Accommodations
Notice of Non-Discrimination: Compliance with Regulations
Sonoran University complies with the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and the American Disabilities Act of 1990. Sonoran University does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, social-economic background, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, age, disability, veteran status, nationality, thinking styles, and life experiences in the administration of educational policies, admission policies, financial aid, employment, or any other program or activity. If a student believes they have been discriminated against by an employee or student of Sonoran University, the student should immediately notify the Title IX Coordinator (HR Director) at 480.222.9292 or the Title IX Deputy Coordinator (Dean of Students) at 480.222.9345.
Classes, clubs, and activities at the University are open to all students, and each building is ADA-compliant. The University provides reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities. Any student who feels there may have been discrimination should contact the Dean of Students to begin an investigation.
Accommodations Based on Disability or Special Circumstances
The University welcomes and supports students with disabilities. Sonoran University adheres to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Accessibility Services are handled by the Dean of Students Office within Student Affairs.
Students with disabilities bring unique perspectives to health care and help create a diverse workforce made up of culturally competent practitioners that benefit their patients and their peers. We encourage students who may be concerned about their ability to complete a degree program due to their disability to discuss their concerns with the Accessibility Office, which will work with them to create solutions that provide equal access to educational opportunities.
Students with diagnosed disabilities who believe they require reasonable accommodation to perform the essential functions of a student should initiate the accommodation process as soon as possible after an offer of admission. The Accessibility Office will work with the student to create an Accommodation Plan that supports the student. Matriculated students with disabilities who believe they need a reasonable accommodation to perform the essential functions of a student must make appropriate arrangements prior to the beginning of each quarter. Students will be required to provide substantive evidence of a disability as defined by the ADA and complete the Accessibility Intake form in Accommodate.
Accommodate is a platform Sonoran University uses to modernize the accommodation request process, to simplify applying for, delivering, and monitoring student accommodations. It streamlines and automates processes to quickly deliver accommodations. Students and faculty access through their dedicated sites to quickly view accommodation plans and review received notifications. Students can additionally request additional ADA services and interact with the Accessibility Office through their Accommodate site. The solution is fully ADA- and 508-compliant and is used in over 200 institutions worldwide to ease the process of requesting assistance to access educational opportunities.
Should a student require ADA advice, assistance, information, or an adjustment to an approved ADA plan, they should contact the Accessibility Office in a timely manner to ensure necessary provisions are put in place. Please note that some more common accommodations have already been addressed in the development of the course through the process of Universal Design. Students will be required to provide substantive and current evidence of a disability or need to be eligible for accommodations.
In requesting accommodations, for the first time or for a new condition, students are required to:
- Complete an Accessibility Intake Form Accessibility Intake form in Accommodate to initiate a request and identify needed accommodations.
- Submit current, supporting documentation, including a clear diagnosis from a licensed physician that also includes the impact, severity, and any recommended accommodations. The Accessibility Office must receive documentation before an accommodation can be made in full but can discuss partial or temporary accommodation while documentation is obtained, depending on the circumstance.
- Meet with the Accessibility Office to identify an ADA Accommodation plan. If necessary, the Accessibility Services Administrator will meet with various departments to identify methods of accommodation.
- Sign off on the final approved ADA Accommodation plan.
Once a student has signed off on their final approved ADA Accommodation plan, the respective faculty are notified one week prior to the start of the quarter of the student’s plan. Students are encouraged to speak with their faculty about their accommodation(s). Students are required to independently review their ADA Accommodation plan to ensure it continues to meet their needs. If an adjustment to the student’s ADA Accommodation plan is needed, the student should request a change in Accommodate no later than two weeks prior to the start of a new term.
Students on ADA Accommodation plans should utilize the resources found on the MySonoran Accessibility Office page. It contains important information about program requirements. ND Students with accommodations should work with the Accessibility Office at least two terms prior to critical milestone examinations in the event they must request a change to their approved ADA Accommodation plan.
ND Students who are pregnant or become pregnant, though not a disability, are encouraged to inform the Dean of Students to discuss temporary accommodations that may be necessary during pregnancy.
If a student, after following Sonoran University procedures, believes Sonoran University is not fulfilling its responsibilities under the ADA or other acts, the student should immediately bring their concern to the Accessibility Office for further advice and assistance. If the matter remains unresolved, the student may file a grievance with the Vice President of Student Affairs (Sonoran University’s compliance officer for the ADA and Rehabilitation Act).
Temporary Accommodations
Sonoran University is dedicated to providing assistance, on a temporary basis, to all students who may be experiencing a condition that is negatively impacting their access to educational opportunities. Typical situations that would be eligible for temporary accommodations include recovery from injury or medical procedures, treatment regimens, unique or unusual symptoms, and any other non-standard medical situations.
Additionally, pregnant students and new parents may receive non-disability accommodations to assist with the potential impact these events have on studies. Students should reach out to the Accessibility Office to discuss the different protocols and resources available.
Pregnancy and New Parent Non-Disability Modifications Protocol for Students
Pregnancy, Childbirth or Adoption During Enrollment
Sonoran University is committed to supporting students who have or adopt children during their program and to working with them to facilitate their completion. Our goal is to accommodate students and ensure that they continue making progress toward completion of their degree. Sonoran University is dedicated to ensuring the protection and equal treatment of pregnant persons, individuals with pregnancy-related medical conditions, and new parents. The following protocol is intended to meet these needs to the fullest extent required by law and create a supportive campus community.
Considering the complexity that surrounds having or adopting a baby while in a graduate or first professional degree program, no written procedure can cover all unique circumstances that a student may face. Therefore, we encourage students who are expecting the birth or adoption of a child during their program at Sonoran University, to engage in open and timely communication and cooperation with university staff and faculty.
For inquiries related to the following aspects, students can contact the designated personnel:
- Accommodation/Modification in a class setting, develop a new parent coursework plan: Contact the Accessibility Services Administrator.
- Access to nursing facilities on campus: Contact the dos@sonoran.edu
- Leave of Absence and/or schedule modification: Reach out to your Academic Advisor.
- Attendance and making up missing coursework, exams, clinicals, etc.: Notify the respective faculty and submit the Absence Report Form to the Dean of Students.
- Grade of Incomplete: Discuss with respective faculty.
Reasonable Non-Disability Modifications Provided for Pregnant Students
Students with pregnancy-related conditions are entitled to reasonable adjustments in the classroom and clinic so they will not be disadvantaged in their program of study. Modifications may be program specific and not all modifications are available depending on program and course formats.
Modified Academic Responsibilities for New Parents
Students are encouraged to work with the Accessibility Services Administrator. to create a coursework plan that addresses their needs as a new parent, beginning with the day of birth (or earlier in the case of pregnancy) or day of entry of the child into the home in the case of guardianship or adoption.
There is a maximum time frame, usually two weeks in the ND program and one week in the MS programs, that a student can miss without having a deleterious impact on their ability to meet course objectives, depending on the course type, assessments or assignments missed, and timing during the term. Please note that not all courses lend themselves to extensive adjustment due to logistical restrictions, safety requirements, and/or course objectives. Additionally, due to the structure and demands of the in-person ND program, the approach to accommodation will differ depending on the phase of the program in which the pregnancy and birth or adoption occurs.
Regardless of the timing, a detailed plan* must be developed by the student in close collaboration with and written approval of the Accessibility Services Coordinator. For ND students, this plan must be completed and approved by all parties at least 3 months before the due date/adoption.
- Initial Event –Attendance is not mandatory during this period for a limited time only, depending on the program of study and when the absence occurs. The University highly recommends taking a leave of absence instead, if possible. New parents should work with their faculty in advance of the event, if known, or with them (when physically possible) after the event.
- Implementation of Plan – Students work with faculty, the Accessibility Services Coordinator, and other resources needed (e.g. Learning Specialist) to catch up and complete missed course work in a planned and faculty-approved fashion. Students may discuss options for completion such as Grade of Incomplete, if needed, with faculty.
Absences
Absence policy criteria review requests, submitted to the Dean of Students Office, related to medical conditions caused by pregnancy, general neonatal wellness visits, doctor appointments related to the pregnancy and legal appointments related to the adoption process that occur during normal business hours that cannot be planned around scheduled course times, will be approved by the Dean of Students provided that these do not exceed the maximum number of allowable absences outlined above. Students will still be responsible for:
- immediately notifying all faculty of courses missed;
- achieving any missed course objectives as per the course syllabus; and
- following the Absence Review process by submitting an Absence Review form, for all absences.
Leave of Absence Modifications
Students have the right to take a leave of absence from their program for the period of time as long as deemed medically necessary by the student's physician. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends all new parents take family leave (LOA) of at least 12-weeks. Students returning from a leave of absence will be effectively reinstated to the same program of study status as was held when the leave began. Students interested in a leave of absence should discuss details with their Academic Advisor.
Class Attendance Modifications for Expressing and Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding students will be granted a reasonable extra time of 15 minutes, in conjunction with the normal break period, (excluding during tests) to pump breast milk or breast feed in a location that is private, clean, and reasonably accessible to the classroom. (See Nursing Room Access below). Students must coordinate with faculty to determine any missed course content during the extra time away from the classroom.
Academic Status, Incomplete, or Leave of Absence
Students who have received a modified schedule will retain their enrollment status throughout the schedule. If desired, the student may request an incomplete for a class, if meeting at least 75% of course content at the time of request if their completion plan extends into the break period. They may also request a leave of absence if desired. In the specific case of CAPS 6024 for ND students only, students may extend a grade of incomplete to the next available administration of the NPLEX exam without APPC approval, if event interferes with taking the exam at the scheduled time.
Nursing Room Access
On-campus students who require a private location to nurse or express may request the privacy lock code to the Nursing Rooms via the Student Services Administrator. Please note that children are allowed in the nursing room and common areas only and must always be accompanied by an adult. There are nursing rooms available in all campus buildings. Some coordination may be required in the Medical Center for clinical students.
Additional Support
Supplemental support for on campus students is available, depending on need. Such items include:
- Parking permits for restricted parking spots during pregnancy and for the first two terms of new parenting, if required.
- A Personal Classroom assistant to help with mobility, daily activity, and other physical restrictions created by the pregnancy.
- Alternate seating options in the classroom.
These should be discussed with the Accessibility Office as needed.
Disability Accommodations Provided for Pregnant Students on a Temporary Basis
Pregnant students in need of temporary accommodations based on an underlying medical complication due to pregnancy and/or post-pregnancy are encouraged to contact the Accessibility Office. Please note that requests must include medical documentation from the students’ healthcare provider identifying the need for the requested accommodation.
Additional Information
Students wishing to discuss any special needs, require clarification of the protocol attributes, or have concerns about options may contact the Associate Dean of Students, Kelsey Hilfigure, at dos@sonoran.edu or 480-222-9345. Additionally, students with Title IX concerns regarding pregnancy and new parents, may reach out to the Title IX Director, Elaina Harrington, at e.harrington@sonoran.edu or 480-222-2292.
*- International students must meet Student Visa eligibility requirements which may impact eligibility for modifications identified in this protocol.