[nfbmi-talk] Final Copy of College Policy

[J.J. Meddaugh]

Very well done.
This is one of the best things we've done all year.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Elizabeth" <lizmohnke at hotmail.com>
To: <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>; <mi-abs at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 12:09 AM
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Final Copy of College Policy




Hello List,

First, I would like to thank those of you who provided feedback on the 
college policy so that we as an organization can present the Michigan 
Commission for the Blind with a strong policy that favors the rights of 
college students. I have incorporated all of your suggestions into a final 
draft that I would like to submit to the college policy review team. You 
will find this policy attached at the end of this message. If you have any 
last minute additions or corrections you would like to make to the policy, 
please let me know as soon as possible. I will be sending this document to 
the college policy review team sometime Thursday evening before 9:00 pm. If 
I do not receive any additional corrections before then, I will be sending 
the policy as it appears below.

Warm Regards,
Elizabeth

------


MCB COLLEGE AND OTHER POSTSECONDARY TRAINING

A. Purpose

The purpose of the Michigan Commission for the Blind (MCB) is to provide 
opportunities to individuals who are blind and visually impaired to achieve 
competitive employment and function independently. We believe that all blind 
and visually impaired individuals have the capacity to live up to their 
fullest potential and be active members of society.

The Michigan Commission for the blind believes rehabilitation is a 
cooperative venture between the agency and the individual, with the 
individual having primary responsibility for personal successes and 
failures, and that each individual is different with different strengths, 
weaknesses, interests and aptitudes which require vocational rehabilitation 
counseling, planning and training specific to their individual needs.

It is recommended that students keep an on-going dialog with their counselor 
to ensure that their individual needs are met throughout the rehabilitation 
process. Students are also encouraged to advocate for themselves through due 
process if they are not satisfied with any decision that is made by any 
member of the Michigan Commission for the Blind.

B. Provision for Services

A student shall demonstrate his or her ability to participate in a college 
or other postsecondary training program that will result in competitive 
employment.

Procedure:

1. Students shall participate in a college assessment to ensure that they 
have the skills necessary for college participation. Students must 
demonstrate competent skill levels in the areas of technology, 
communication, note taking, traveling, and independent living. If students 
cannot successfully demonstrate competent skill levels in these areas, they 
shall work with their counselor to receive additional training at the 
Michigan Commission for the Blind Training center or another qualified 
vocational training center consistent with the individuals informed choice.

2. Students shall demonstrate their knowledge of their chosen vocational 
goal by writing a job analysis report with the help and guidance of their 
vocational counselor. Items in this report should include a description of 
the vocational goal, qualifications necessary to obtain the vocational goal, 
and reasons for choosing the vocational goal. Examples of research for this 
report include job shadowing, mentoring, labor market analysis, and 
volunteer or paid work experience.

3. Students shall present their counselor with a letter of acceptance to an 
accredited institution recognized by the United States Department of 
Education along with a curriculum outlining their program of study. Students 
shall consider the advantages and disadvantages of attending a four-year 
university, a community college, and a vocational training program or trade 
school when deciding on an institution of higher learning. However, the 
student’s final decision shall be honored by the Michigan Commission for the 
Blind.

4. The Michigan Commission for the Blind and each state-sponsored university 
or college in Michigan have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which 
defines the responsibilities of the university or college and the Michigan 
Commission for the Blind. Prior to the student’s participation in any 
college program or Post-secondary training, the Michigan Commission for the 
Blind shall explain the contents of the Memorandum of Understanding to 
determine which entity should provide the student with specific 
accommodations. When there is a dispute over which entity will provide the 
necessary accommodations, the Michigan Commission for the Blind shall be 
responsible for providing the accommodation until the dispute is resolved. 
The student shall not be held responsible for failing or incomplete grades 
if either the Michigan Commission for the Blind or the educational 
institution fails to provide the accommodations necessary for the student to 
succeed.

C. Duration of Training

Students are encouraged to complete their college program or post-secondary 
training as a full time student as defined by the educational institution. 
However, individual time frames shall be determined on a case-by-case basis 
between the student and his or her counselor.

Procedure:

1. Michigan Commission for the Blind financial participation shall be 
limited to one associate's degree, one bachelor's degree, and one advanced 
degree. Students who complete an associate's degree may continue to pursue a 
bachelor's degree after completing their associate's degree. Students who 
complete a bachelor's degree may continue to pursue an advanced degree if 
their vocational goal commonly requires an advanced degree to secure 
competitive employment.

2. The Michigan Commission for the Blind understands that in some cases it 
may not be possible for a student to take a full load of classes. Special 
consideration shall be given to students who work part-time, have a 
secondary disability, or have some other special circumstance that prevents 
them from taking a full load of classes. However, it is important to ensure 
that time extensions do not interfere with the requirements of the student's 
educational program.

D. Financial Aid

The Michigan Commission for the Blind shall provide financial assistance for 
college and other post-secondary training after all other financial 
resources and comparable benefits have been exhausted.

Procedure:

1. Comparable services and benefits refer to any appropriate service, 
financial benefit, or assistance available to a consumer to meet, in whole 
or in part, the cost of vocational rehabilitation services. Under this 
definition, comparable benefits do not include Social Security benefits, 
such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental 
Security Income (SSI); and unrestricted scholarships and awards based on 
merit. However, merit scholarships designated for a particular college cost 
shall be used according to the guidelines of the scholarship.

2. Students requesting college sponsorship must apply for federal financial 
aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and 
submit a copy of their financial award letter to their counselor no later 
than one month before the beginning of the semester. Students who fail to 
meet this deadline will be considered for sponsorship the following 
semester.

3. If a consumer is in default of a student loan, no financial aid, 
including Pell Grants, will be available to the consumer. The Michigan 
Commission for the Blind is prohibited from paying for any training or 
related services at an institution of higher education for an individual who 
owes a refund on a grant or is in default of a student loan unless the 
individual makes maximum effort to resolve the default as defined under the 
guidelines of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

4. The Michigan Commission for the Blind shall sponsor students at 
out-of-state and private institutions at the same rate of a comparable 
program in an amount no greater than the highest tuition rate for Michigan 
residents attending a state-supported college or university in Michigan. 
Training at an institution outside the United States (study abroad) shall be 
sponsored as a part of an approved course of study by an accredited 
educational institution. The rates for a study abroad program shall not 
exceed the highest tuition rate for a comparable program sponsored by a 
state-supported college or university in Michigan.

5. Students shall be encouraged to pay the cost of application fees and 
entrance exams. However, the Michigan Commission for the Blind shall provide 
assistance for seeking alternative financial resources to help cover the 
cost of application fees and entrance exams. When appropriate, the Michigan 
Commission for the Blind shall pay for the cost of preparation classes or 
materials for entrance exams. The Michigan Commission for the Blind shall 
assist with the cost of professional certification exams and fees.

6. The Michigan Commission for the Blind shall provide rehabilitation 
technology and reader services as a part of a student’s Individualized Plan 
for Employment. The Michigan Commission for the Blind shall be responsible 
for providing these services when they cannot be provided by the educational 
institution Or when they do not meet the individualized needs of the 
student.

7. The Michigan Commission for the Blind shall sponsor the costs associated 
with living on campus including meal plans and room and board based on 
double occupancy.  Students who do not choose to live in the housing 
provided by the college or university may receive assistance from the 
Michigan Commission for the Blind. This assistance shall not exceed the rate 
of the housing provided by the college or university, or the amount of the 
highest housing rate for Michigan residents attending a state-supported 
college or university in Michigan.

8. Students who require additional financial assistance shall be encouraged 
to apply for Social Security benefits including Social Security Disability 
Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI. Students may also be 
eligible to receive maintenance from the Michigan Commission for the Blind 
to help cover the costs of participating in specific rehabilitation 
services. Students who wish to receive maintenance shall be required to 
create a budget outlining the need for additional financial assistance.

E. Academic Progress

All students shall maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 
on a 4.0 scale, or "C" average. In some cases, students may be required to 
maintain a higher grade point average depending on the academic program. In 
all cases, students must report their final grades to their counselor within 
two weeks after the end of each semester.

Procedures:

1. Students shall follow the requirements of an academic curriculum approved 
by their educational institution. Any exceptions to a student’s curriculum 
that is approved by the academic program shall be honored by the Michigan 
Commission for the Blind.

2. Students will be placed on probationary status if their grade point 
average falls below the 2.0 or “C” average, receive a failing or incomplete 
grade, or if they drop a class after the Michigan Commission for the Blind 
has already paid for the class. In the case of an incomplete grade, students 
shall resolve the incomplete grade during the next semester. Following the 
semester when any of these situations occur, students shall be given a grace 
period of one semester to correct these deficiencies. While students are on 
academic probation, the Michigan Commission for the Blind shall assist 
students by exploring resources to help them retain or reestablish their 
sponsorship.

3. When a student has failed or dropped a class after the Michigan 
Commission for the Blind has paid for the class, the student shall be 
required to contribute the amount paid by the Michigan Commission for the 
Blind. However, the student shall not be responsible for submitting this 
contribution if either the Michigan Commission for the Blind or the 
educational institution has failed to provide a necessary accommodation for 
the successful completion of the class. In the event that a student is 
required to pay this contribution, they shall make arrangements to pay this 
contribution before the beginning of the next semester.

F. Advanced Degrees

The sponsorship of an advanced degree by the Michigan Commission for the 
Blind shall be limited to students who cannot obtain competitive employment 
with a bachelor's degree, or when they are included as a part of a student’s 
Individualized Plan for Employment.

Procedure:

1. In addition to the procedures listed under the undergraduate degree 
sponsorship, students seeking an advanced degree shall maintain an 
acceptable grade point average as defined under the standards for their 
academic program. If the student’s grade point average falls below this 
level, their sponsorship by the Michigan Commission for the Blind shall be 
suspended until they are able to bring their cumulative grade point average 
back up to the standards set forth by the academic program.

_________________________________________________________________
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