Section 504/Americans with Disabilities Act Policy
The Aveda Institute Portland does not discriminate in admission or access to our program on the basis of age, race, color, sex, disability, religion, sexual orientation, financial status, veteran status or national origin.
If you would like to request academic adjustment or auxiliary aids, please contact the Aveda Institute Portland Section 504 Compliance Coordinator, Ms. Niki Sparks, by utilizing the student reporting system. You may request adjustments or auxiliary aids at any time.
Applicants who are persons with disabilities, as defined in paragraph 104.3(j)(1)(i) of the regulation under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, may apply for admittance into the program. The Aveda Institute Portland will work with the applicant or student to provide necessary academic adjustments and auxiliary aids and services unless a particular adjustment would alter or waive essential academic requirements; fundamentally alter the nature of a service, program or activity; or result in undue financial or administrative burdens considering the Aveda Institute Portland’s resources as a whole.
Any qualified individual with a disability requesting an accommodation or auxiliary aid or service should follow the procedure below:
- Notify the 504 Coordinator via student report of the type of accommodation needed, date needed, provide documentation of the nature and extent of the disability, and of the need for the accommodation or auxiliary aid. Requests should be submitted in writing unless you cannot provide the request in writing, in which case the Institute would accept a verbal request.
- The 504 Coordinator will schedule a time to meet with the student after receiving the student report. The purpose of this meeting is to ensure that the Institute obtains adequate information and understanding of the student’s individual needs.
- The 504 Coordinator will review the request and provide the student with a written determination as soon as practically possible but in no event no more than two weeks after receiving the request.
If the student would like to request reconsideration of the decision regarding the request, they may request to do so via student report.
Appeals may be made to the Office for Civil Rights. The student may also contact the Office for Civil Rights at any time throughout this process.
Discrimination Grievance Procedure
The Aveda Institute Portland has adopted the following Grievance Procedure for addressing complaints of discrimination under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A person is not required to use this procedure and may instead file a complaint directly with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 915 Second Avenue, Room 3310, Seattle, WA 98174-1099, Phone: (206) 607-1600, Facsimile: (206) 607-1601, Email: [email protected]:
Step 1: A person who believes that he/she has been discriminated against by the Institute is encouraged, but is not required, to discuss the matter informally with the Institute’s Section 504 Compliance Coordinator. If the Section 504 Coordinator is the subject of the complaint, the grievant may, instead, contact the Institute’s President, who will appoint another administrator to discuss the matter.
The person receiving the complaint shall verbally convey his/her findings to both the person who alleged the violation and the person who is the subject of the complaint within 10 business days.
Step 2: If the informal Step 1 process does not resolve the matter, or if the grievant does not wish to use the informal procedures set forth in Step 1, a written complaint may be submitted to the Institute’s Section 504 Coordinator who will investigate the complaint. [NOTE: if the Section 504 Coordinator is the subject of the complaint, the complaint should be submitted to the Institute’s President who will appoint another administrator to conduct the investigation]. The complaint shall be signed by the grievant and include 1) the grievant’s name and contact information; 2) the facts of the incident or action complained about; 3) the date of the incident or action giving rise to the complaint; 4) the type of discrimination alleged to have occurred; and 5) the specific relief sought. Names of witnesses and other evidence as deemed appropriate by the grievant may also be submitted. An investigation of the complaint will be conducted within 10 business days following the submission of the written complaint. The investigation shall include an interview of the parties and witnesses, a review of the relevant evidence, and any other steps necessary to ensure a prompt and thorough investigation of the complaint. A written disposition of the complaint shall be issued within 10 business days of completion of the investigation, unless a specific written extension of time is provided to the parties. Copies of the disposition will be given to both the grievant and the person who is the subject of the complaint. If discrimination or harassment was found to have occurred, the disposition will include the steps that the Institute will take to prevent recurrence of any discrimination or harassment and to correct its discriminatory effects on the grievant and others, if appropriate.
Step 3: If the grievant wishes to appeal the decision in Step 2 above, he/she may submit a signed, written appeal to the Institute’s President within 10 business days after receipt of the written disposition. The Institute President or his designee shall respond to the complaint, in writing, within 10 business days of the date of the appeal. Copies of the response shall be provided to both the grievant and the person who is the subject of the complaint.
The Aveda Institute Portland hereby provides assurance that it strictly prohibits any form of retaliation against persons who utilize this Grievance Procedure. If you have questions regarding these procedures or desire to file a complaint, please contact the Institute’s Section 504 Coordinator.