MBKU is committed to full and equal opportunities for all students and applicants. MBKU does not unlawfully discriminate against qualified applicants or students with disabilities and encourages their full participation within the MBKU community. To this end, MBKU accepts and supports qualified students and applicants with disabilities and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and state and local regulations regarding students and applicants with disabilities. 

Disability Defined

Disabilities include any physical or mental impairment(s) that limit one or more major life activities, or a record of such limiting impairment. Applicants or students with disabilities seeking to enroll in any program, service, or activity of MBKU must be able to meet the minimum standards of MBKU and their respective program, service, or activity with or without reasonable accommodation.

Requesting Reasonable Accommodations

MBKU provides reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified applicants and students with known physical or mental disabilities, unless it would create an undue hardship or fundamentally alter the nature of the academic program, service, or activity. MBKU will remove barriers where readily achievable and/or provide alternative measures when removal of barriers is not readily achievable. Applicants or students needing accommodations must make their needs known in advance. MBKU cannot provide accommodations when it does not know that accommodations are required.

Applicants or students with disabilities may request accommodations at any time. However, because MBKU must have time to review and approve the request before making accommodations and because some accommodations take more time to provide, applicants or students with disabilities should contact MBKU and request an accommodation as soon as possible. The MBKU Associate Vice President for Student Disability Services (or designee) serves as the Student Disability Services (SDS) Coordinator.

Applicants who do not need a reasonable accommodation during the application process are encouraged to wait until after they are admitted into their respective academic program to request accommodations.

All requests are submitted to Student Disability Services. Student Disability Services will review the situation with the applicant or student to identify possible accommodations, if any. If a reasonable accommodation can be identified which will not impose an undue hardship or fundamentally alter the nature of the academic program, service, or activity, then MBKU will make the accommodation. If there is more than one possible accommodation, MBKU will decide which option will be provided. Student Disability Services make these determinations, and the determination is subject to the appeals procedure discussed below. Student Disability Services will notify the applicant or student, the student’s Program Dean/Director, administrators, and appropriate faculty members, as necessary, of any accommodations to be provided.

MBKU maintains appropriate confidential records in accordance with the law.

How to Apply for Accommodations and/or Disability Support Services

Students seeking accommodations or disability support services at MBKU are required to register with SDS by completing the following steps. If new to the process, students are encouraged to meet with SDS prior to completing or requesting any paperwork to ensure they have a thorough understanding of the process. If a student is requesting additional or a change in accommodations, they may be asked to provide additional documentation. While students are welcome to contact SDS directly at any time to discuss their situation or ask questions, the typical initial registration process is as follows:

1. If applicable, contact SDS by emailing StudentDisabilityServices@ketchum.edu to schedule an inquiry appointment.
2. Make a formal request for accommodations. Complete the Request for Accommodations & Services form. Be prepared to provide information about your disability and any history of accommodations and to request specific accommodations. Any information provided is confidential and only accessible by SDS. If you have any questions about the registration process, you are encouraged to make an appointment to discuss the process prior to obtaining documentation.
3. Collect disability related documentation* and submit the Disability Verification Form. SDS has developed Documentation Guidelines to assist students when requesting the necessary disability documentation from their treatment providers. Disability documentation can be submitted via email to StudentDisabilityServices@ketchum.edu . Please review the Documentation Guidelines or contact SDS if you have questions.
4. Request an Intake Appointment. Once you have completed your application and submitted your verification documents, email StudentDisabilityServices@ketchum.edu  to request an intake appointment. You will be contacted via email by SDS within 3 business days. If you have not heard from us after that time, please contact our office. Appointments may take place virtually or in-person.
5. Determination of eligibility and accommodations. SDS Takes into consideration the information provided during the intake meeting, your disability documentation, and the requirements of your academic and clinical program to determine your eligibility for services and, if appropriate, recommend specific accommodations. This is an interactive process in which it is essential that you be an active participant.

Notification and Implementation

Program faculty and administrators responsible for the implementation of accommodations will be notified once accommodations have been approved by SDS. It can take several days or more to implement accommodations. Students and applicants will be notified by the program administrator when the accommodations are in effect. If you have not heard from the program administrator within 5 business days from the conclusion of the intake appointment, please contact SDS at StudentDisabilityServices@ketchum.edu  for support.

Record Keeping

MBKU will maintain all the documentation related to Student Disability Services, including registration materials, intake notes and notices for five years. The documentation of all records is private and confidential to the extent possible under law. Documentation of Student Disability Services are health records under Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Religious Observance & Accommodation Procedure

Marshall B. Ketchum University (MBKU) supports students’ rights to observe their faith while meeting academic responsibilities. In compliance with California Education Code §§76121, 89320, and 92640, MBKU provides reasonable accommodations for religious observances. Religious accommodations are distinct from disability-related accommodations, which are handled under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

• Reasonable Accommodation: Adjustments such as rescheduling exams, quizzes, labs, or required activities when they conflict with a religious holiday or observance, so long as they do not fundamentally alter the course or program.
• Religious observance: Holidays, rituals, or ongoing practices carried out in accordance with a student’s sincerely held religious beliefs, not limited to a fixed list of holidays. A calendar that shows most of the world religions is available at https://www.interfaith-calendar.org/.
• Undue hardship: A request that would cause excessive financial, logistical, scheduling, or academic burden on the course, clinic, or program (for example, significantly compromising learning outcomes or accreditation requirements).

Students seeking religious accommodations need to:

Submit a religious accommodation request form to Student Disability Services (SDS), by emailing StudentDisabilityServices@ketchum.edu, at least two weeks before the start of the academic quarter.

•  A request not made in advance may constitute an undue hardship an accommodation might not be granted.
• Clearly list specific dates, times, and nature of the observance (e.g., holiday name, service time, fasting restrictions) and what academic requirements will be affected (exam, lab, clinic session, etc.)
• Work proactively with SDS and faculty on alternative arrangements, understanding that some options may not be possible if they create undue burden or fundamentally alter the nature of a student’s ability to meet all of the program requirements.

Academic Programs need to:

• Approve or deny the accommodation within two weeks of receiving the request. If special circumstances require additional time the student will be notified. The reason will be provided to the student if denying or modifying the request.
• For make-up tests or examinations, the programs may require students to contact the course instructor to arrange an alternate date and time, in accordance with program and course policies.
• Ensure that approved religious absences do not negatively affect grades and that make-up work or alternative assessments are comparable in rigor and content.

Appeals & Support:

• If a student’s request is denied or not addressed, the student may appeal to the Academic Dean or Program Director within five business days.
• The Academic Dean or Program Director will issue a final decision within 10 business days, after reviewing the request, the course requirements, and any declared hardship.

Service and Emotional Support Animals

Marshall B. Ketchum University (MBKU) is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. This policy provides these guidelines where students will be allowed to have service or support animals while ensuring safety for all members of the MBKU community.

Terminology

Pets are domesticated animals kept for companionship. Pets are welcome additions to many people’s lives. However, pet owners must be cognizant of how bringing their animals to campus could negatively affect others. Members of the MBKU community may have allergies or be fearful of animals. In addition, pets may cause unwanted distractions and disruptions in some cases. Pets are not allowed in any MBKU buildings or on campus grounds.

Service Animals are trained to perform specific tasks for individuals with disabilities (e.g., guiding the blind, alerting for seizures).  Service animals are working animals, not pets and are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Students, please refer to the Accommodating Students & Applicants with Disabilities policy in the MBKU Student Handbook student disability services. Employees, please refer inquiries to HumanResources@ketchum.edu.

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are animals that provide emotional or therapeutic support for a diagnosed mental health condition. These animals provide emotional or other support to improve one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person's disability.  Like service animals, ESAs are not pets.  Unlike service animals, ESAs are not required to be trained to perform work or tasks that are important to the independence or safety of their disabled handler. Their therapeutic support is a function of their presence and interaction with the person with a disability. ESAs are covered primarily under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and require approval as reasonable accommodation.

MBKU will consider a request by an individual with a disability for reasonable accommodation to allow an ESA that is reasonable and necessary because of a mental health disability. However, an ESA is not permitted indoor areas of the University (e.g. libraries, academic buildings, classrooms, labs, individual centers, etc.).

Notice of Service Animals and ESA Animals

MBKU asks that students go through the student disability services to provide the animal’s recent Rabies Shot Records and Orange County License prior to bring the animal to campus. 

Informal Procedures

Applicants or students may disagree with the determination made by Student Disability Services concerning accommodations and/or removal of barriers. Applicants or students are encouraged to work with MBKU informally to resolve their concerns at any stage in the request for accommodations process and may address their concerns with the Associate Vice President for Student Disability Services, their Program Dean/Director, or other Student Services personnel. Applicants or students may opt out of this informal process and move directly to the formal processes.

Appeals Process for Decision made by Disability Services

Applicants or students who are dissatisfied with the determination made by Student Disability Services concerning accommodations and/or removal of barriers may appeal the decision. The Vice President for Human Resources serves as the ADA/504 Coordinator and reviews all appeals. Applicants must contact the ADA/504 Coordinator to initiate the appeal. Students must submit an appeal in writing using the Disability and Accommodation Appeal Form. The ADA/504 Coordinator will review the appeal form and interview the applicant or student to discuss the applicant or student’s appeal. The decision of the ADA/504 Coordinator will be final.

Contact Information

MBKU Student Disability Coordinator
Melissa Brown, MA| Associate Vice President for Student Disability Services and Registrar
studentaffairs@ketchum.edu | mbrown@ketchum.edu | 714.449.7462

MBKU American with Disabilities Act (ADA)/504 Coordinator
Wende Holtzen, MS, SPHR, SHRM-SCP | Vice President for Human Resources
studentaffairs@ketchum.edu | wholtzen@ketchum.edu | 714.449.7459