Policies & Procedures

I. PURPOSE 

The purpose of this policy is to comply with Title V, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, students with physical and/or learning disabilities will not be discriminated against on the basis of their disabilities.

II. APPLICABILITY 

This policy applies to all students with disabilities.

III. POLICY 

Admission to Longwood is based on the requirements outlined in the Longwood Catalog. Admissions decisions are made without regard to disabilities. All applicants to the institution are reviewed through the same admissions procedures. All students are expected to present academic credentials at or above the minimum standards for admission as established annually by the Admissions Committee. Students with identified disabilities eligible to take the SAT/ACT under accommodated conditions may submit those scores.

1. Accommodations in Admission Criteria: For applicants who choose to identify themselves in the admissions process, the Admissions Committee will review alternative measures for admissions criteria under the following conditions:
   1. If a standard of admission interacts in a disproportionately adverse way with the applicant's documented disability, then a request by the applicant for a substitution in that criterion may be submitted.
   2. The alternative measure must be a valid measure of the same skills, aptitudes, or areas of achievement as the admissions standards.
2. Contact Person: Applicants who wish to request accommodations in the review of the admissions process; or who wish to request Admissions literature, the Longwood Catalog, or an application in an alternate format should contact Accessibility Resources Office at 434.395.2391.
3. Post-Admissions Accommodations: Once admitted, students seeking accommodations must notify the Accessibility Resources Office (ARO). ARO will determine what documentation must be provided in order to determine the most appropriate accommodations. In addition to reviewing the documentation, ARO may request an interview between the student and a professional competent to evaluate the student's needs.

Longwood University recognizes the wide variation in the needs of students with disabilities and the fact that as students progress through their programs, unanticipated needs may arise. ARO will, at the request of the student, review the process by which his or her current accommodations were determined and revise the accommodations as appropriate.

Revised and approved by the Board of Visitors, September 7, 2002.
Revised June 2021.