Accessibility Policies
We're committed to creating an inclusive and accessible campus, including aligning our policies so that all individuals have equal access to our programs and services.
Campus Policies
This policy is intended to provide guidance relating to the presence of animals on campus at the University of Wisconsin—River Falls (UWRF), including pets, emotional support animals, service animals, and service animals in training.
UWRF strives to be an institution that is inclusive and welcoming to all employees, students, and members of the public. As such, the university upholds state and federal laws surrounding the use and access to the university by individuals with disabilities and university nondiscrimination policies. Services animals are permitted on campus and in university buildings (unless stated below). Service animals in training are allowed in those areas of university buildings that are generally open to the public. ESAs, once approved, are permitted in the residence hall room.
Read the full Animals on Campus policy.
UWRF is committed to providing students with disabilities an equal opportunity to access, participate in, and benefit from any of the university’s services, programs and activities. UWRF, as a Title II institution under the Section 504 Americans with Disabilities Act, receives federal funding and is mandated by law to accommodate students with disabilities.
Implementation of Policy:
Students in need of accommodations should submit their request to the Disability Resource Center (DRC). Students may request academic and housing accommodations through the DRC. Accommodations will be offered to eligible students, unless the accommodation would fundamentally alter the nature of the program, service, or activity. UWRF provides students with reasonable accommodations in a timely manner.
The DRC uses an interactive process and the use of submitted clinical documentation to determine the reasonable nature of each student’s individual accommodation request. All accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis. If denied, students will receive written communication pertaining to the reason for the denial, as well as the process used to identify determination.
A temporary impairment does not constitute a disability for purposes of Section 504 of the ADA, unless its severity is such that it results in substitution limitation of one or more major life activities for an extended period of time. All temporary accommodation requests are determined on case-by-case basis.
Implementation of Policy:
The Disability Resource Center (DRC) meets with students with temporary impairments and determines who can effectively support the student based on the following two factors, (1) the severity of identified symptoms and (2) the expected timeline of recovery.
If the severity of the condition is not substantial and will take less than four weeks to recover, faculty are asked to work directly with the student to provide the student the requested accommodation.
Universities of Wisconsin System Policies
It is the policy of the Board of Regents that discrimination on the basis of a disability is prohibited. No otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall be denied access to or participation in any program, service, activity or employment opportunity offered by the UW System or its institutions.
In addition, retaliation is prohibited against any person for exercising a right under federal or state disability laws or for assisting or supporting another in exercising such a right.
Read the full Nondiscrimination on Basis of Disability policy.
State of Wisconsin Policies
36.12 Student Discrimination Prohibited. No student may be denied admission to, participation in or the benefits of, or be discriminated against in any service, program, course or facility of the system or its institutions because of the student's race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, disability, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status or parental status.
Read the full text of Wisconsin State Legislature Statute 36.12.
230.18 Discrimination Prohibited. No question in any form of application or in any evaluation used in the hiring process may be so framed as to elicit information concerning the partisan political or religious opinions or affiliations of any applicant nor may any inquiry be made concerning such opinions or affiliations and all disclosures thereof shall be discountenanced except that the director may evaluate the competence and impartiality of applicants for positions such as clinical chaplain in a state institutional program. No discriminations may be exercised in the recruitment, application, or hiring process against or in favor of any person because of the person's political or religious opinions or affiliations or because of age, sex, disability, race, color, sexual orientation, national origin, or ancestry except as otherwise provided.
Federal Policies
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people with disabilities from discrimination. To learn more, visit the ADA website.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is American legislation that guarantees certain rights to people with disabilities. It was one of the first U.S. federal civil rights laws offering protection for people with disabilities. Read more about Section 504 on the U.S. Department of Education website.