The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a sweeping civil rights bill that is designed to ensure that people with disabilities are able to participate in all areas of public life. You need to know how it affects you as a member of the university community.
Graduate students as employees
If you have a disability or become disabled, you have the right to any reasonable accommodation that you need to do your job. If you need accommodation, contact your Department Chair or the Disability Management Coordinator at x9-4602.
Graduate students as students
As a student of UCSC, you have the right to reasonable accommodation that you need to participate in academic activities required for your degree. For more information or to arrange for services, call the Disability Resource Center (x9-2089 voice, x9-4806 TTY), email drc@ucsc.edu, or check their web page at http://www2.ucsc.edu/drc.
Graduate students as teachers
When you teach classes, you must provide reasonable accommodation to any student with a disability who requests such accommodation. For example, a student with a vision impairment or a learning disability may need enlarged print; a student with a hearing impairment may need to have all video presentations closed-captioned. The Disability Resource Center is a resource for faculty and teaching assistants. For more information, consult Faculty Guidelines for Students with Disabilities (available from your Department Assistant); additional copies are available from the Disability Resource Center at x9-2089 voice, x9-4806 TTY, or email drc@ucsc.edu.
Graduate students as providers of public service
If you are involved in any activity that is open to the public (such as a lecture series, a performance, or a social event), you are responsible for providing reasonable accommodation to any participant with a disability, including members of the community. All events open to the public must be held in accessible locations. Publicity for such events must include notice about how to request disability-related accommodations. Such accommodations might include a sign language interpreter, assistive listening devices, or enlarged-print materials. For more information, contact your Department Office.
Graduate students as web developers
If you maintain a web page, please follow good coding practices, which include making web content accessible. Advice and information is available elsewhere on this web site at Web accessibility at UCSC.
For more information:
- Peggy Church, x9-2089, for academic and other program access issues (drc@ucsc.edu)
- Kelly Roberts, x9-4602, for employment accommodation issues (roberts@ucsc.edu)
- Susan Willats, x9-3759, for facilities, transportation, or computer access issues (willats@ucsc.edu)