1. Students requesting accommodation must make their request to the Disability Counsellor or designate at least four (4) months prior to the commencement of the program. Implementation of certain accommodation(s) may require time frames in excess of four (4) months.
2. Students requiring accommodation who have become disabled either permanently or temporarily while enrolled in a course of studies, or students with disabilities whose accommodation needs have changed during their course of studies, must make a request for accommodation to the Disability Counsellor or designate, immediately upon awareness of the need.
3. Students requesting accommodation inside the four (4) month time frame will not be guaranteed accommodation for the upcoming term.
4. To be eligible for accommodation, students must self-identify and submit a request for accommodation to the Disability Counsellor or designate.
5. Documentation supporting the disability and outlining the student’s functional limitations must be made available to the Disability Counsellor or designate at the time a request for accommodation is made.
6. Upon receipt of the request for accommodation the Disability Counsellor or designate will:
   1. review documentation and if necessary, consult with student and professional advisors to ensure the accommodation request is based on appropriate medical information as well as educational considerations.
   2. determine the nature and scope of the accommodation needed to reasonably respond to the request.
   3. communicate the accommodation requirements to the appropriate department and/or faculty.
7. In exceptional circumstances, a student will be provided accommodation on a limited basis without documentation.
8. When it is believed that a student may endanger him or herself or others, by virtue of a physical or mental disability, the Disability Counsellor or designate will determine what, if any, accommodation can be developed to eliminate the potential hazard.
9. A student will not be enrolled in a course or program until the above-cited determination is complete. If the student is enrolled and the student demonstrates behaviour by way of the disability that could reasonably be assumed to pose a safety risk to him or herself or others, the student may be temporarily withdrawn from the program or course.
10. If the Disability Counsellor or designate determines after consultation that accommodation is not possible without imposing undue hardship on the College, the student will be denied enrolment or withdrawn from the program or course.

Documentation

11. Acceptable documentation must be obtained from a medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist and/or special education/rehabilitation personnel or other health professional that has specific training, expertise, and experience in the diagnosis of the condition(s) for which accommodation is being requested.
12. All medical/special education/rehabilitation documentation must be from individuals appropriately certified and/or licensed to practice their professions.
13. Documentation must outline the nature of the disability, along with a detailed explanation of the functional impact of the disability. A diagnosis alone may not be sufficient to support a request for an accommodation. The college may, if necessary, request additional medical information or another medical opinion.
14. For new students who have a stable condition, usually no more than three years must have elapsed between the time of the assessment and the date of the initial request for accommodation.
15. For returning students whose condition has remained stable since the time of submission of the original supporting documents, no further documentation will be required.
16. When a new or returning student's functional abilities have shown significant change or when the accommodation requests have changed significantly over the course of studies, new or updated information may be requested by the Disability Counsellor or designate.
17. Vancouver Community College does not provide or assume the cost of necessary documentation or diagnostic services.

Responsibilities

18. Vancouver Community College has the responsibility to:
    1. ensure that persons are not denied admission on the basis of their disability;
    2. accommodate students with disabilities, where appropriate, with respect to admission criteria;
    3. make its courses or programs accessible to students with disabilities in accordance with the BC Human Rights Code;
    4. provide accommodation to students with disabilities in accordance with the BC Human Rights Code; and
    5. provide education, training and appropriate resources to faculty and staff regarding accommodation procedures and issues pertaining to persons with disabilities.
19. Every student with a disability who seeks accommodation under this policy has a responsibility to:
    1. meet established admission and assessment requirements and specific course pre-requisites;
    2. bring the request for accommodations or changes in the accommodation needs to the attention of the College within the time frames set out in this policy;
    3. provide the necessary documentation to the Disability Counsellor or designate;
    4. cooperate with the College in the development and implementation of appropriate accommodation.
20. The Disability Counsellor or designate will be responsible for assessing accommodation requests made under this policy and for arranging appropriate accommodation(s).
21. The Dean of Student Services will be responsible for the administration of this policy and for providing the College community with guidance and support in the application of this policy.

Appeals

22. Students with disabilities who do not agree with accommodation decisions and have substantive documentation to support an appeal, may appeal to the appropriate Dean.