‘Disability’ applies as defined in the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, meaning:

1. any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes:

• epilepsy;
• any degree of paralysis;
• amputation;
• lack of physical co-ordination;
• blindness or visual impediment;
• deafness or hearing impediment;
• muteness or speech impediment; or
• physical reliance on a service animal, wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device; or

2. any of:

• an intellectual disability or impairment;
• a learning disability or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in the comprehension or use of symbols or spoken language; or
• a mental disorder: a disorder of thought, perception, feelings or behaviour that impairs a person’s:
  • judgment
  • capacity to recognize reality
  • ability to associate with others
  • ability to meet the ordinary demands of life
• drug and alcohol dependencies.

A student with a disability or disabilities is the person most capable of determining whether future success in the graduate program of study will be assisted by registering with Access and Equity Services (AES) and self-disclosing accommodation requirements as soon as possible.  Students are responsible for organizing their own assessment of disability and accommodation requirements in consultation with AES.  Files for the purposes of registering with AES are kept at the AES office.  Once a graduate student has made the decision to register with AES, and the confidential registration process is complete, the student may choose to initiate the following procedures to determine and implement appropriate accommodations:

1. AES contacts the Graduate Chair in the student’s disciplinary academic unit to determine whether standard AES accommodation methods (e.g., for course work) will work for the student at that time.  If they will, then AES undertakes its standard process for accommodations.

2. Where AES staff and the Graduate Chair in the academic unit determine that the student’s stage of program requires an individualized accommodation plan (e.g., to support preparation of research proposal; qualifying or comprehensive exams; thesis research, writing, defence), the Graduate Chair schedules an Accommodation Planning Committee (APC) meeting, normally including, at the minimum, the following people as members:

• Student seeking accommodation
• Supervisor (or Graduate Chair if a Supervisor has not been assigned)
• Manager of AES (or designate)
• Associate Dean of CGPS (or designate)

Note: The APC may include additional members, at the determination of the academic unit in consultation with the student, such as the Graduate Chair, members of the student’s Advisory Committee, or an advocate selected by the student.  While the student and AES members of the APC will know the precise nature of the student’s disability, this information will be divulged to other members of the APC only with consent of the student.

3. The APC will determine an appropriate accommodation plan, a copy of which will be kept on file by the academic unit separate from the student’s regular academic file, by the student, and by AES.  The APC will   communicate as a group as needed to monitor or adjust accommodations.  Any member of the APC may request an in-person meeting of the full committee as needed.

It is the student’s responsibility to be proactive in registering as early as possible with AES. Given that the registration process with AES and the work of a subsequent APC will take time, students are responsible for meeting all deadlines related to disability accommodation and required to participate actively in the accommodation planning in order to receive appropriate and timely accommodation.  An accommodation plan aims to assist the student to meet program requirements.  It does not, however, guarantee or imply successful completion of the program or that other CGPS policies and procedures will be supplanted (e.g., extension to time in program, leaves of absence).  A student may waive an accommodation at his or her discretion, though in so doing will be expected to meet the performance standard set without accommodation.  An accommodation plan will not be applied retroactively to have previous academic decisions reconsidered.

The Academic Accommodation Policy and Procedures for Students with Disabilities will be reviewed by the CGPS Graduate Academic Affairs Committee, in consultation with AES, annually for the first three years, and biannually thereafter, and modified as needed.

This policy and procedures is adapted from College of Pharmacy and Nutrition and School of Rehabilitation Science, and with assistance from the Manager of AES.