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Accessibility

Introduction to Accommodations at LAPU

About LAPU’s Accessibility Office

Los Angeles Pacific University is committed to promoting a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive educational environment for students and visitors with disabilities. Furthermore, we strive to ensure that all students have equal access to every aspect of their educational experience at LAPU. The Accessibility Office fulfills these commitments by facilitating individualized, reasonable, and timely accommodations for students with disabilities through an interactive process. We also continue to identify and remove barriers to access through a universal design approach to our learning environment. This page serves as a central resource for all disability and accessibility-related information for LAPU students and visitors.

Read Mission Statement

Emma Cameron
Accessible Education Manager
ADA/Section 504 Coordinator

Phone: 626-495-2865
Email: accessibility@lapu.edu
Book an Appointment
Fax: 626-263-1851

Emma Cameron is the Accessible Education Manager and ADA/Section 504 Coordinator at LAPU. In this role, Emma serves the vision of LAPU by promoting an accessible educational environment that is inclusive of individuals with disabilities. In addition, Emma strives to ensure that LAPU is compliant to meet disability legal regulations. Emma is passionate about creating universal design approaches, fostering an inclusive university culture for students with disabilities, and empowering students to achieve their academic goals through self-advocacy and a growth mindset.

Steps to Apply for Accommodations

1. Complete Application

Application Form for Current Students
Application Form for Prospective Students

2. Submit Documentation

Please submit any supporting documentation that you may have to best inform the Accessibility Office of (1) the nature of your disability, (2) how it impacts your academic experience, and (3) any professional recommendations the Accessibility Office should consider as disability accommodations are evaluated. Documentation is strongly recommended, however not required in all cases. Please do not let a lack of documentation deter you from pursuing the application process for accommodations. Documentation options may include a letter from a doctor or therapist, treatment records, records of accommodations received at other institutions, IEP or 504 plans, testing center results, disability records from professional entities like Veteran Affairs or the Department of Rehabilitation, and records of receiving state or federal disability benefits. Please contact the Accessibility Office for additional questions about documentation. Documentation may be submitted by email to accessibility@lapu.edu, by fax to (626) 200-4738, or by mail to the LAPU mailing address (please specify attention to the Accessibility Office).

3. Schedule Intake Appointment

Once your application materials have been received and reviewed for completion, you will be contacted within two business days by email or telephone to schedule an intake appointment with the Accessible Education Manager.

Accessibility Frequently Asked Questions

What is an accommodation?

According to the ADA, an accommodation is a reasonable modification to a policy, practice, or procedure to allow persons with disabilities access to all programs and activities provided by an educational institution. Accommodations may involve auxiliary aids, assistive technology, or other services which serve to ensure access. The purpose of an accommodation is to mitigate any barrier(s) to access attributed to disability. Accommodations must be reasonable and necessary. They cannot fundamentally alter any learning objectives or reduce any essential requirements or academic standards of a course or program.

Who is eligible for accommodations?

Qualified students with a disability (those who meet the definition) are eligible to request a reasonable accommodation for any LAPU course or activity. A disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Major life activities include: caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, standing, walking, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, working, and major bodily functions.

WHEN CAN STUDENTS APPLY FOR ACCOMMODATIONS?

Anytime. Please note that accommodations, once approved, are not retroactive and will take effect during the academic week in which they are approved and forward. LAPU applicants can apply for accommodations during the enrollment process, however, accommodations will not be officially approved until admitted to the university.

How long does the accommodations application process take?

Approximately two weeks. The timeline can be faster; it is primarily dependent upon how quickly application materials are submitted and additional steps are completed by the applicant.

How are accommodations evaluated?

Accessibility staff will work directly with students to determine accommodations through an interactive process.
Approved accommodations can be revisited at any time, especially based upon health updates, challenging course schedules, or other circumstances.
Documentation from a professional provider or other entity will be requested as a part of the application, however, the Accessibility Office does not want a lack of documentation to be a barrier for students. Students are welcome to pursue the application process for accommodations even if they do not have additional documentation.

What about confidentiality?

Students are not required to disclose any information regarding their disability, diagnosis, or other health information to LAPU staff or faculty outside of the Accessibility Office.
The Accessibility Office will only communicate information about approved student accommodations to the necessary individuals who will be implementing them as a part of their job-related duties. We will not share confidential disability information without gaining a student’s explicit permission first.

Are there accommodations for COVID-19?

If a student contracts the COVID-19 virus or any variant related to it, as a first step, they should pursue the standard LAPU late work policy as stated in the academic catalog to address a need for additional time for assignments with their professor. If any symptoms related to COVID-19 illness persist beyond one month and students have sought medical attention for Long-COVID or an ongoing Post-COVID condition, they are eligible to apply for accommodation services. Long-COVID and Post-COVID conditions are considered a disability under the ADA and students may pursue necessary services and resources available through the Accessibility Office.

How should individuals report complaints/grievances?

If an individual has concerns about access, about the Accessibility Office’s process or services, about the way their accommodations have been provided, or if an individual feels they have been discriminated against on the basis of disability, we encourage them to communicate the concern by following the Accessibility Grievance Process. The purpose of this process is to serve as a vehicle for communication and decision-making through prescribed procedures between any individual and LAPU in order to facilitate the investigation and resolution of the concern in a timely manner.

Student Resources

More About Accessibility

While LAPU supports reasonable accommodations, our primary goal is to continually create an environment that is accessible to as many individuals as possible without the need for accommodation, adaptation, or modification. When something is accessible, it means a person with a disability is afforded the opportunity to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as a person without a disability in an equally effective and integrated manner, with substantially equivalent ease of use. LAPU websites and courses are designed with web accessibility industry standards in mind to ensure elements like captions and alternative text for images are provided and webpages will function properly for those who use keyboards, screenreaders, or other assistive technologies.

Visitor Forms

Report Inaccessible Web Content: If you have found anything on our website that is inaccessible, please let us know about it by completing this form.

Request Accommodations for LAPU Virtual Events: Please complete this form to request specific accommodations for any LAPU webinar or other virtual event you may be attending.