Disability Discrimination: Reporting Concerns, Informal Resolution and Formal Appeal Procedures

Disability Accommodation Appeal Process

The student accommodation appeals process consists of two levels of reviews. The first level is the internal review; students may appeal a disability accommodation determination to the Director of Student Accessibility Services or their Designee for review. This process applies to student accommodation requests related to academic, housing, or other accommodation requests customarily reviewed by Student Accessibility Services (SAS). If the SAS Director/Designee upholds the original denial, the student may submit an appeal for a final review to the ADA/ 504 Coordinator. In certain cases, such as when accommodation determinations are made through a committee-based or multidisciplinary review process rather than solely by SAS, appeals may bypass the SAS Director and go directly to the ADA/504 Coordinator for an  institutional level review. Students will be notified of the appropriate appeal pathway in their decision notification email.

Internal Review: Appeal to SAS Director or Designee 

Students may appeal a denial decision related to academics, housing, or another request customarily reviewed by SAS by submitting the SAS Accommodation Request Appeal Form. Students are strongly encouraged to submit their appeal within five (5) business days of receiving the original accommodation decision. Appeals may be submitted after this time; however, doing so may affect certain deadlines, particularly those related to housing accommodations. 

During the internal review, the SAS Director or their Designee evaluates whether relevant information and documentation were appropriately considered in the initial determination before a final determination is made. Students may submit updated or additional documentation at this time to support their appeal. Students and their healthcare providers are encouraged to review the Documentation Guidelines to ensure that any additional materials submitted are complete and provide information for the review process. If the Director or Designee upholds the original decision or denial, the student may then submit an appeal to the ADA/ 504 Coordinator for further review.

Final Review: Appeal to ADA/ 504 Coordinator 

Students may appeal the denial of a disability accommodation by submitting a written appeal to the University’s ADA/504 Coordinator at ada_504@brown.edu,  as soon as practicable and strongly encouraged within five (5) business days of receiving the denial decision.

The appeal must detail, in writing, a full description of the individual's concern, including the facts that support an accommodation approval, efforts made to resolve the concern through SAS and any other information relevant to the determination (including supporting documentation). Through the submission of an appeal, the appealing party authorizes the release of their accommodation-related health information to the ADA/ 504 Coordinator or their Designee. Please note, this is a confidential process and health information will not be shared beyond what is necessary to process the appeal. Upon receipt of the appeal, the Coordinator will review all relevant information and make a determination regarding the matter. At their discretion, they may also meet with the student or others who have knowledge of the relevant facts. A written decision will be issued once the review is complete.

The ADA/ 504 Coordinator will consider the following factors during their review: 

• whether designated procedures were followed;
• whether the appropriate information was utilized, reasonably considered, and supports the denial;
• whether the individual and the University engaged in an interactive dialogue;
• whether the requested accommodation poses an undue burden on the University;
• whether the requested accommodation would fundamentally alter the nature of the University’s program;
• and any other factors the ADA/ 504 Coordinator determines to be relevant to the matter. 

The ADA/ 504 Coordinator will have the final determination in all appeals cases and if applicable will notify all relevant parties.

Visit the Office of Equity, Compliance and Reporting website for more information about disability discrimination and reporting.

US Department of Education Contact Information

Individuals may always contact the following regarding allegations of disability discrimination in violation of Section 504:

National Headquarters, U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-1100, Telephone:  800-421-3481. FAX: 202-453-6012. TDD# 800-877-8339. Email: OCR@ed.gov

Washington DC (Metro) Regional Office, U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-1475. Telephone: 202-452-6020. FAX: 202-453-6021. TDD: 800-877-8339. Email: OCR.DC@ed.gov