IV. General Policies

A. Students With Disabilities

The School of Law seeks to provide all students with an equal education opportunity. A person with a disability who has been accepted for admission to the School of Law should contact the office for Disability Support Services (DSS), McCannell Hall, as soon after notification of acceptance as possible. This will ensure that reasonable services will be available. It is the individual student’s responsibility to make this contact. If accommodations are necessary, the student should then contact the Office of the Dean regarding needs and reasonable accommodations necessary to provide an equal education opportunity.

A student who has been attending law school and becomes disabled or believes he/she is in need of DSS services should contact DSS as soon as possible to ensure services as necessary. It is the individual student’s responsibility to make this contact; the student then contacts the Office of the Dean regarding needs and reasonable accommodations. Documentation will be maintained in the student’s file.

If accommodations are necessary for a final examination, it will be each individual student’s responsibility to contact his/her disability specialist at DSS to determine accommodations on a semester-by-semester basis. After review, DSS will send a memo to the Office of the Dean regarding those accommodations. This should be done approximately 30 calendar days before examinations are scheduled to be taken to allow for time to arrange specific accommodations. The memo will be kept in the student’s law school file documenting what has been done and what accommodations were provided.

Disability Support Services will provide to the Office of the Dean documentation as to the specific disability, the need for the accommodation, and the accommodation to be provided. This information will be maintained in a file separate from the academic file.

It is the law school’s policy to maintain confidentiality regarding disabilities and accommodations. Disclosure regarding either will not be made unless necessary for the safety and welfare of either the student or others and then only to those persons with a need to know. If disclosure is necessary, the student will be informed of the need for the disclosure, to whom the disclosure is being made and will be requested to sign a waiver for such disclosure.

B. Diversity Mission Statement

The University of North Dakota School of Law is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in legal education for all persons. Further, the School recognizes the educational richness that results from including human experience from diverse perspectives. A law school community that welcomes, promotes, and respects diverse viewpoints enhances the quality of educational experiences for all those within that community, and enhances the legal profession and communities outside of the law school by preparing students to be more culturally respectful, professionally competent, and civically responsible leaders. The University of North Dakota School of Law is therefore committed to achieving a diverse law school community in terms of race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, and socioeconomic status.

Adopted by Faculty Committee 12/6/02

C. Military Recruiting Notice

Military recruiters may be on campus to recruit during the fall and spring semesters. The military’s policies are not in compliance with the University of North Dakota’s own with respect to discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The School of Law does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and attempts to provide a safe and protective environment for the study of law for all students, regardless of sexual orientation.

D. UND Community Values Statement: Thoughts on Strengthening the UND Community

The staff, faculty, and students of UND face the numerous challenges of working, learning, and living in a community where ideas and thought are shared freely, where discussion and disagreement are encouraged, and where respect and tolerance for others who may think, act, or look different than you are critical and form the basis for all learning.

To further strengthen this wonderful community at the University of North Dakota, we affirm the following:

1. That everyone be allowed to work, learn, and live in a safe, caring environment.
2. That everyone learn about, understand, appreciate, and respect varied cultures.
3. That everyone matters.
4. That all individuals be respected and treated with dignity and civility.
5. That everyone continue to share in the responsibility of making UND a better place.

E. UND Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Statement: Educational Programs and Activities

It is the policy of the University of North Dakota that no person in the United States shall be discriminated against because of race, religion, age, color, sex, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, veterans’ status or political belief or affiliation, and that equal opportunity and access to facilities shall be available to all. This policy is particularly applicable in the admission of students in all colleges and in their academic pursuits. It also is applicable in University-owned or University-approved housing, in food services, extracurricular activities and all other student services. It is a guiding policy in the employment of students either by the University or by non-University employers through the University and in the employment of faculty and staff.

F. Note About UND Code of Student Life and Other Applicable Policies and Procedures

Law students are expected to familiarize themselves with the general policies and procedures of the School of Law as well as the University, including the UND Code of Student Life.