At the University of the West Indies (UWI) - Cave Hill Campus, the academic criteria used during the application process is the same for all students. Once accepted, students with disabilities are encouraged to declare their respective disability so that proper accommodation can be provided. However, this is voluntary.
Students with disabilities, who require accommodation, must follow the process which is managed by the Office of Student Services (for further details click
here). This process typically begins with a visit to the Office of Student Services. However, a student can raise the matter with the Dean, Head or any Academic staff member. In those cases, the student is then referred to the Office of Student Services.
In the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), students who request accommodation are assigned to Special Advisors. These advisors perform the same role as Academic Advisors but also take into account the accommodation needs of the students. This ensures that the Departments are properly informed of the requirements and enables the Office of the Dean to monitor how the accommodation is implemented.
The Faculty has implemented the following procedures for providing accommodation.
Academic Advisors
Given the specialized nature of the accommodation requests, specific Academic staff will be designated as Academic Advisors for students with disabilities, within the Faculty, and are referred to as Special Advisors.
The role of the Special Advisor is as follows:
- Convey the accommodation details to the Dean.
- Ensure that the accommodation needs have been met through dialogue with the students.
- Work with staff to ensure that the accommodation needs are met.
- Relay to the Dean any specific difficulties that cannot be resolved.
Accommodation Requests
The decision to request accommodation lies with the student and is therefore voluntary. In keeping with the Campus’ policy on accommodation, the student can make the request for accommodation at any point in their studies.
- All accommodation requests are to remain confidential within the Faculty.
- All accommodation requests will arrive at the Faculty through the Dean. Students should follow the Campus guidelines and inform the relevant Administrative Units of their need for accommodation.
- If a student does not follow the stated Campus procedures but approaches an Academic staff member, Discipline Coordinator, Departmental Office, Head or any other University staff member within the Faculty, the student shall be referred to the Dean.
- The Head and the Staff (both Academic and ATS) will use the provided guidelines for the provision of the accommodation.
- Whenever the guidelines are unclear or insufficient to meet the accommodation request, the matter will be referred back to the Dean. The Dean will then refer the matter to the relevant Campus Administrative Office.
There is also a Campus association for students with disabilities called the
UWI Cave Hill Association for Persons with Disabilities or
UWICAPD. Note that students with or without disabilities can become members but students with disabilities are encouraged to join. UWICAPD is an association within the Students Guild.