Course Substitution Policy

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Foreign Language Course Waiver Procedure

For Goal 10 and The B.A. Foreign Language Requirement

Approved by the Board of Visitors, October 1993

All students benefit from the study of foreign languages. The modern language faculty is experienced in providing accommodations for various kinds of learning disabilities and believes strongly in the importance of foreign languages in the education and preparation of citizen leaders for the common good while recognizing the limitations of a student’s particular disabilities. The following procedure is for students with specific learning disabilities which impact their ability to learn a foreign language.

Modification in a degree (e.g. BA or BS) requirements or general education requirements for any student are done through a petition submitted to the Petitions Committee through the Registrar's Office. The Petitions Committee is a standing committee of College Council that is empowered to handle appeals from students for exemptions or variations from any university-wide academic rule or regulation.

If a student is unclear about what modifications may be necessary to make the degree program accessible due to the impact of a disability, he or she should consult with the Director of Disability Services to discuss options before beginning the petitions process.

Prior to filing a petition, the student should meet with the Director of Disability Services, a representative from the discipline or area in question to determine acceptable alternatives (e.g. course substitution or waiver). The student should discuss the following:

1.	Full participation in the course will be limited even with all reasonable modification within the course. This requires appropriate documentation of the disability as well as a description of how participation will be limited even with the modifications.
2.	The course in question is not essential to the integrity of the program of instruction the student is pursuing.
3.	A plan for degree or general education modification has been developed. Following the consultation with the representative from the discipline or area in question, a plan should be submitted in writing to the Petitions Committee through the Registrar's Office.

In making decisions regarding the requested modifications, the Petitions Committee will use the following criteria:

1.	The degree to which the student's ability to meet the requirement in question is adversely affected by the disability.
2.	The skills, knowledge, abilities, and intent of the original requirement
3.	What equally effective course can be substituted?
4.	Whether the modification in question will fundamentally alter the academic program.

All decisions of the Petitions Committee are final. Students may request a review based only on new information. The petition must be filed before an application for degree is submitted.