Disability Resources
North Park University is dedicated to fostering an inclusive community where all individuals can grow academically, socially, and spiritually. We provide support services and reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities through the Division of Student Engagement and the disability access specialist, and ensure programs, services, and events are accessible.
Requesting accommodations as a new student
When first arriving at North Park, students with disabilities are asked to:
- Complete the preliminary survey.
- Upload documentation to the survey or email it to ada@northpark.edu. Documentation is valuable for helping North Park understand how courses, systems, and facilities may present barriers, and for planning strategies—including reasonable accommodations—that facilitate access. The disability access specialist often uses external documentation to facilitate conversations with students and support accommodations requests.
- Schedule an appointment with the disability access specialist, ideally before your first term begins. During this meeting, you will describe your disability, past use of accommodations, and/or the disability’s likely impact on your educational experiences. Helpful documentation supporting such requests includes medical records, psycho-educational testing, and school records. If you do not have copies of this information, you will discuss other ways to demonstrate a connection between your condition and any academic barriers you anticipate or are facing.
Things to note
- The university does not provide psychological and/or educational testing.
- Accommodations are not retroactive. They can only be used from the time they are approved moving forward.
- Details of accommodations, such as the length of an extended deadline and medical absence extensions, must be arranged through a discussion between the student and faculty.
Student accommodations and services
Qualified students with disabilities may receive reasonable accommodations that provide greater access to classroom instruction and academic programs. These accommodations are individualized, flexible, and are based on how your disability may impact you in the educational environment. Each semester, the student, disability access specialist, and relevant faculty collaborate to determine and arrange appropriate accommodations.
Types of accommodations
- Alternative formats of books and materials
- Alternative testing location
- American Sign Language interpreter
- Assistance animals
- Deadline flexibility
- Dining
- Housing
- Medical absences
- Mobility
- Note-taking support
Other accommodations are available and are determined on a case-by-case basis.
The disability access specialist must be notified at least two weeks in advance to pursue the needed accommodations or services. Extra time may be necessary for accommodations that require more planning.
Student resources and forms
- American Sign Language Interpreter Request Form
- Audiobook Request Form
- Emotional Support Animal/Service Animal Registration Form
- Access Barrier Report Form
- Returning Student Request Form
- Smart Pen Rental Form
Documentation requirements
Students must meet with the disability access specialist and/or program director and provide documentation of a diagnosed learning, neurological, physical, emotional, or attention-related disability.
New students with disabilities should take the following steps before their first term begins:
- Complete the preliminary survey
- Upload documentation through the survey or email it to ada@northpark.edu
- Schedule an appointment with the disability access specialist
To request accommodations for classes, events, or housing, students must meet with the disability access specialist to discuss their needs. During this meeting, students should be prepared to describe their disability, past accommodations, and how their condition may affect their academic experience.
Helpful documentation may include medical records, psycho-educational evaluations, or school records. If you do not have documentation, you can still meet with the specialist to explore other ways to demonstrate how your condition creates academic barriers.
Documentation helps the University understand potential challenges and plan effective, reasonable accommodations. It also supports discussions between the student and the disability access specialist.
Note: North Park University does not provide psychological or educational testing.
Responsibilities of students and the university
Students and the university share responsibility for gathering necessary information and developing an effective support plan.
- A student will identify themself as a student with a disability and needing accommodations. Students should contact the disability access specialist to begin the process.
- A student must provide information about their disability and the necessity for accommodations. Helpful documentation supporting this request includes medical records, psycho-educational testing, and school records.
- A student is responsible for sharing their accommodation letter with professors each semester (or quad). As well as renewing their accommodations as needed.
- A student is encouraged to advocate for themselves; one way to do this is by meeting with their individual professor to discuss their learning needs and the specific accommodations needed during the course.
- A student will adhere to course content, academic standards, policies, and procedures set forth by the professor, department, and/or university, as all students must follow.
- A student must notify the Division of Student Engagement and/or their program director if the accommodations and services are ineffective.
- The responsibility for accommodations and support at North Park will be carried out through the Division of Student Engagement.
- The disability access specialist and/or program director will be an advocate and liaison for the student.
- The disability access specialist will try to provide reasonable accommodations for students needing learning assistance who have the appropriate documentation.
- The disability access specialist may deny a request for accommodations if the student does not identify a disability according to Section 504/Americans with Disabilities Act, fails to verify the need for the requested services, or if information is not provided promptly.
- The disability access specialist and/or program director may refuse to provide any accommodation that is inappropriate or unreasonable, including any that pose a direct threat to the health and safety of the individual requesting the accommodation or of others; constitute a fundamental change or alteration of an essential element of a course or program; or pose undue financial or administrative burden on the institution.
Legal compliance
North Park complies with laws prohibiting discrimination based on disability. We also offer guidance for resolving accommodation disputes.
North Park is committed to providing and maintaining a welcoming environment, and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or any form of intimidation by any person in any form directed against students, faculty, or staff of the institution. To assure that its commitment is met, North Park has adopted a Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Violence, Relationship Violence, and Retaliation. The policy prohibits discrimination or harassment of any member of the University community because of his or her race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran’s status, or other protected status, as those terms are defined by applicable local, state, and federal law. Learn more about our Equal Opportunity policy.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
According to these laws, no otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall, solely by reason of his/her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of a public entity.
“Qualified” with respect to post secondary educational services means “a person who meets the academic and technical standards requisite to admission or participation in the education program or activity, with or without reasonable modifications to rules, policies, or practices; the removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers; or the provision of auxiliary aids and services.”
More information is available at ADA.gov.
In the event of a disagreement between a North Park student and faculty member or other University employee over an issue of accommodations, the student should first meet with that individual to seek resolution. If that meeting does not reach a successful resolution of the issue, the student should make an appeal to the department chairperson. If necessary, the appeal will be forwarded to the director of the faculty and, if unresolved, to the dean, who is the final arbiter of the grievance. In cases of appeal, the faculty member’s divisional peers may be asked by the dean to decide as to the merit of the appeal and the assignment of the grade. The student has the right to be represented by counsel.
Contact the disability access specialist with any questions about this policy.
Disability Services will maintain the confidentiality of all student records as required or permitted by law. All disability-related information including documentation, accommodation letters, correspondence, and consultations are considered confidential and will be managed in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). No one has immediate access to student files except staff from Disability Services.
Disability Services is permitted to release information to any University official who has a legitimate educational interest in order to fulfill a professional responsibility. Information related to coordinating accommodations may be shared with faculty or staff on a “need to know basis.” The need to know must be based on compelling and legitimate educational reasons for the information disclosure. Disability Services takes the utmost care in safe-guarding disability status and information.
Accommodation letters are written by the Disability Access Specialist and are sent to instructors by the students. Accommodation letters include a list of approved accommodations and do not contain disability-specific information. Students are not required to disclose the nature of their disabilities or share details of their disabilities with instructors, only the need for accommodations. If a situation should arise in which a student felt pressured to share details of their disabilities, the student should consult with the Disability Access Specialist.
Faculty resources
Program coordinators and school directors are strongly encouraged to include the following statements in their student and/or program handbooks. The statement clarifies that if a student has a disability, it is the student’s responsibility to seek accommodations and directs the student to the appropriate office.
Statement
North Park University seeks to provide an environment and community where each person may develop academically, socially, and spiritually. North Park University is committed to full inclusion and participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of university life. As a result, the university is willing to relocate programs, services, or activities to make the event accessible. Please allow at least 10 business days for accommodations. Accommodations may take longer or be coordinated in less time depending on the nature of the program, service, or activity.
If you have questions about accommodations or accessibility to campus programs, services, or activities, please email ada@northpark.edu or call (773) 244-5662.
You may also contact your program office
Non-traditional students:
- English as a Second Language Endorsement: (773) 244-4942
- School of Professional Studies: (773) 244-5769
- Teacher certification programs: (773) 244-5613
Graduate students:
- North Park Theological Seminary: (773) 244-6219
- School of Business and Nonprofit Management: (773) 244-6270
- School of Education: (773) 244-5730
- School of Music, Art, and Theatre: (773) 244-5625
- School of Nursing and Health Sciences: (773) 244-5736
Grievance procedure
In a disagreement between a student and a faculty member or other university employee over an issue of accommodations, the student should first meet with the faculty member or other university employee to seek a resolution. If unsuccessful, the student will appeal to the department chairperson. If necessary, the appeal will be forwarded to the faculty’s director and, if unresolved, to the dean, who is the final arbiter of the grievance. In cases of appeal, the faculty member’s divisional peers may be asked by the dean to decide as to the merit of the appeal. The student has the right to be represented by counsel.
Faculty and course instructors are strongly encouraged to include the following statement in their course syllabi. The statement clarifies that North Park values diversity and inclusion and is committed to providing accommodations to remove disability-related barriers.
Statement
Your experience in this class is important to me. North Park is committed to creating inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law. If you have already established your accommodations, please share your accommodation letter with me to discuss how your accommodations will be implemented in this course.
If you have not yet established services and have a permanent disability or temporary health condition that requires accommodations, please contact the disability access specialist at ada@northpark.edu or (773) 244-5662 or stop by the Center for Student Engagement, located on the first floor of the Johnson Center. Student Engagement facilitates the interactive process that establishes reasonable accommodations.
Faculty and staff FAQ
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, a disability is a physical or mental impairment substantially limiting one or more major life activities. Major life activities related to education include, but are not limited to, walking, sleeping, eating, learning, reading, writing, processing, and hearing.
Accommodations are adjustments made to a policy and/or academic environment to ensure students with temporary or permanent disabilities have equal access to course material, information, activities, programs, housing, and other campus facilities.
The attached pages of every accommodation letter include a brief description of the students’ approved accommodations.
The student requests academic accommodations through the disability access specialist. Reasonable accommodations are agreed upon via an interactive dialogue with students and a review of their documentation.
Professors who have questions, concerns, or suggestions on academic accommodations authorized by our office are encouraged to contact the disability access specialist.
Students with disabilities have the right to receive their handouts in the same time frame as those provided to students without disabilities. Converting text into larger sizes, braille, tactile graphics, and audio files is time-consuming. Providing materials in advance allows us to work collaboratively to get those materials to students promptly.
Faculty do not have the right to access the student’s diagnostic information. North Park University follows the confidentiality guidelines described in Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973) and Federal Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA).
All faculty are encouraged to put a statement about accommodations in their syllabus to inform students about their rights, available on this web page.
Please contact the disability access specialist at ada@northpark.edu or (773) 244-5662.
The key is to ensure that the accommodation aligns with the student’s needs while maintaining the course’s integrity. The extension for absences should exceed the standard outlined in your syllabus to support the student effectively.
No, you are only responsible for providing reasonable academic accommodations if a student provides you with an official accommodation letter. If a student indicates that they do not have one, you should refer them to the disability access specialist.
No. The ideal situation is for an instructor to provide the exam accommodations directly to the student. This ensures an instructor can be reached if the student has a question. We know this is not always possible, so instructors can schedule students to test in our alternative testing room at least seven days in advance.
Students with disabilities, regardless of where they are taking their exam, have the same rights as other students and should have access to their instructor if they have any questions regarding their exams. Our test proctor is willing to call or email an instructor.
Contact
Disability Access Specialist
Johnson Center, first floor
5141 N. Christiana Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 244-5219
ada@northpark.edu