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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator's Office
La Sierra University has a responsibility to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regulations for faculty, staff, students, and visitors. These responsibilities take the form of reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities as well as facilitate access for persons with disabilities. La Sierra University will adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws, and regulations.
Access for Individuals with Disabilities
- Ensures that issues, concerns and complaints that arise in the various distributed areas of the University with designated responsibility for ADA compliance such as Student Services with Disabilities, Facilities Services, Parking, and Capital Planning and Development are appropriately addressed within the structure of the University.
- Ensures that appropriate University resources are identified to promote programs of awareness related to ADA and other disability education.
- Ensures that appropriate University fiscal resources are identified and made available to provide reasonable accommodation as requested by individuals seeking accommodation.
- Ensures that every avenue of resolution is pursued by the University to resolve issues, concerns, and complaints. To review appeals of disability accommodation decisions.
- ADA Emergency Preparedness Plan click here!
- Authorized to request, receive and maintain confidential medical information for students.
- To respond to disability -related matters.
- Will provide input to identify existing barriers or necessary accommodations on campus. This will be accomplished by gathering input from students, staff, faculty and visitors.
- Will provide necessary input to determine reasonable solutions to identified barriers, both temporary and permanent.
- Will provide information necessary to prioritize resolution to barriers.
- Will develop and maintain a mechanism to communicate this information to the campus community.
- Repairs and replaces any building components that may be associated with ADA requirements.
- Adjusts doors that may not meet the required ADA opening requirements.
- Grinds sidewalks that may represent restricted access.
- Ensures that all replacement parts are ADA approved.
- Ensures that all installed products such as pencil sharpeners, bathroom accessories, etc., are installed according to ADA specifications.
- Ensures that special tables and chairs in lecture halls are available for students with disabilities according to numbers provided quarterly by Accessibility Services Office.
- Ensuring prompt repairs to automatic doors and arranging for the addition of automatic doors as funding becomes available to provide additional automatic doors beyond the minimum specifications under ADA.
- Adds buzzers as funding becomes available.
- Serves as the Safety Building Official on campus and one of the responsibilities of this role is to ensure that the campus buildings and grounds are in compliance with the City of Riverside building code mandates
- Administrator of the university's funds. Funds for new improvements on campus administered by the Buildings and Grounds Committee. All new project designs are required to be reviewed by the Director of Physical Plant to ensure Title 24 compliance.
- Responsible for the department of Human Resources in assisting students employee, faculty and staff in a fair employment.
- Encourages and fosters an environment that supports, develops and maintains the well-being of employees.
- Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (45 CFR 86 et seq.) and Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
- Has a commitment to inquiry, learning and service.
- Supports student services, programs and activities.
- Supports academic excellence.
- Problem solves arising issues, mitigates situations, and searches for best case resolutions.
- Serves as the chief disciplinary officer for the campus in issues dealing with students. This includes receiving complaints, investigating, adjudicating minor issues, assembling Judicial Committee as needed, supervising disciplinary records, and notifying outcomes to appropriate individuals.
Additional Info
What is the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title 24?
- California's Title 24 and the federal Americans with Disabilities Act prohibit discrimination and ensure equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment, state and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and transportation.
Who must comply?
- Public accommodations, regardless of size, must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. A public accommodation is considered any facility that deals directly with the public.
Why comply?
- Through the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title 24, the federal and state government affirmed the civil rights of the millions of Americans with disabilities by ensuring their right to participate fully in society. California state law declares that failure to comply with either the Americans with Disabilities Act or Title 24 is a civil rights violation.
- Operators of public accommodations that do not comply with these laws face the prospect of large monetary damages. Under California law, a violation of these codes can result in a minimum $4,000 fine per violation, a requirement to fix the problem, and the payment of the plaintiff's attorney fees.
- The federal government allows for up to $10,000 in tax reductions for access related to changes -- see IRS form 8826.
| Assemblyman District Office 4740 Green River Rd., Suite #311 Corona, CA 92880 (951) 371-6860 (951) 734-4160 Fax | Capitol Office State Capitol, Suite #2016 Sacramento, CA 94249-0060 (916) 319-2060 (916) 319-2160 Fax |
Individuals with disabilities may have special needs in emergency situations. The best way for students or employees of the university with disabilities to ensure that they are safe on campus is to plan ahead, taking into account their own needs and limitations. La Sierra University has a comprehensive system for emergency planning. Under this system, each department has an emergency plan, including a building evacuation plan and a Safety Building Coordinator charged with implementing that plan.
Employees with special needs are encouraged to be involved in their department's emergency planning and should contact their Safety Building Coordinator for more information. The Fire Department has developed a FireNet covering guidelines for Emergency Evacuation Procedures for Employees/Clients with Disabilities.
Students with disabilities should talk to their professors and peers and discuss with them what assistance they may need in an emergency evacuation. If you will be spending time alone in a particular building on a regular basis, you should contact the Safety Building Coordinator responsible for that area to discuss your needs.
In some circumstances, it will not be safe for the Safety Building Coordinator or others to evacuate an individual with a disability. In those circumstances, the SBC will notify emergency personnel of the individual's location and need for assistance.
Many buildings on the La Sierra University campus are equipped with visual alarms (flashing lights) that are activated with the building's fire alarm.
- Click here to visit the Office of Accessibility Services website.
- Accommodation Appeals Process
Click here to learn more about interacting effectively with people with disabilities.
Contact
| ADA Compliance Coordinator | (951) 785-2347 | ods@lasierra.edu |
| Accessibility Services | (951) 785-2452 | ods@lasierra.edu |
| Physical Plant | (951) 785-2113 | pplant@lasierra.edu |
| Human Resources | (951) 785-2088 | hr@lasierra.edu |
| Associate VP of Student Life | (951) 785-2167 | mrobinso@lasierra.edu |
Office Hours
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Friday
8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Office location
Administration Building
Second Floor
Report Emergency
(951) 785-5222 (fax)