Having a disability covers a huge range of physical, learning, developmental, and psychological conditions. Severity can differ, and two people with the same disability may require drastically different support.
Having a disability doesn’t mean a student can’t succeed in college or graduate school. It simply means they require support to reach their academic goals.
Students at the University of Pittsburgh are attending one of the nation’s top research universities. A degree from the school can open doors, and a lack of effective disability accommodations shouldn’t derail their education.
While federal laws protect students with disabilities, support from colleges and universities often falls short. Unlike K-12 schools, colleges and universities have fewer legal responsibilities toward students with disabilities, and support can differ not only between universities but even between programs.
If you’re a student at the University of Pittsburgh and have a disability, you have the right to receive support and services to allow you to succeed in school. The Education Law Team at the LLF National Law Firm helps college and graduate students in Pennsylvania and nationwide protect their right to an education. Call us at 888-535-3686 or fill out an online form.
Disability Accommodations at the University of Pittsburgh
One of the few U.S. universities founded in the 18th century, the University of Pittsburgh is a state-funded university that serves over 35,000 students across seventeen colleges and schools. The university’s primary campus is centrally located in Pittsburgh.
Disability Resources & Services
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act are the key federal laws for protecting college and graduate students with disabilities. These laws prohibit disability-based discrimination and establish rights for individuals with disabilities to ensure access to all aspects of campus life.
The university’s Disability Resources & Services (DRS) handles disability-related accommodations. Part of the Office of Institutional Engagement and Wellbeing, the DRS’s primary office is located on the main campus and has limited drop-in hours. DRS serves all members of the campus community with disabilities.
The DRS provides guidance on physical and digital accessibility. This includes a campus map of ADA accessibility, and members of the campus community can report any barriers to digital access.
For college and graduate students, one of the challenges compared to K-12 students is that they’re expected to be self-advocates. DRS emphasizes that students, not parents, are responsible for contacting and working with the office to receive disability accommodations.
Students are responsible for informing DRS of their disability and providing documentation establishing that they have a disability. The University of Pittsburgh provides guidelines on acceptable documentation.
Documentation requirements may be different depending on a student’s disability. Guidelines, however, should be clear and uniform for similar disabilities.
Reasonable Accommodations
Once a student establishes that they have a disability, the next question is the type of accommodations the school will provide. Colleges and universities have an obligation to provide reasonable accommodations.
Pitt has a guide on the process to decide on accommodations. The school highlights that, unlike K-12 schools, the foundation for accommodations is equal access and opportunity, which don’t have to be identical, merely similar, to what other students receive.
Accommodations are not only for classroom and educational activities. They can also be implemented for other campus and university activities and events.
The university will generally not approve accommodations that put an undue burden on the school or members of the campus community. It can also reject an accommodation that fundamentally alters a course.
The university has a reasonable amount of time to implement accommodations. The complexity of an accommodation, the cost, and other factors can determine what’s a reasonable amount of time for an accommodation.
As part of its disability support, students can request course substitutions in certain circumstances. In some circumstances, students won’t be able to complete a required course even with accommodations. In these situations, students can request to have another course fulfill a requirement.
Students who disagree with suggested accommodations can appeal. This is not the only basis that students have for concerns related to their disability. DRS handles grievances for:
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Accommodation denial
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Disputing implementation of approved accommodations
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Any discrimination, harassment, or bias related to a student’s disability
Effective accommodations and support can make a profound difference in a student’s ability to benefit from their education and participate in campus life. If you have a disability and the University of Pittsburgh is denying a reasonable accommodation, contact the Education Law Team at the LLF National Law Firm.
Academic Issues
Studies indicate that students with disabilities are more likely to encounter barriers that can prevent them from reaching their full academic potential in college. As a result, they are more likely to face issues with academic progression.
Students with disabilities face barriers to academic success in a myriad of ways. A professor may refuse to implement an accommodation. The school may refuse a course substitution. Whatever the reason, the student is the one who faces the consequences of ineffective or unimplemented accommodations.
Pitt undergraduate students are in good standing when:
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Their cumulative GPA is at least 2.0.
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They earn at least a 2.0 GPA every term.
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They are making progress toward a degree.
Different schools and courses, including graduate programs, may have additional requirements for what qualifies as good standing.
The university has the following levels of academic classification for undergraduate students, from least to most serious:
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Good academic standing
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Academic review
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Academic notice
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Academic program change
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Academic level
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Academic dismissal
The goal of putting a student under academic review or notice is to give them a chance to improve. For example, a student may be put on an academic improvement plan, or a student with disabilities may request more effective modifications or support.
If your academic issues relate to your disability, the Education Law Team at the LLF National Law Firm can help. We can help students determine the best path to take to resolve the issue and put them back on the path to academic success.
Disciplinary Process
Any member of the campus community can file a complaint against a student. Any violation of the school’s Code of Conduct can result in a complaint being filed against a student. Students may also be accused of violating other campus policies, such as smoking and demonstrations.
For example, a student can exercise their First Amendment rights, but the school can place restrictions on gatherings if those restrictions are uniformly enforced and not based on content. For example, a student who blocks the entrance and exit of a building may face disciplinary charges. Similarly, any destruction of property isn’t a form of protected expression.
In other words, students can face disciplinary action for a wide range of activities, even activities such as demonstrating that seem like an important and allowed part of the university experience.
The disciplinary process generally follows these steps:
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Complaint
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Option interview with the individual who filed the complaint
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Notification, if the university pursues the complaint
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Investigation
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Review
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Final report
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University review
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Final decision
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Appeal
That a student has been accused of misconduct doesn’t reduce their rights. Students have the right to respond to the accusations throughout the process and defend against them.
Pitt’s policies state that the disciplinary process should be free of bias, including disability-based discrimination. Pitt’s Code of Conduct does include information for students with disabilities. Accommodation requests must be made to the DRS and the Hearing Officer.
DRS has the responsibility for identifying reasonable accommodations during the disciplinary process. For students with disabilities, one of the challenges can be having accommodations implemented in the short timeline of the disciplinary process.
While students with disabilities can request accommodations, Pitt shouldn’t hold students with disabilities to different standards than their nondisabled peers.
Unlike K-12 schools, Pitt has no obligation to consider a student’s disability in their misconduct. What the university can’t do is discriminate against a student because of their disability.
If you’re a Pitt student who has a disability and is facing allegations of misconduct, contact The Education Law Team at the LLF National Law Firm.
Protect Your Education
Having a disability has no relation to your ability to succeed in college or graduate school. You’ve done the work to make it this far in your education, and you have a right to have access to the accommodations and support that will allow you to take full advantage of your education.
Students at Pitt with disabilities can face a range of problems, many of which can result in academic issues or accusations of misconduct. Too often, faculty or staff members fail to understand that accommodations and support aren’t an advantage or luxury but a key part of your education.
In cases of academic or disciplinary issues, the University of Pittsburgh may fail to consider how your disability plays a role. Oftentimes, these processes don’t have support provisions in place for students with disabilities, or what’s done in practice may differ from the written procedure.
The Education Law Team at the LLF National Law Firm helps University of Pittsburgh undergraduate and graduate students who have disabilities with a range of issues. We help our clients fight back against discrimination and defend their right to an education with reasonable accommodations. We emphasize options that support our clients’ education and future. Call us at 888-535-3686 or fill out an online form.