(1) This Policy covers reasonable adjustments that may be made in specified circumstances to academic programs, courses and examinations offered by the University to ensure all its students are able to participate equitably in their course or program of study at the University. This Policy is consistent with the University’s obligations under relevant state and federal legislation. (2) This Policy applies to all students enrolled at the University. (3) The University recognises and is committed to its legal and moral responsibilities to provide an inclusive and participatory environment for all students. The University will make all reasonable efforts to accommodate a student within an academic program or course in which they are enrolled or for which they are eligible for admission. (4) The privacy of the student is a prime consideration throughout the process of assessing and/or developing reasonable adjustments, consistent with the University's Privacy Management Policy. Information will be shared confidentially with University staff who support the implementation of any reasonable adjustments. (5) UQ recognises that students should be provided with comparable opportunity to engage with academic programs and courses, and demonstrate knowledge and competency for assessment purposes. Where appropriate, the University will make reasonable adjustments for a student or a group of students in circumstances which would generally include, but are not limited to, the following: (6) Reasonable adjustments will: (7) The identification of reasonable adjustments must be completed through an assessment of the circumstances experienced by an individual student or a group of students, and in consideration of the following principles: (8) The threshold of competence upholds the academic standards and integrity of the program by ensuring core academic requirements of programs or courses are maintained. (9) The Student Advice Team within Student Services is responsible for: (10) The Associate Dean (Academic) or relevant Dean is responsible for: (11) It is the responsibility of the relevant Associate Dean (Academic) or relevant Dean, or their nominee and the student to liaise with any relevant professional and registration bodies regarding the acceptability of any reasonable adjustment to an academic program and the associated impact on professional practice and/or registration (12) The Academic Registrar is responsible for resolving disputes and appeals relating to the Policy and supporting procedures. (13) The student is responsible for updating the Student Advice Team upon changes to their condition/circumstances and/or changes to their program of study. (14) The Academic Registrar and the Director, Student Affairs are responsible for ensuring the Policy and supporting procedures are reviewed as required. (15) Updates to the Policy may need to be completed more regularly than this to: (16) Interactions with the Student Advice Team regarding reasonable adjustments will be recorded in the Student Management System in the case file of the individual student. (17) All reasonable adjustments will be made through the Student Advice Team which will ensure consistency in approach to recording. (18) Data will be captured against the Student Management System which will enable annual reporting to capture trends and inform future initiatives.Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy
Section 1 - Purpose and Scope
Section 2 - Principles and Key Requirements
Maintain Appropriate Health and Safety Standards and Identifying Reasonable Adjustments
Threshold of Competence
Section 3 - Roles, Responsibilities and Accountabilities
Section 4 - Monitoring, Review and Assurance
Top of PageSection 5 - Recording and Reporting
Section 6 - Appendix
Definitions, Terms, Acronyms
Term
Definition
Academic programs
Sequence of study leading to the award of a qualification such as an undergraduate degree or diploma, and/or postgraduate coursework qualification.
Accessibility
People’s ability to participate in the life of the University including its teaching, learning, research, employment, physical, and virtual communication environments.
Associate Dean (Academic)
Means the Associate Dean (Academic) of the relevant Faculty.
Defence service
Service (including training) for the Australian Defence Force Reserves (Naval Reserve, Army Reserve, or Air Force Reserve), in accordance with the Defence Reserve Service (Protection) Act 2001 (Cth).
Disability
A condition or state of being which is covered by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) definition. The term includes; physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual and neurological disabilities, physical disfigurement and the presence in the body of organisms causing or capable of causing disease, such as HIV, and includes both permanent and temporary conditions.
Elite Athlete status
As defined in clauses 30-37 of the Reasonable Adjustments - Students Procedure.
Reasonable adjustment
This is defined by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as the necessary and appropriate modification and adjustments which do not impose a disproportionate or undue burden, where needed in a particular case, in order to ensure that persons with disabilities can enjoy or exercise all human rights and fundamental freedoms on a substantively equitable basis with others. In the education environment this may be a measure or action (or group of) that assists the student with a disability to participate on the same basis as a student without a disability and can include an aid, a facility, or a service that the student requires because of the functional consequences of their disability (Disability Standards for Education (2005)).
Reasonable adjustments for students
Measures taken to enable students to participate on the same basis (Disability Standards for Education (2005)) as a student without a disability in areas of the University’s operations, including:
• academic activities
• curriculum development, assessment and certification requirements
• physical access to buildings and facilities
• information access
• support services
Religious observance
Compliance with a religious law, custom, command or rule, or the long-standing custom of celebrating a religious holiday or similar occasion.
Relevant Dean
Means the Dean of UQ College or the Dean, Graduate School.
Student Access Plan
The document that sets out the reasonable adjustments that have been agreed by the Faculty. This plan is drafted by the Diversity, Disability and Inclusion Services team, with consideration to the principles and key requirements as outlined in section 2. The Plan is then communicated to those university staff who enable the implementation of any reasonable adjustments.
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• admission and enrolment
Reasonable adjustments are to be provided in consultation with the student, within a reasonable time after notification of the need for adjustments. When making an adjustment it is reasonable for the University to maintain the academic requirements of the course or program that are inherent in or essential to its nature (Disability Standards for Education (2005)) – however, this does not mean that all assessment or activities must be the same for all students.