Disability Services. Point University offers disability services in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Director of Disability Services, who is based at Point’s main campus in West Point, determines reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. The director then communicates the approved accommodations to the student and the student's instructors. For more information, see the Point website under “Disability Support Services” (https://point.edu/ academics/ academic-support/disability). The site includes policies, procedures, frequently asked questions (FAQs), application forms, and the “Disability Services Grievance Policy and Procedure.” Students may also contact Disability Services and college ADA/Section 504 services by email at Disability.Services@Point.edu. The Disability Services Office is located in the first-floor Learning Commons in the Lanier Academic Center on the West Point campus.
Students may be temporarily disabled by, for example, a concussion suffered at an athletic event or by a scheduled surgery. Policies governing those special circum-stances appear below.
Post-Concussion Policy and Procedures
Point University is committed to reasonably accommodating qualified students with disabilities. The University, via the Office of Disability Services, may provide reasonable accommodation to provide students with post-concussive support. Accommodations will only be made by Disability Services once a student has met with an appropriate professional and has documentation to demonstrate that they have been appropriately diagnosed and are undergoing treatment. Medical consultation with and diagnosis by a professional with appropriate training is an essential component of care for immediate concussions as well as treatment of post-concussive symptoms.
A concussion is a brain injury best defined as a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain, induced by biomechanical forces. Students with concussions are presumed to be in a state of brain energy crisis, where an increased need for brain glucose to facilitate healing is accompanied by a reduction in cerebral blood flow. The combination of increased brain energy need and decreased brain blood flow is referred to as a “mismatch” and results in a brain energy crisis. The foundation of a concussive injury is neurometabolic, where additional physical and cognitive activities during a period of attempted recovery may cause symptoms to reemerge. Concentration difficulties can often accompany concussion symptoms, in addition to, headaches, nausea, dizziness, emotional irritability, and sensitivity to light/sound.
In order to request and receive post-concussion assistance, students must provide the Office of Disability Services with documentation regarding their disability and need for accommodations. In consultation with the student, the Director of DSS will review the documentation to determine the appropriateness of the accommodation. Students requesting accommodations should contact DSS immediately at Disability.Services@ Point.edu.
Procedure. Immediately following the injury:
New students must complete and submit a Request for Accommodations form via Disability Services.
Students must submit documentation from a qualified health care professional. Documentation should indicate need for accommodations due to a concussion and should include the following:
Date of injury and initial diagnosis
Date(s) of current and prior evaluation(s)
Reason for evaluation
Information regarding the presenting issues that significantly restrict functioning in an educational setting
Discussion of evaluation instruments used
Summary of evaluation findings including standard scores and percentiles such as tests of information processing/cognitive abilities, executive functioning, and academic achievement
Statement of current medical diagnosis or impairment
Explanation of the functional limitations to major life activities posed by the disability
Specific recommendations regarding accommodations with evidence from evaluation results
Identification of Evaluator (name, title, and signature)
Students should schedule a time to meet with the Director of Disability Services by email at Disability.Services@Point.edu. Once the appropriate information is received, DSS will review the request and the student will be contacted with next steps. Together, the student, DSS staff, and athletic trainer or medical professional will determine a “return to learn” plan, which includes accommodations and supports both inside and outside the classroom.
A temporary accommodation may be provided for cognitive rest. This includes excused absences on a case-by-case basis. The student is responsible for work missed and should work with the instructor and the Educational Resource Center on developing a plan for missed work. During this process, students are encouraged to have open communication with their instructors regarding coursework deadlines.
Weeks one and two following the injury:
If symptoms remain, and with concurrent medical supervision, it may be helpful to explore further accommodations including extended time on examinations and written assignments. Staff in Disability Services and the Educational Resource Center will contact the student and, when appropriate, the initial evaluator of the student, to determine next steps.
Weeks three and beyond:
If post-concussive symptoms persist beyond a third week, the student should consider the potential for a course incomplete, withdrawing from one or more courses, or taking a medical leave. A medical leave of absence would be a reasonable consideration if the student continues to experience post-concussive symptoms for greater than three weeks and if coursework missed becomes too onerous to make up.
Any questions regarding this post-concussive return to learn procedure should be directed to Disability Services, at Disability.Services@Point.edu.
Scheduled Surgery Policy and Procedure
Student engagement and academic success are closely correlated with regular attendance, classroom participation, and collaborative learning between faculty and students. Occasionally, students will need to undergo scheduled surgeries. In these circumstances, the Office of Disability Support Services works with the student to provide a reasonable assessment of how long they will be out of class and when they can resume their usual academic activities. Additionally, DSS may connect students to other campus resources such as Counseling Services, Sports Medicine, Student Life, and Housing when their unique health issue would benefit from their involvement.
Procedure. In order to qualify for accommodations while recovering from a scheduled surgery, requests should be made in advance. At the beginning of the term (or no later than two weeks prior to the date of surgery):
Students must submit documentation from a qualified health care professional. They may do so using this link. Documentation should indicate need for a modification of the attendance policy due to surgery and should include the following:
Date of injury (if applicable)
Date(s) of current and prior evaluation(s)
Date(s) of upcoming surgical procedure
Student’s anticipated return to campus date
Information regarding the obstacles that significantly restrict functioning in an educational setting
Identification of medical professional (name, title, and signature)
Students should schedule a time to meet with the Director of Disability Services by emailing disability.services@point.edu. Once the appropriate information is received, DSS will review the request and the student will be contacted with next steps.
A temporary accommodation plan will be provided. This may include a potential exception to the regular attendance policy, determined on a case-by-case basis. The student is responsible for missed work. During this process, students are encouraged to have open communication with their instructors and DSS regarding coursework deadlines.
Students should make every effort to attend class virtually and submit all coursework while recovering from surgery. Depending on the logistics surrounding post-operative care, DSS will work with both the student and his or her instructors on requesting incompletes for the term according to the University incomplete policy.
Note: students undergoing emergency surgery or other unexpected medical procedures should notify DSS as soon as they are able so that they may receive appropriate and timely assistance.