[nabs-l] Grade Expunging

Sun Sep 22 00:52:30 UTC 2013

Dan,
Not everyone has college paid for with vr and we do not know if this student 
did or not.
Heck, if vr will not pay for a retake, I'd never finish school then.
I'm glad I did not depend on the government with all its stupid restrictions 
to pay for college.
We need the same chance as all students and yes this includes retaking 
classes and withdrawing from classes or auditing classes or doing whatever 
we need to do to go through college.
I assure you I struggled in certain classes. Did I withdraw in some 
instances? Did I retake classes?
Yes and Yes! I did so like other students and worked very hard through 
college; as a vision impaired student who learns better with braille and the 
ocasional large print diagram or numbers, I found college very challenging 
at times. I was not given braille in college of course except for my own 
notes. I had to rely on recorded textbooks and reading other notes through 
jaws such as study guides or powerpoint slides.
I had to rely on auditory learning which was not as effective for me.
Sometimes I just could not handle a class and did withdraw.
It showed up as a W and I do not think it affected my GPA.

I'm glad you wrote in as a former DSS staff person to let us know you can 
get grades removed; I was not sure as I never had to look into it.
Your statements confirmed that its   a hard process though with complaints 
needed to justify a removal of the grade.

Well, its up to Bobby as to what she wishes to do now.
I hope she can retake the class and move on with college.

Ashley
-----Original Message----- 
From: Dan Burke
Sent: Saturday, September 21, 2013 5:58 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Grade Expunging

Yes, people have had grades removed from transcripts for lack of 
accessibility.  In most cases probably it has required a complaint - either 
using your college's internal due process or complaints with state or 
federal agencies, such as the U.S. Dept. of Education's Office of Civil 
Rights.  Of course, the NFB has handled many cases similar in nature, but 
always shooting for a bigger target - namely that the college get itself 
accessible.

In other words, you have to prove that discrimination occurred because they 
did not respond to your requests.

Various rules and practices are different at every school, it's true.  At 
the institution where I worked they would allow a grade to be removed  after 
the course was re-taken and a better grade was earned.  It was meant for 
someone who got a grade like an F and wanted to do better.  Eventually, it 
cost the student $100 to remove that old grade, but again only after getting 
a better one on re-take.  You might be able to find such a path, but it 
won't' do anything to fix the bigger problem - lack of accessibility.

Dropping or withdrawing prior to the train wreck is pretty sound advice. 
But it is not always entirely without consequences.  In some cases, if you 
wait too long, the W shows as either W-F or W-P, so if you are already 
failing it can affect your GPA.

The other consequence is that VR will often not pay for a retake, and they 
certainly don't like F's.

You start with the Registrar's web site and start finding out what the 
expunge options might be, and what cost.  You look for the college's 
accessibility statements - DS offices, but also Equal 
Opportunity/Affirmative Action officers.  Also look for the ADA/504 
Coordinator's information.  These are  the places you can see what steps are 
open to you for complaints or grievances.

The other thing to keep in mind is going to vR when accommodations don't 
happen, and getting a reader.  If you can't get accessible educational 
materials, then get a reader and do it yourself.  VR can pay for this.  They 
won't like to do it.  The regs in VR say that they can count the 
accommodations under the ADA as "comparable benefits."  That means something 
you need that they don't have to pay for.  What they always forget in VR is 
that the regs also say that if the accommodations fail, they are still 
responsible.

One more way to avoid the train wreck.

HTH
Dan

Dan Burke
Academic and Youth Services
Colorado Center for the Blind
Take charge with confidence and self-reliance

www.cocenter.org
facebook.com/coloradocenterfortheblind
@CoCenter4Blind
www.youtube.com/user/cocenterorg

2233 W. Shepperd Ave.
Littleton, CO  80120
303-778-1130 ext. 210
Fax:  303-778-1598

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Misty Dawn 
Bradley
Sent: Friday, September 20, 2013 6:43 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Grade Expunging

I have never had a grade expunged, but I almost got an F because an
Economics class Pearson lab was not accessible, but I went on my college's
website and read the procedures for appealing a grade and getting it turned
into a withdrawal, or a W, rather than an F. I had to write a letter to the
dean explaining why I was appealing for a grade of W instead of an F and
explaining that the course was not accessible and I was not given any
accomodation. Perhaps you could set up a meeting with the dean of the
college or the dean of the department over the class you are taking?
Misty

-----Original Message----- 
From: Anna Givens
Sent: Friday, September 20, 2013 12:17 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Grade Expunging

I have not been in this this exact situation, but have had similar issues.
I don't know that dss can or will be of much help.  I would definitely talk
to your advisor.  They should be the one to handle this.

Anna E Givens

On Sep 19, 2013, at 11:36 PM, Bobbi Pompey <pompey2010 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> I will. Thank you!
>
> Bobbi A. L. Pompey
> (336) 988-6375
> pompey2010 at yahoo.com
> http://pompey2050.wix.com/bobbi-pompey
>
>> On Sep 19, 2013, at 11:53 PM, "justin williams"
>> <justin.williams2 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Good.  If that does not happen, you may  have an ADA case; though I would
>> really try to prevail upon the new director.  Maybe write out your case
>> on
>> paper so he can see what happened.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bobbi Pompey
>> Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2013 11:51 PM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Grade Expunging
>>
>> I've done that. Originally I was told no. But there is a new director
>> now. I
>> asked him, and was told he would look into it.
>>
>> Bobbi A. L. Pompey
>> (336) 988-6375
>> pompey2010 at yahoo.com
>> http://pompey2050.wix.com/bobbi-pompey
>>
>>>> On Sep 19, 2013, at 11:10 PM, "justin williams"
>>> <justin.williams2 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Okay; Go through your dss office and see what they can possibly do.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bobbi
>>> Pompey
>>> Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2013 11:08 PM
>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Grade Expunging
>>>
>>> I was registered and requested accommodations.
>>>
>>> Bobbi A. L. Pompey
>>> (336) 988-6375
>>> pompey2010 at yahoo.com
>>> http://pompey2050.wix.com/bobbi-pompey
>>>
>>>>> On Sep 19, 2013, at 10:56 PM, "justin williams"
>>>> <justin.williams2 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Did you go through your dss office for acomodations?  I do know that
>>>> if you did not admit to a disability, and were not a student under
>>>> the dss office, then you can't.  However, if you were a student under
>>>> your dss office, then you may have a case.
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bobbi
>>>> Pompey
>>>> Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2013 10:43 PM
>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>> Subject: [nabs-l] Grade Expunging
>>>>
>>>> Hello, I wanted to know if anyone has ever had a grade removed from
>>>> their college transcript because they were not properly accommodated
>>>> in the course?
>>>>
>>>> Thank you!
>>>>
>>>> Bobbi A. L. Pompey
>>>> (336) 988-6375
>>>> pompey2010 at yahoo.com
>>>> http://pompey2050
>>>>
>>>> Bobbi A. L. Pompey
>>>> (336) 988-6375
>>>> pompey2010 at yahoo.com
>>>> http://pompey2050.wix.com/bobbi-pompey
>>>> _______________________________________________
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