Faculty Handbook: Appendix C: Complaint Procedures

Once a student has been declared eligible to receive reasonable accommodations at CSULB, the departments and faculty members are legally bound to make such accommodations. A faculty member cannot refuse to make accommodations for a student once they have been deemed required.

If a faculty member has questions about the appropriateness of an authorized accommodation, he/she should make an informal contact with appropriate BMAC staff for consultation. If questions are not resolved, the faculty member then should submit a written request for an informal review to the department chair within five days. Informal resolution may also include input from the college dean or designee and the 504/ADA Compliance Officer located in the Office of Equity and Compliance, (562) 985-8256. If an informal resolution is not successful, the 504/ADA Compliance Officer will initiate a formal investigation upon receiving a written summary of events and allegations of the complaint within two weeks based on the guidelines of the CSU Policy. The department/faculty will be asked to demonstrate:

  1. that the accommodations are not necessary to ensure nondiscriminatory participation
  2. that the authorized adjustment would fundamentally alter the nature of the educational program of instruction being pursued by the student. The accommodations must be provided for the student unless they are officially set aside or modified. At the conclusion of the investigation, the Compliance Officer will report the findings to the President, whose decision will be final.

Students and faculty alike are encouraged to seek the expertise and guidance of the experienced professionals at BMAC regarding the implementation of reasonable accommodations at CSULB. Such proactive consultation may help prevent unpleasant and unnecessary conflicts.