ACCESS

Course Substitution Policy & Procedure

All students must be able to meet the academic and technical standards required for admission or participation in their chosen program of study. Students with disabilities, therefore, are not excused from course prerequisites, GPA requirements, or degree requirements. However, in some limited circumstances, substitution of course requirements on the basis of a documented disability may be appropriate. Such substitutions are granted only when it is clear that the student’s disability makes completion of the requirement(s) almost impossible and when the course in question is not a fundamental element of the curriculum. Note that course waivers are not granted. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights has consistently upheld the right of an institution to safeguard the integrity of its academic programs. A course substitution simply means that the credit hours for the course are met through an alternate course. A course substitution does not alter or reduce the number of credits needed for degree completion.

Students should understand that Accessible Campus Community & Equitable Student Support (ACCESS) provides consultations to the academic units based solely on students’ needs and the impact disabilities may have on specific courses. Academic units determine whether or not a particular course or assignment is fundamental to degree programs. Consideration of a course substitution is done on a case-by-case basis and requires the following actions by the student with a disability:

• The student must request a course substitution as part of their ACCESS semester request for accommodations. The student’s documentation must contain specific and reasonably current information that supports the request and be provided by qualified experts.
• Based on the proposed substitution, one of the following appropriate steps are required
  1. If the request involves a proposed substitution to a program/major requirement, the student must write a letter to the appropriate academic dean. The academic dean will consult with program faculty in the appropriate department as part of their assessment of the student’s request.
  2. If the request involves a proposed substitution/adjustment to either a General Education requirement or a University graduation requirement, the student shall write a letter to the Associate Provost. The Associate Provost will consult with the appropriate committees and offices as part of their assessment of the student’s request.

This letter should include:

• The student’s name, address, student ID number and major;
• The name of the course where the substitution is requested;
• An explanation of the disability and its impact;
• A rationale for the substitution request;
• A history of any previous attempts to complete the course in question;
• Any past history of course substitutions granted by previously attended colleges or universities (this does not obligate ACCESS or Southern Illinois University Edwardsville to reach a similar conclusion);
• A statement that the appropriate documentation verifying the disability is on file with ACCESS

The academic dean may collaborate with ACCESS regarding the advisability of the course substitution request based on the available documentation. Be advised that the student requesting a course substitution may be asked to submit additional disability documentation if what is on file with ACCESS is deemed inadequate to make a determination. ACCESS will also need permission to release medical information they deem necessary for understanding the academic impact of the disability to individuals in those academics units who will review the request

Once the academic dean has made a decision, the student will be notified in writing of the result within 30 working days. A student with a disability who is denied a course substitution may appeal that decision to the Associate Provost.  Approved substitutions will be processed by the Office of the Registrar and documented within the student’s academic record following receipt of the approved Student Petition form.