Statement of Intention to Foster Student Independence & Self Advocacy

The Student Development Center seeks to foster independence in the students diagnosed with a disability or disabilities served by:

   1.   Providing individual services to students only after they identify themselves to our

         office as a person who seeks assistance, rather than seeking out students and suggesting to them that they should or should not apply for services.

         a.   Publicizing our services to make students aware of service availability.

   2.   Empowering students with information about their rights and responsibilities.

3.      Offering tools that students may use to advocate for their rights within the University system.

4.      Encouraging students to directly interact with faculty and staff regarding their disabilities and accommodations needs.

5.      Limiting our interaction with faculty and staff to an informational and educational capacity, rather than an advocacy role, except under extenuating circumstances.

6.      Encouraging faculty to directly interact with students regarding modifications in testing and classroom procedures before asking the Student Development Center for consultation.

7.      Attempting to educate the campus community through brochures, in-services and other consultation activities in order to create an attitudinal milieu that is more conducive to student inclusion.

8.      Working with campus constituents to create new construction and renovations which make the campus more physically accessible to students with mobility impairments, unless the Historic Preservation Act places limitations on such renovations. Please see http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/cguide.htm for Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility guidelines.

9.      Allowing students the right to choose when to access our services and to choose when not to use our services.

a.       Students have the right to decline assistance from this office.

b.      Students have the right to succeed and / or to fail.

c.       Students have the right to choose their own academic progress.

d.      Students have the right to choose their own course of treatment.

e.       Students have the right to face the consequences of their own actions.

  10.   Students, regardless of diagnosed disability or disabilities, must follow Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s Rules of Student Conduct.

Last updated Wednesday, January 07, 2009 05:21 PM