qualifications of known disabled veterans, Vietnam era veterans and applicants with disabilities for vacancies filled by hiring or promotion, and for all training opportunities offered or available. The University assures that only the portion of veteran’s military records relevant to the specific job applied for shall be considered in determining qualifications. Appropriate and required records will be maintained.
Bona Fide Occupational Qualifications
The University of Nevada, Reno will annually review all physical and mental job requirements to insure that no requirements tend to screen out qualified, disabled veterans and other individuals with disabilities, and that all requirements are job related and consistent with business necessity and safe performance of the job.
Accommodation
The University of Nevada, Reno will make reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities when necessary to employ, advance in employment, provide access to training and participate in university activities. Reasonable accommodations may include modification of the work site, special aids or devices relevant to performance of the job, modification of job tasks when such modification does not substantially change the job duties or requirements, and providing flexibility in working hours or schedules when possible to allow qualified individuals with disabilities equal opportunity to jobs, training, advancement and activities, to the extent that such accommodations do not adversely affect the operation of the university.
It is the policy of the University of Nevada, Reno, that the sexual harassment of students, employees and users of university facilities is unacceptable and prohibited. This stance is consistent with the university’s efforts to maintain equal employment opportunity, equal educational opportunity, non-discrimination in program services, use of facilities, and the affirmative action program. The Affirmative Action Office publishes a policy that gives detailed information about sexual harassment. These are available in the Affirmative Action Office and other offices across campus.
Sexual harassment is the introduction of sexual activities or comments into the work or learning situation. Oftentimes, sexual harassment involves relationships of unequal power and contains elements of coercion—as when compliance with requests for sexual favors becomes a criterion for granting work, study, or grading benefits. However, sexual harassment may also involve relationships among equals, as when repeated sexual advances or demeaning verbal behavior have a harmful effect on a person’s ability to study or work.
For general policy purposes, sexual harassment may be described as sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other physical conduct and expressive behavior of a sexual nature when: (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment or education; (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for academic or employment decisions affecting that individual; or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with an individual’s academic or professional performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or demeaning employment or educational environment.
In keeping with this policy, the University of Nevada, Reno is undertaking an education and prevention plan of action to protect employees, students, and users of university facilities from sexual harassment and to rid the university of such conduct.
Anyone subjected to suspected sexual harassment should contact the Affirmative Action Office at the University of Nevada, Reno. Contacts are confidential. Sexual harassment grievances will be handled according to the procedure summarized below.
Consulting with the Affirmative Action Office
You can consult at any time with the Affirmative Action Office. We can help you determine whether your complaint constitutes alleged discrimination, refer you to the proper place if it is not an affirmative action complaint, or advise you how to attempt to handle the problem yourself, if you wish.
You may also attempt to solve the complaint through the department, unit, or college.
Request for Intervention
You may ask the Affirmative Action Office to make someone aware of behavior that you find offensive without revealing your identity. If this does not resolve your complaint, you may use the other procedures listed below.
Filing Complaints of Discrimination
You can file an informal complaint with our office. We will help you in trying to resolve your problem with the person alleged to have discriminated against you. We will contact only people you give us permission to contact.
If attempts to resolve the complaint informally are unsuccessful, or if you or the affirmative action officer feel an informal complaint is inappropriate, you may file a formal complaint. A formal complaint needs to be filed in the Affirmative Action Office, Room 209, Clark Administration Building, (775) 784-1547. It must be filed within 180 days of the discovery of the alleged discrimination, and within 10 days of any unsuccessful attempts to solve the problem at the department level.
Notification of the Respondent
Within five (5) working days, our office will notify the person you have identified as allegedly discriminating against you and give them a copy of the complaint. The person you identify (the respondent) has five (5) working days to respond, in writing, to the Affirmative Action Office.
Mediation or Investigation
If you want to meet with the respondent and our office to try to solve the problem through mediation, our office will initiate this within five (5) college working days of the receipt of the complaint.
If mediation resolves the complaint, a copy of the outcome will be given to the President.
If the complaint is not mediated to resolution, the Affirmative Action Office has 60 days to investigate the complaint. Both the complainant and respondent may submit names of individuals to be interviewed as witnesses. An investigation report will be prepared and submitted to the appropriate appointing authority (Vice President or President), who may: (1) dismiss the charge; (2) affirm the charge; or (3) take corrective action as required. The complainant and the Affirmative Action Office shall be notified of any action to be taken.
The Affirmative Action Office regularly conducts workshops on:
For more information or copies of brochures, please contact:
Affirmative Action Office
University of Nevada, Reno /158
Clark Administration Building, Room 208
(775) 784-1547