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Academic Advisor for Students with disabilities

 

Academic Advisors for Students with disabilities

Dimitris Laggas, Associate Professor

Christos Prapas, Lecturer

 

Article 1. Introduction – Regulatory Framework – General provisions

According to Article 61, Paragraph 1, of its Internal Regulation of Operation (Government Gazette 4621/B/21-10-2020), the University of Western Attica (UNIWA) takes care of the support of its students, who for different reasons (Students with Disabilities (SWD), students from Vulnerable Social Groups (VSG), students with Low Incomes) are prevented from participating equally in the academic activities required by their studies and graduation. The obstacles faced by students may originate from:

  1. physical/corporal disability or damage (vision, hearing, mobility problems, other serious diseases),
  2. developmental/mental disorder (learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, mental illnesses),
  3. Social reasons (Vulnerable social groups: LGBTI students, student parents in single-parent families, imprisoned students, immigrant students),
  4. Financial reasons (low incomes, unemployement),

or from a combination of the above mentioned reasons.

 

The services of the University, in collaboration with the Academic Advisors for SWD of all its Departments (see next article), undertake supporting actions for these students such as:

  • Continuous student recording of the above mentioned target group (SWD, VSG students) and their special needs,
  • Assessment of individual functionality/barriers to studies,
  • Identification and adaptation of assistive technologies,
  • Counseling and Psychological Support,
  • Accessible digital learning material,
  • Accessible institutional website,
  • Volunteering – Education – Awareness,
  • Accessibility of UNIWA spaces,
  • Financial support for students who belong to financially vulnerable groups to combat the risk of dropping out of studies,
  • Provision of appropriate equipment.

 

For the implementation of the above actions, the “PROSVASI” unit, under the Directorate of Student Affairs (http://prosvasi.uniwa.gr), operates at UNIWA, as in all HEIs. The “ACCESS” unit is funded by the NSRF and provides a range of supportive actions and services for these students (academic support, psychosocial support, occupational therapy, physical therapy, exercise and wellness, sign language interpretation, accessible electronic books , financial support for economically weak students through scholarships, etc.).

 

Article 2. Appointment of Academic Advisor Students with disabilities 

Especially for the academic support of the students of the first two categories referred to in Article 1, (hereafter referred to as SWD), the Department of Public and Community Health (PCH) appoints a SWD Academic Advisor with her/his deputy, in accordance with Article 61, Paragraph 2 of the Internal Operating Regulations of UNIWA.

The SWD Academic Advisor, as well as his/her deputy, are faculty members of the PCH Department. They are appointed by the Assembly of the Department, following a relevant call for nominations, for an annual term, which starts in the following academic year. After their designation, their details are shared on the Department’s website, as well as on the “PROSVASI” unit of the PADA, so that the contact details are updated at the beginning of each academic year on the corresponding website http://prosvasi.uniwa.gr.

The SWD Academic Advisor is the connecting link between the SWD of the PCH Department and (a) all the faculty members and other teaching staff of the Department, but also (b) the services of the Department and UNIWA with which the SWD interact (Secretariat, Library, Clinic, ERASMUS Office, etc.).

In addition, the Academic Adviser for SWD informs and sensitizes the PCH Department students, so that they voluntarily support SWD in their studies.

The SWD Academic Advisor is supported in his/her work by the Committee and the members of the “PROSVASI” unit that operates at UNIWA within the Directorate of Student Affairs and coordinates the services provided to the SWD at institutional level.

The above are reflected in the Communication Diagram in the Appendix of this Regulation.

 

Article 3. Responsibilities of the SWD Academic Advisor

The responsibilities of the SWD Academic Advisor are briefly as follows:

3.1 Creating a communication channel

Since their appointment in the beginning of the academic year, the SWD Academic Advisor and his/her deputy post their contact information on the website of the PCH Department, while they also post a relevant indication in printed form outside their offices. They also circulate relevant electronic and printed announcements among the announcements on the Department’s website, encouraging SWD to contact them. They accept SWD by appointment, either online or in person depending on the general conditions of physical presence on the University (e.g. Covid-19) and the particularities of each SWD.

The Secretariat of the PCH Department also provides students with information about the services offered by UNIWA through the “PROSVASI” unit to SWD, regarding the SWD Academic Advisor of the Department and her/his Deputy, as well as their contact details, encouraging SWD to get in touch with them. For this purpose, the “PROSVASI” unit supplies the Secretariats of the academic Departments and the SWD Academic Advisors with information material in printed form.

 

3.2 Registration of the Department’s SWD and their special needs

The SWD registration of the PCH Department is done once, i.e. the first time they request any of the supporting services. The recording is done in any way that the SWD Academic Advisor deems appropriate (printed, electronic, online, on a form, in a spreadsheet, etc.) and can be done either by the SWD themselves, or if they themselves are hindered or have difficulties, by the SWD Academic Advisor. The registration is done with the key of the SWD Registration Number and with his consent.

The annual list of SWD registered in a given Department is kept by the SWD Academic Advisor and handed over to his/her successor at the end of the term. It is also communicated to the “PROSVASI” unit, so that the central record kept there at institution level is updated.

 

3.3 Academic support in the courses registered / attended and examined per semester

The SWD Academic Advisor requests to the Department Secretariat for each SWD who has contacted him/her the list of courses that the SWD declared / is attending / will be examined in the given academic semester. If the Advisor deems it necessary, he already informs the faculty of SWD from the beginning of the semester about their presence and participation in the courses they teach. The Advisor resolves access problems to teaching and laboratory practice areas. The Advisor confirms to the faculty the right of the SWD to be accompanied by a writing assistant, a sign language interpreter, a volunteer supporter or guide for the blind, etc., as the case may be. The Advisor mediates, if necessary, between SWD and the Secretariat for the issuance of certificates and/or confirmation of the right to an examination under special conditions. The Advisor mediates between SWD and the teachers of the Department regarding special exam arrangements (e.g. in an online exam, creation of a separate User Group in the e-class for more exam time, (supplementary) oral exam for those who are entitled and wish it, oral and/or and written instructions at the beginning of the examination, etc.).

In particular, before the examination periods, the Advisor brings to the attention of all examiners/lecturers (whether members of the Faculty / Laboratory Teaching Staff or contracted teaching Staff of any category), the Article 37 “VAT Examination Methods” of the Internal Operating Regulations of the UNIWA (Government Gazette 4621/B/21-10-2020), as applicable after any amendments thereof, which includes more detailed instructions per problem category.

3.4 Participation in information, awareness raising and staff training actions on SWD issues

The SWD Academic Advisor participates in the informational activities organized by UNIWA and in particular the “PROSVASI” unit to raise awareness among staff and students, as well as to train staff in SWD issues. The SWD Academic Advisor participates in the formation of UNIWA printed materials and guides on SWD issues. The SWD Academic Advisor also encourages all Department staff to participate in these informative and educational activities.

 

Article 4. Communication of the SWD with the SWD Academic Advisor

SWD are encouraged to contact the PCH Department SWD Academic Advisor at least once, preferably in the beginning of their studies, and provide their minimum required information, as well as information on the type of academic support they need.

This can be easily done by sending an electronic message (e-mail) from the SWD institutional account (e.g. lbxxxx@uniwa.gr) to the SWD Academic Advisor, where the SWD will declare their status and the minimum necessary information for their academic support:

  1. Name, Registration Number, e-mail, home or mobile phone,
  2. The problem he/she faces, which is stated by choosing one of the main categories: Special Educational Needs – Dyslexia, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Mobility problems, Hearing Impairment, Deafness, Visual Impairment, other serious conditions.
  3. The special support justified by this problem and which he/she requests to receive during the teaching and/or exams (expressed in free text based on the written medical opinion held by the SWD).
  4. Any other request or observation regarding the academic support the SWD needs.

Attention: For reasons of protection of their sensitive personal data, the SWD do not send a copy of their medical report to either the SWD Academic Advisor or the faculty members of the Department. The medical report is submitted once to the Secretariat of the PCH Department, preferably during their registration. The Secretariat then grants the SWD a relevant certificate that certifies his/her status as a SWD and states the type of academic support he/she is entitled to, based on the submitted medical report (such as more examination time, oral examination, interpretation in sign language, writing assistant, companion of the blind, etc.). Then the SWD use and display this certificate whenever necessary.

 

Article 5. Validity, revisions and specializations of the internal regulation on SWD Academic Advisors

The present Internal Regulation includes the minimum set of responsibilities and obligations of the SWD Academic Advisors and their deputies, in order to ensure the common mode of operation and equal treatment of SWD by the Academic Departments of UNIWA. The revision of SWD Academic Advisors Internal Regulation is carried out by UNIWA regularly every two years, or as an emergency whenever required by special circumstances (e.g. Covid-19 pandemic).

Further arrangements/specializations that do not overturn the provisions of this Regulation may be adopted, modified and/or abolished by the individual Departments by decisions of their Assemblies. In this case, the Assembly of the PCH Department appoints a Review Committee, which recommends specific amendments. The final approval of the Department Assembly is required for the incorporation of the aforementioned provisions/articles.