Vanguard University

Disability Services has a testing room available for students who have been approved for testing accommodations by Disability Services. Reduced-distraction testing is available for students with approved accommodations for courses taken at Vanguard University. Disability Services does not offer proctoring for make-up exams or for courses taken at other institutions.

Exam appointments are available Monday-Thursday from 8:00 am-3:00 pm and Friday from 8:00 am-3:00 pm during fall and spring semesters. Appointments will be arranged on an as-needed basis during summer sessions. Appointments should be scheduled at least 7 business days in advance. Requests for accommodated exams submitted after 5 pm on Friday or over the weekend are not reviewed until 8 am Monday morning and might not be possible to schedule if not enough advance notice has been provided.

Exams are to be scheduled at the same date and time that the exam is administered to the class whenever possible. Evening courses will be administered during regular proctoring hours and must be arranged in advance with Disability Services on a case-by-case basis.

Medical/Physical

• Provided by a healthcare professional qualified and appropriately licensed to diagnose and treat physical and medical disorders
• Diagnosis of a physical or medical condition consistent with established clinical criteria
• Functional impact that the condition has upon the person in an academic environment (e.g. attendance, stamina, mobility)
• Nature and course of the condition
• Recommendations for accommodations that logically flow from the person’s condition and associated impairments
• Information regarding the need for a reevaluation
• Recency of documentation needed will vary based on the diagnosis

Psychological

• Provided by a clinician who is qualified and appropriately licensed to diagnose and treat psychological disorders (e.g. psychologist, psychiatrist, or marriage and family therapist)

• Evaluative methods used to establish the diagnosis should be indicated

• Test scores from measures of cognitive, neuropsychological, and academic functioning should be provided, if administered

• Clear diagnosis consistent with established clinical criteria including present symptoms and degree of impairment

• Description of how the condition impacts the student in an educational environment, including academic, personal, and interpersonal functioning

• Recommend accommodations that logically relate to the diagnosis and associated symptoms

• Prognosis for improvement and timeline for reevaluation; reevaluations of mental health diagnoses or evidence of ongoing treatment may be required by the Office of Disability Services if diagnoses are in transition or if a change in accommodations is requested.

Learning

• Any and all recent documentation of the learning disability completed within the last three (3) years
• Based on an evaluation from a professional specialist qualified to diagnose learning disabilities (e.g. licensed physician, psychiatrist, educational psychologist)
• The evaluation must minimally include the administration of a measure of intellectual ability and a measure of academic achievement
• A written evaluation report that states:
  • All tests administered
  • All test scores including I.Q. scores, factor scores, and subtest scores; Classification ranges associated with the scores should be present (i.e. mild/moderate/severe)
  • Diagnosis based upon established clinical criteria
  • How the individual’s learning processes are affected
  • Addresses the validity of the evaluation and its findings
  • Recommendations for accommodations; The test findings should provide a logical rationale for the recommended accommodations.

Please see below for the appropriate Accommodation Form or Document:

Housing & Dietary Accommodation Request Packet

Academic Accommodations Documentation Guidelines

Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Request for Information Form

Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Policy

Policy on Service Animals

Vanguard University is committed to creating and sustaining a successful community of inclusive excellence as we prepare students to live, learn and work among people who experience the world in fundamentally different ways. Within this framework, the University is committed to providing a supportive environment for students with disabilities as well as complying with all applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Fair Housing Act (FHA).

Service Animals (SAs) are animals specifically trained to assist people with disabilities in the activities of daily living. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended, defines a service animal as “an animal that does work or performs tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability (including psychiatric, cognitive and mental).” In other words, a Service Animal is not just a helpful or well-behaved animal; it is trained to perform a task (or tasks) that a disabled individual needs to function safely and effectively. Other than dogs, the only type of animal that can be considered a service animal under the ADA is a miniature horse, though miniature horses may be subject to somewhat greater restrictions than Service Animals. Given the rarity of the use of miniature horses in this role, in the rest of this policy the term “Service Animal” will typically refer to dogs.

Service Animals may accompany the individual with a disability everywhere on campus except in rare situations where safety may be compromised or where SAs may interfere with the fundamental nature of the activities being conducted.

Students with disabilities who require a Service Animal on campus are encouraged to self-identify to the Office of Disability Services as soon as possible after deciding to enroll at the University, or as soon as the SA has been fully trained. If the student is living on campus, this is particularly important because roommates must be informed, as well as Residence Life and Facilities, among other departments. Due to the low occupancy requirement at Vanguard University and the provision of a healthy living environment for both students and the Service Animal, there can be no more than one SA per residence hall room. Disability Services will provide information on expectations for the Service Animal to the student and communicate to specific community members or departments to ease the transition of the student.

The care and supervision of the Service Animal is solely the responsibility of the student owner. SAs may not pose a direct threat to the health and safety of persons on the Vanguard University campus, cause physical damage to property or fundamentally alter the nature of University operations. The Service Animal must be maintained (kept clean, free from fleas or ticks, etc.). Local and state ordinances and laws regarding animals apply, including requirements for immunizations, licensing, noise and restraint.

The Service Animal’s behavior, noise, odor, and waste must not exceed reasonable standards for a well-behaved animal. These factors should not create unreasonable disruptions for other resident students or students in classrooms. If the noise (whining, barking, aggressive behavior, etc.) is excessive as judged by residence life staff, students or professors in classes, or people in eating areas, it is grounds to remove the SA from campus.

The student is responsible for immediately cleaning up and properly disposing of the Service Animal’s waste and is responsible for having the equipment to do so. People who are physically unable to accomplish this task are responsible for arranging for it to be done. The University retains the right to designate a particular area for the SAs to relieve themselves and/or the disposal of their waste.

The student must be in full control of the Service Animal at all times. SAs must be harnessed, leashed or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the Service Animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In the latter case, the individual must maintain control of the Service Animal through voice, signal or other effective controls.

The student—not the University—is responsible for the actions of the Service Animal including bodily injury or property damage. Students with SAs may be charged if additional cleaning or damage occurs as a result of having a Service Animal on campus. The student is expected to pay these costs upon repair or cleaning. In addition, the University retains the right to remove the Service Animal, at the owner’s expense, should the SA become a direct threat to the health and safety of others or violate these requirements in any way.

Service animals in training cannot be in residence in Vanguard University housing, nor can puppies who are being raised/trained in preparation for participating in formal service animal training.

Policy on Service Animals PDF 

Service Animal Registration Form PDF

City of Costa Mesa Animal Licensing

Safety Guidance for Service Animals in Laboratory Classes