Reasonable Accommodations due to Qualifying Disability
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 guarantee equal access to programs and services to those with disabilities.
In order to be a qualified individual subject to the protections of these Acts, a
person must demonstrate that he or she has a disability that substantially limits
a major life activity (e.g., seeing, hearing, walking, breathing, performing manual
tasks, learning, caring for oneself, and working) and, as such, requires a reasonable
accommodation in order to have equal access. This section of the Law School's catalog
explains a student's rights and responsibilities in seeking to receive accommodations
from the Law School because of a disability. The process and procedures outlined here
apply to seeking Law School classroom accommodations, exam accommodations, and accommodations
related to accessing the University's facilities.
Rights and Responsibilities in Seeking Accommodations
A student who believes that he or she has a qualifying disability warranting accommodation
for academic programs, exams or access to the University's facilities should notify
the Office of Academic Affairs, at ublawacadaff@ubalt.edu or (410) 837-4468.
Students may also reach out directly to Karyn Schulz, Director, Office of Disability
and Access Services, at kschulz@ubalt.edu or (410) 837-4141. Students should not go
directly to any faculty in an effort to arrange accommodations for disabilities.
Students seeking classroom accommodations must submit their request 3 weeks before
the start of the academic year or semester.
Students seeking exam accommodations must submit their request no later than 2 weeks
after the start of the academic year or semester.
Requests submitted after the deadlines for classroom and/or exam accommodations may
not be granted.
Following notice, the student and a member of the Office of Disability and Access
Services will meet to review the documentation provided to verify the existence of
a qualifying disability.
All documentation submitted, preferably before this meeting, should comply with the
documentation guidelines set forth at http://www.ubalt.edu/campus-life/center-for-educational-access/students/documentation-guidelines.cfm
and also set forth below. Additional documentation may be requested at any time, as
might a request that the student's physician or other licensed health professional
speak directly to a staff member.
If it is determined at this meeting that the student does have a qualifying disability,
the Office of Disability and Access Services and the Office of Academic Affairs will
meet to discuss suggested reasonable accommodations with respect to the student's
courses, exams, and access to university facilities. In assessing the appropriateness
of an accommodation, the Office of Disability Services and the Office of Academic
Affairs will examine medical and other health professional documentation, the student's
history of past accommodations, and the course and exam structure of a particular
class.
If the Office of Disability and Access Services and the Office of Academic Affairs
concludes that a student is not a qualified individual with a disability or has not
provided reasonable accommodations to the student, the student may appeal the decision
to Llatetra Esters Dean of Students for the wider University at 112 Academic Center,
University of Baltimore Academic Center, as provided in the Grievance Procedure in
the University of Baltimore Student Handbook.
Accommodations will not be granted if those accommodations "fundamentally alter" the
educational program or academic requirements that are essential to a program of study
at the University of Baltimore's School of Law as outlined in the Core Competencies
(pg. 3) and Standard 301 of the American Bar Association's Standards and Rules of
Procedure for Approval of Law Schools.
After an accommodation determination has been made by the Office of Disability and
Access Services and the Office of Academic Affairs, the student will meet with the
Office of Academic Affairs to discuss the expectations of their course load and the
implementation of their accommodations in the classroom and during testing.
Students receiving accommodations during law school should be aware that there is
no guarantee they will receive the same accommodations on the bar examination, MPRE,
or other professional licensing exams, and bear the responsibility of working directly
with the bar exam authorities in the jurisdiction to which the student is seeking
admission to request any such accommodations on their own.
Students considering the Maryland General Bar Exam should review the documentation
requirements for receiving accommodations at https://www.courts.state.md.us/sites/default/files/import/ble/pdfs/testaccommodations.pdf
Rights and Responsibilities After Receiving Accommodations
If a student's condition changes at any time, thereby affecting the nature and extent
of his or her disability, the student must notify the Office of Disability and Access
Services and the Office of Academic Affairs immediately.
If there is a problem with any accommodations that a student receives, whether it
is related to a course, an exam, or access to a facility, the student must notify
the Office of Disability and Access Services and the Office of Academic Affairs promptly
so that steps may be taken, to the extent practicable, to resolve the problem.
Communication regarding accommodations (including exam schedules and room assignments)
will be made using the student's UBALT email account. A student is responsible for
checking email on a timely basis to determine the status of any issue relating to
the accommodation that has been put in place for a particular disability. If the student's
disability prevents physical access to email, an alternative method of communication
will be determined in consultation with the Office of Disability and Access Services,
the Office of Academic Affairs, and the student.
Documentation
Verification of Disabilities
A student with a disability who requests an accommodation must provide to the Director
of the Office of Disability and Access Services or his or her designated representative,
professional verification of the necessary modification. Verification may be provided
by a licensed physician, psychologist, audiologist, speech pathologist, rehabilitation
counselor, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or other professional who is
qualified in the diagnosis of the disability. The verification must reflect the student's
present level of functioning in the major life activity or activities affected by
the disability. The cost of obtaining the professional verification shall be borne
by the student. In instances in which the Office of Disability and Access Services
or the Office of Academic Affairs deems appropriate, he or she may consult a qualified
person retained by the School of Law for the purpose of evaluating whether a student
has a disability.
Verification of Temporary Disability, Illness or Injury
Students seeking accommodations on the basis of a temporary disability must provide,
upon request, documentation verifying the nature of the condition, stating the expected
duration of the condition, and describing the accommodations deemed necessary. Such
verification must be provided by a professional health care provider who is qualified
in the diagnosis of such conditions. The cost of obtaining the professional verification
shall be borne by the student.
