Declaration of Technical Standards
Oakland Community College will adhere to WCAG 2.0 level AA identified in the Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as the technical standards used to determine web accessibility
of the College's Website.
Web Accessibility Coordinators
TITLE II/SECTION 504 COORDINATOR FOR STUDENTS
Bethany Kennedy, Dean of Academic Support Services
Phone: (248) 209-9746
Grievance Procedure
Oakland Community College (OCC) is committed to removing barriers to education that
may be experienced by students with disabilities by providing appropriate academic
support and accommodations. The Rehabilitation Act of 1073 (Section 504) and the
American with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulate the provision of services and accommodations
for students with disabilities in higher education. The Accessibility Compliance
Center and Educational Support Services (ACCESS) offices are responsible for providing
OCC students with accommodations.
OCC supports students in their right to file a grievance when a student believes they
have been denied equal access in the form of eligibility, appropriate and reasonable
accommodations or auxiliary aids, or believe they have experienced discriminatory
harassment as defined in the OCC Board of Trustees nondiscrimination policy (Board
Policy 2.6).
OCC encourages students, prospective students, employees, guests and visitors to follow
the steps outlined in this document, should they believe it is necessary to file a
complaint. Students are also encouraged to review the OCC Student Handbook policies for academic and non-academic grievance procedures.
OCC also encourages students, prospective students, employees, guests and visitors
to report violations of the technical standards adopted by the College regarding web
accessibility. Reports regarding violations of the technical standards should be
made to the Web Accessibility Coordinator who shall be responsible for reviewing the
report and ensuring appropriate action is taken to address the reported deficiency
within a reasonable time.
Steps to Address and Resolve a Complaint
Step 1 - ACCESS Coordinator: Students should discuss the complaint with the ACCESS Coordinator
on the campus where they are taking the majority of their classes as soon after the
incident has occurred as possible. The ACCESS Coordinator will consult with appropriate
College personnel, depending on the nature and scope of the complaint, and will bring
relevant resources and personnel together to help resolve the issue. Resolution of
the issue may be reached at this level. However, if a resolution is not reached,
students may proceed to the next step.
Step 2 - Dean of Learning Resources: The student must file a written appeal to the Dean
of Learning Resources or designee within 10 business days following the outcome of
step one. The Dean will review the student's written appeal, with may include consulting
with the student and other relevant College personnel, and will respond with 15 working
days, excluding OCC closures. The written appeal must include a detailed description
of the complaint, supporting documentation for the complaint and/or appeal, if available,
the outcome summary from the consultation with the ACCESS Coordinator, and the specific
resolution sought by the student.
Resolution of the issue may be reached at this level. However, if a resolution is
not reached, students may proceed to the next step.
Step 3 - OCC Human Resources: The student should submit a written appeal within 10 business days following the outcome of step two to the OCC Human Resources
Department. The Human Resources Department will consult with the student and others
to attempt to resolve the issue. The written appeal must include a detailed description
of the complaint, supporting documentation for the complaint and/or appeal, if available,
the outcome summary from the consultation with the Dean of Learning Resources, and
the specific resolution sought by the student.
Resolution of the presented issue may be reached at this level. However, if a resolution
is not reached, the complainant has exhausted internal College grievance procedures.
Note that students are permitted to file a complaint directly with the OCC Web Accessibility
Coordinator, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, the Michigan Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission, or the United States Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights.
These agencies will accept complaints and investigate the issue according to their
policies and procedures. However, the steps outlined above are recommended for immediate
resolution of the concern.