The Office of Special Support Services provides prospective students, enrolled students, and employees with information regarding TMU’s policies for reasonable accommodations. TMU complies with federal and state laws in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disability Act of 1990.

How to Disclose a Disability

A student who wishes to disclose any disability must first complete a Disclosure of Disability Form. This form should be completed and signed by the student. All forms will be directly submitted to the Special Support Services Office (sas@truett.edu). Any form that is not entirely completed will not be processed.

Required Documentation

Any student requiring accommodations must submit the required documentation.

Required documentation (see below) should be mailed, emailed or delivered to:

Mail:   Special Support Services                        Email: SAS@Truett.edu
Truett McConnell University
100 Alumni Drive Cleveland, Georgia 30528                  

 Location: Miller Hall, 3rd floor, Offices 304 – Nell Hoyle and 305 – Judy Gillentine

Learning Disabilities

Required documentation for learning disabilities includes an Educational or Psychological Assessment that has been completed within the last three years. A doctorate-level licensed psychologist must sign this assessment and state precise required accommodations.  Please note that IEPs are not acceptable documentation for colleges and universities unless the IEP contains the above documentation.  Therefore, all dual-enrolled students must adhere to the same requirements.

ADD/ADHD

Students that are disclosing ADD/ADHD may follow the same requirements as learning disabilities (above). An alternative method for ADD/ADHD students is to obtain a letter from their treating physician. The letter must be on the physician’s letterhead; dated within the last 3 years; including a statement regarding how the diagnosis was obtained, with precise accommodations listed (extended testing time must state the amount of extra time); and signed by a physician. Again, the document must be mailed to Special Support Services at the address above.

Next Steps

Upon receipt of a student’s Disclosure of Disability Form and required documentation, the student will be contacted by Special Support Services to schedule an appointment. Special Support Services will contact online students regarding the time extensions once all documentation is received. Students should check their TMU email on a consistent basis to obtain the documentation to provide to their professors.

Please be aware that accommodations are not retroactive. Please contact us at SAS@truett.edu or 706-878-0787 if you require additional information.

Policies and Procedures

Truett McConnell University adheres to the following policies and procedures when addressing denial of or dissatisfaction with accommodations and/or services provided by the Office of Special Support Services:

TMU is under no obligation to provide reasonable accommodations unless an individual identifies him/herself as having a disability and provides the necessary documentation.  The Director of Special Support Services approves or disapproves all accommodations requested and the documentation presented by the student or employee.  TMU reserves the right to request additional medical or disability information if the current information is not valid or is insufficient.  All information relevant to a disability issue is considered confidential.  Records related to student and employee disabilities are maintained in a locked fireproof cabinet in a secure, non-public area.

Special Support Services Grievance Procedure

The objective of a grievance procedure is to ensure that concerns are addressed promptly and fairly, and that a resolution is reached for all parties concerned.

A grievance related to Special Support Services is defined as dissatisfaction occurring when a complainant believes that any condition affecting him or her is unfair, inappropriate, or creates unnecessary hardship regarding accommodations.

All students receiving accommodations through the Special Support Services Department at Truett McConnell University should first utilize the

Matthew 18 approach to resolving conflict:

  1. The complainant should seek to resolve the conflict with the individual.
  2. If the issue continues, contact the Director of Special Support Services for assistance.
  3. The Director of Special Support Services may speak to each party individually or may call a meeting of all parties to resolve the conflict.
  4. If no resolution is reached, a formal grievance should be filed.

The Mathew 18 approach is for relational conflict, not for more serious legal or ethical issues. Should you have a legal, ethical, or Title IX concern, you can report that information to the Title IX Coordinator or Human Resources. If you need assistance, please ask someone in the Special Support Services department. We will guide you through this process.

If the Matthew 18 approach has been followed and the conflict remains unresolved to the complainant’s satisfaction, the complainant may file a formal grievance.

Formal Grievance Procedure:

  1. If no solution is agreed upon, the complainant should submit a completed Special Support Services Formal Grievance Form.
  2. The Director of Special Support Services will contact and interview all individuals named in the complaint.
  3. The Director of Special Support Services will meet with the complainant to discuss a resolution to the complaint.
  4. The Director of Special Support Services will meet with each Individual named in the complaint with a resolution.
  5. If any individual is dissatisfied with the resolution, the complaint will be taken to the Special Support Services Committee.
  6. If the Special Support Services Committee cannot agree on a resolution, the Vice President of Finance and Operations will be contacted for a final resolution.
  7. All individuals involved in the complaint will be notified of the resolution in writing.