Information for Families
Student Rights and Privacy
Expectations in College
Students with disabilities have a right to participate in a college education as long as they can meet college/university admission requirements. However, education beyond K-12 is considered a privilege and not an entitlement. Graduation from college is not guaranteed. Graduation is "earned" through the fulfillment of specific course requirements. Failure to meet those requirements may result in a failure to graduate.
As a general practice, an instructor in higher education has the authority to institute certain requirements for their course. These requirements are usually disclosed in a course syllabus. It is the student’s responsibility to meet these requirements in order to receive a grade for the course. How well the student fulfills these requirements will often determine the type of grade the student will receive.
A student with a disability whose unable to participate in or benefit from a course, program, service, or activity due to their disability may request an adjustment in fulfilling the requirements. Disability accommodations are reasonable adjustments to academic policies, procedures, or requirements that are otherwise designed in a way that limits equal access. As accommodations are not applied retroactively, students are encouraged to establish services with Disability Resources and request accommodations for courses, programs, services, or activities as early as possible.
If any requirements are fundamental to the nature of the course, program, service, or activity, the college/university is not required by law to provide a disability accommodation. Rarely, if ever, is an accommodation implemented that negates any of the requirements (or essential elements) of a course.
Advocacy Responsibilities
As a college/university student, your student is expected to make decisions and be accountable for those decisions. As a parent, guardian, or supportive person of a college student, your role changes once your student is enrolled. While your support of your student is essential to their success, how you provide that support may differ from the strategies you’ve had to employ while navigating the K-12 system.
While you may have been responsible for advocating for your student in the K-12 system, your involvement will take a backseat to your student’s self-responsibility at the college level. That means when something comes up that creates an unfavorable situation, your student will be expected to resolve the issue, not you. Instructors and administrators working with your student will not likely discuss issues with you unless your student gives written permission to do so. Even then, the instructor or administrator will consider your student an adult and responsible for their behavior.
You may be tempted to assist your student in resolving specific situations by contacting individuals at the university. Those individuals may or may not be amenable to your involvement. Instead, it is suggested that you encourage your student to talk directly to the individuals who have influence over the resolution of the situation. It can be an opportunity for your student to learn how to handle life events independently.
Helping Your Student
A student's family and support system can encourage their student in the following ways:
- To pay attention to the requirements of a particular course or academic program;
- To determine whether or not the student can manage the requirements;
- To discuss disability accommodations with Disability Resources;
- To seek assistance when problems arise;
- To meet with their instructors and other administrators when needed;
- To find different strategies when old habits are no longer effective;
- To realize that not all things in life will go as the student planned;
- To aid the student in realizing responsibility for their behavior;
- To encourage the student not to give up when receiving disappointing news.
