Demanding Your Rights as a UNC-Charlotte Student With a Disability

The transition from high school to college is tough for everyone. College requires a whole new level of discipline and dedication. It shouldn’t be harder for some students than others, though. All students at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte deserve a fair shot at an education.

If you’re a UNC-Charlotte student with a disability, you may be entitled to campus and classroom accommodations. Accommodations are not some sort of special advantage. They’re available to provide you with a level playing field. And they’re not some kindness UNC-Charlotte has decided to offer. You are entitled to them under federal law. Both the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibit unfair discrimination and harassment. If your disability makes it harder for you to navigate campus or harder for you to succeed in your courses, UNC-Charlotte must remedy these situations.

However, part of that transition from high school to college means taking more responsibility for yourself. No one at the university is going to go to the trouble of identifying your disability. You have to do the work to claim your rights.

We’re here to help you do that. The LLF National Law Firm’s Student Defense Team was founded to protect student rights, and we’ve helped hundreds of students get the fair treatment they deserve. We know the law, and we know how UNC-Charlotte processes and procedures work.

What can we do for you? Call 888-535-3686 today to find out, or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.

Disability Services at UNC-Charlotte

If you’re new to UNC-Charlotte, one of your first jobs is to get familiar with the Office of Disability Services. This office is responsible for ensuring the university complies with federal disability law. DS offers a list of resources that can help you acclimate to the university. It also serves as an advocate for disability rights on campus. Its most important job, though, is to coordinate all campus accommodations.

Again, though, DS isn’t going to track you down and hound you until you register your disability. In fact, if you don’t take this step yourself, no one may even realize you need accommodations. So it’s a good idea to contact the office as soon as you’re accepted to UNC-Charlotte and assigned a student ID.

Here’s what the registration process looks like.

• When you visit the DS site, you’ll find a link to the DS Student Portal.
• That portal allows you to upload documentation verifying your disability.
• Once you’ve uploaded this material, someone on the DS staff evaluates it.
• DS then invites you to an Interactive Meeting with an Accommodation Coordinator.
• At this meeting, you’ll explain your needs and work out an accommodation plan.
• Finally, the Accommodation Coordinator will issue accommodation letters for your instructors, explaining their responsibilities.

Of course, nothing about college bureaucracy is ever easy. There’s always the chance that something can go wrong during this registration process. DS could decide to reject one or more of your documents. Your Accommodation Coordinator could decide to refuse one of your accommodation requests. One reason to contact the LLF National Law Firm before you register is to ensure things go smoothly. We can help you gather materials and make sure they’re clear, up-to-date, and well-organized. We can advocate on your behalf if disputes come up. We’re on your side. Our only concern is making sure you’re treated fairly throughout your college career.

The Problem With Invisible Disabilities

If you have a so-called “invisible” disability, like an autism spectrum disorder or ADHD, you know how challenging it can sometimes be to get the services you need. There are plenty of people out there who won’t accept your diagnosis if they can’t “see” your disability.

For the most part, you shouldn’t run into anyone like this at UNC-Charlotte, or at least, you won’t run into any faculty with this sort of attitude. That doesn’t mean you’ll always be treated fairly. Even if you go through the registration process the way you’re supposed to and get the necessary accommodation letters, you’ll find instructors don’t always live up to their responsibilities, especially if they’re not confronted with your disability every day in class.

We get it. Professors get busy. They don’t mean to forget that they’re supposed to send your exam to the DS testing center or that you should have extra time on classroom quizzes. Ultimately, though, they must live up to their obligations under the law.

Of course, DS is your primary resource when you’re facing an issue with an absent-minded professor. DS can get busy, too, though. Or they may run into an instructor who’s especially stubborn. The LLF National Law Firm never minds stepping in to help. We’re skilled negotiators if that’s what’s called for, but we can also be fierce when it comes to holding departments and individual instructors accountable.

There is another issue that frequently comes up with invisible disabilities, though. Sometimes students themselves don’t realize they have them. If you’re struggling to keep your GPA up, or you seem to have more trouble with some courses than others, there’s a decent chance that the right diagnosis could be all you need to get back on track. The LLF National Law Firm can help in these cases as well. We can make sure you get properly tested and work with your health care provider to get the right documentation. We can help you with the DS registration process and pressure this office to expedite your accommodations. We can even ask UNC-Charlotte to set aside low grades from your transcript, so you can retake courses under fair circumstances. You are entitled to those fair circumstances, even if you didn’t know you had a disability when you originally took the class.

Formal Processes

Here’s the good news: most disability issues at UNC-Charlotte can be solved through simple conversation. Once you make an instructor or another student aware of your situation, you’ll find almost everyone is willing to work with you to resolve any issues or disputes.

There are occasions, though, when conversation isn’t enough. It’s important you know that there are also some formal mechanisms at UNC-Charlotte that can help you get the treatment you deserve.

• All students have the right to file grade appeals if they’re concerned that their instructors aren’t treating them fairly. You’ll need to hang on to your coursework from the semester, but this can be an easy way to address unfair scores.
• If you’re dealing with an issue of discrimination or harassment, the best response is usually to file a formal complaint with Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution. The Student Code of Conduct specifically prohibits all discrimination and harassment.
• DS offers its own resolution process any time you disagree with an accommodation decision. The first step involves contacting a staff member and asking for a case “reconsideration.” You can also request a formal appeal from the DS Director.
• If a DS appeal should fail or if you’re experiencing discrimination or harassment from some other department or individual at UNC-Charlotte, you also have the option to file a formal grievance with the university’s Director of Civil Rights and Title IX. This official is responsible for ensuring that the university lives up to its responsibilities under the law.

The LLF National Law Firm can help you decide which of these paths will work best for your situation. We’ll also work with you to put your case together, from collecting evidence to drafting any necessary documents.

Disciplinary Misconduct

Students tend to focus on academics while they’re in college, but your classes are only part of the equation. The fact is, low grades may mean academic probation, but a serious disciplinary misconduct offense can mean outright dismissal.

As with most aspects of life at UNC-Charlotte, when it comes to the disciplinary system, students with disabilities can often be at a disadvantage.

For starters, your disability may make you a target for allegations, especially from those who don’t understand the relationship between disabilities and behavior. Tourette’s can look like acting out. ADHD can seem like inattention.

Unfortunately, students with disabilities can sometimes be singled out for mistreatment, especially by other students. When it happens, you may be tempted to respond in kind. Or an administrator may misread the situation and assume you’re just as much at fault as the person harassing you.

It’s also entirely possible that you genuinely did make a mistake. Students with disabilities screw up just like everyone else. All students deserve a fair opportunity to defend themselves and fair sanctions.

UNC-Charlotte is your home while you’re a student. The university feeds you and houses you. It provides you with an education, and it can even help you to get a job once you’ve graduated. If you’re accused of misconduct, though, you need to know that the university is your adversary. In such instances, it’s crucial you have someone in your corner representing your interests. Trust the LLF National Law Firm to protect you from all misconduct charges.

How Can We Help?

It’s hard enough for any student to get fair treatment from a school like UNC-Charlotte. Large institutions can be a tangle of bureaucratic rules and regulations. When you’re a student with a disability, it can be challenging to convince faculty and administrators to honor your rights. Even just ensuring your professors treat your disability confidentially can be difficult.

You don’t have to deal with this bureaucracy alone, though. Whatever disability issue you might be dealing with at UNC-Charlotte, the LLF National Law Firm’s Educational Law Team is here to help. We know what to expect from colleges and universities, and we’re always on your side, whatever the situation. You can count on us to use every resource at our disposal to ensure you the best possible outcome.

It’s unfortunate, but sometimes, you have to fight for your educational rights. You don’t have to do that alone, though. To find out more about how we can help, contact the LLF National Law Firm today at 888-535-3686. Or, fill out our online questionnaire.