Center for Student Accessibility

Student Responsibilities

Students with disabilities have the responsibility to:

• meet and maintain the institution's academic and technical standards for courses, programs, services, activities, and facilities.
• self-identify as an individual with a disability when an accommodation is needed and seek information, counsel, and assistance as necessary.
• provide appropriate documentation of the disability and how it limits participation in courses, programs, services, activities, and facilities to the College to determine eligibility for services.
• follow procedures for obtaining reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids and services.
• meet and abide by the College’s academic, conduct and technical standards.
• request accommodations with the campus CSA representative at the beginning of each term by completing a Semester Request for Services form and submitting it to your campus CSA representative.
• follow published policies and procedures of CSA and Palm Beach State College.
• contacting the Center for Student Accessibility if reasonable academic adjustments or accommodations are not implemented in an effective or timely way.

Accommodations are designed to meet students with disabilities’ individual learning needs and does not reduce students’ responsibility for meeting the academic standards, conduct codes and course requirements at Palm Beach State College.

Palm Beach State College has the responsibility to:

• provide information to students with disabilities in accessible formats upon request.
• ensure that courses, programs, activities, and facilities, when viewed in their entirety, are available and usable in the most integrated and appropriate settings.
• evaluate students on their abilities and not their disabilities.
• provide or arrange reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids and services for students with disabilities in courses, programs, activities, and facilities.
• maintain appropriate confidentiality of records and communication.

Student Rights

Students with disabilities have the right to:

• participate equally in and benefit from courses, programs, services, activities, and facilities offered through the College.
• access reasonable accommodations and/or auxiliary aids and services with equity.
• expect confidentiality regarding disability-related information and to choose to whom information about that disability will be disclosed except as disclosures are required/permitted by law.
• file a grievance if a disability discrimination issue cannot be satisfactorily resolved.

Steps to Register with the Center for Student Accessibility

Disclosure of a disability is voluntary. If you are a student with a disability and may need services, accommodations, or access, follow these four steps:

1. Make an appointment with the Center for Student Accessibility (CSA) manager or advisor on the campus you will be attending.
2. Submit current documentation from a qualified professional to support the disability claim prior to meeting with a CSA manager or advisor.
3. Meet with a manager or an advisor to complete the intake process.
4. Request services each term (Minimum of 3 weeks’ notice) through CSA.

Discrimination Complaints

Palm Beach State College adheres to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that was enacted to protect individuals with disabilities against discrimination. A student at the College who believes they have been discriminated against based on their disability or has not been afforded the agreed upon accommodations may file a complaint with the Center for Student Accessibility (CSA).

Students eligible for ADA accommodations should deliver their notification letters to faculty at the beginning of each semester or as soon as reasonably possible, altering the faculty of the approved accommodations. A student should notify a CSA Manager of any disagreement between the student and the faculty member if agreed-upon academic accommodations are not provided to seek a resolution.

Students who disagree with an eligibility or accommodation decision made by CSA may appeal the decision. The appeal must be submitted to the Student Development Director. The student will be provided a timeframe for a response and explanation of the resolution after the investigation is completed. Further appeals will proceed up the line of report in accordance with the College’s established practices.

Steps to Dispute a Final Course Grade

Criteria for an appeal

1. An error in the calculation of the grade, or ineffective provision of approved ADA accommodations resulting in the student being prevented from attaining the learning outcome to the level such accommodation might allow.
2. The assignment of a grade was a substantial departure from the faculty member’s previously printed standards in the course syllabus.

Students may appeal a final grade that they receive in a course, but interim grades or grades on specific assignments are not appealable, unless any such appeal is based on an allegation that the faculty member has violated the stated grading policy or that the grade was a result of discrimination or retaliation or for allegation that the professor did not provide the student with approved ADA accommodations as documented by Center for Student Accessibility (CSA).

• The student may request a review of their final course grade directly with the CSA Office by submitting a Student Problem Resolution Form and choosing Accommodations/ADA/Section 504 Complaint as the Nature of the Report.
• If the Academic Dean/Associate Dean receives such a request for a grade review they will refer the student to CSA and contact the CSA Office concerning the student’s request for grade review.
• The Academic Dean/Associate Dean will extend the timeframe to resolve the “Final Course Grade Appeal” pending the findings and resolution from the CSA Office concerning the alleged denial of ADA accommodation(s).

The following process will be initiated by the CSA Office:

Step 1: CSA Manager

The student holds primary responsibility to notify the Center for Student Accessibility.

1. Upon receipt of the student request for grade review the CSA manager will meet with the student to discuss the student’s concerns, including any relevant details necessary to conduct a review (except for days that the College is closed).
2. The student will be given a timeframe for a response and to provide any requested information.
3. The faculty member will provide relevant documentation to the CSA Manager within five (5) business days.
4. Upon completion of the review, the student will receive a detailed explanation of the findings and resolution; CSA will notify Academic Affairs of the findings (See CSA’s Notification to Academic Affairs)
5. Request is resolved.

However, if the student is not satisfied with the resolution of the CSA Manager, the student has five (5) business days to escalate their concern by submitting the Center for Student Accessibility Appeal Form to the Student Development Director.

Step 2: The Student Development Director

1. Student Development Director will review the documentation related to the resolution of the student’s appeal.
2. The student and the Student Development Director will meet to discuss the matter.
3. The student will be given a timeframe to receive a response.
4. A written response of the resolution will be provided to the student once the matter is resolved.
5. If the student is not satisfied with the resolution, they may contact the Dean of Student Development.

Step 3: The Equity Officer/504 Coordinator

1. If the student is not satisfied with the Dean of Student Development, they may contact the Equity Officer/504 Coordinator, Juanita Benjamin, at 561-868-3111 or benjamij@palmbeachstate.edu.
2. A student at any time may bypass previous steps to escalate complaint directly to any of the following:
   • Executive Director, Human Resources
   • Director, Human Resources & Equity Officer/504 Coordinator

Center for Student Accessibility's Notification to Academic Affairs

1. Center for Student Accessibility (CSA) Office after investigating the student’s complaint will notify Academic Affairs of the findings:
   • If the CSA Office’s investigation finds that the Professor did provide the approved ADA accommodations, then the Academic Dean/Associate Dean will proceed in adjudicating the student complaint using the “Final Course Grade Appeal” process.
2. If the CSA Office review finds that the Professor did not provide the approved accommodations the Dean/Associate Dean will work with the student, the professor, and the CSA Manager or Student Development Director to reach a resolution as allowed by PBSC’s policies and procedures.

Campus Locations and Contact Information

Belle Glade: Center for Student Accessibility
1977 College Drive, CRA 105.7, Belle Glade, FL 33430-3699
561-790-9022; studentaccessibility@palmbeachstate.edu 

Boca Raton: Center for Student Accessibility
801 Palm Beach State College Drive, AD 134, Boca Raton, FL 33431-6490
561-862-4316; studentaccessibility@palmbeachstate.edu 

Lake Worth: Center for Student Accessibility
4200 Congress Avenue, BK 110, Lake Worth, FL 33461-4796
561-868-3046; studentaccessibility@palmbeachstate.edu 

Loxahatchee Groves: Center for Student Accessibility
15845 Southern Boulevard, LGA 103, Loxahatchee, FL 33470-9204
561-790-9022; studentaccessibility@palmbeachstate.edu 

Palm Beach Gardens: Center for Student Accessibility
3160 PGA Boulevard, BR 128, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410-2893
561-207-5345; studentaccessibility@palmbeachstate.edu 

District - BK 110
Richard Hunter, Student Development Director
Phone: 561-868-3734 | Fax: 561-868-3141

District - SCA 132
Dr. Kathleen S. Karran-McCoy, Dean of Student Development & Ombudsman
Phone: 561-868-3371 | Fax: 561-868-3141

The Center for Student Accessibility is committed to providing an equal educational opportunity for all qualified students with disabilities in compliance with federal and state statutes. We commit, as well, to ensuring that the integrity of all college standards and requirements is maintained. Visit the Center for Student Accessibility at pbsc.edu/StudentAccessibility .

Admission and Graduation Substitutions for Students with Disabilities

In compliance with Florida Statutes, sections 1007.264 and 1007.265, eligible students with disabilities shall be considered for reasonable substitutions or waivers with regard to admission and graduation requirements, provided that the inability to fulfill the requirement is due directly to the disability, that appropriate accommodations will not result in success, and where the substitution will not constitute a fundamental alteration in the nature of the program. Eligible students include, but are not limited to, students documented as having a hearing impairment, including deafness; a visual impairment, a specific learning disability, an orthopedic impairment, a speech, or language impairment; an emotional or behavioral disability, autism spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury, intellectual disability, or other health impairment.

Students must formally submit a written request for a substitution or waiver to the campus Center for Student Accessibility Manager. Documentation of a disability, which includes evidence that the failure to meet the requirement is related to the disability, must also be provided. Students may appeal a substitution denial or a determination of ineligibility to the Vice President of Academic Affairs, who will review the case and make a recommendation to the President. This appeal must be initiated within 45 days of the student’s notification of the committee’s decision. In accordance with Rule 6A-10.041(3), the College will accept all substitutions previously granted by other state postsecondary institutions.