Contacts for Complaints of Discrimination and Requests for Reasonable Accommodation by Individuals with Disabilities

Two laws govern the rights of persons with disabilities: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. They prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities and require reasonable accommodations for those that request. The Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights is charged with enforcement. At MTSU, the Director of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action handles complaints of discrimination by faculty, staff, and students. Requests for reasonable accommodation from faculty and staff are handled by MTSU's Human Resource Department. Requests for reasonable accommodation from students are handled through Disabled Students Services. MTSU also has an ADA/504 Campus Coordinator who serves as the primary contact person for disabled individuals outside the institution and who is a reference person for anyone inside the institution.

Issue/Need	Contact
Discrimination Complaints for External Individuals, Faculty, Staff, and Students	Barbara Patton Executive Director, Institutional Equity and Compliance 615.898.2185
Faculty and Staff Accommodation Requests (including access related to employment)	Kathy Musselman Assistant Vice President, Human Resources 615.898.2929
Student Accommodation Requests (including access to classrooms/labs and to instructional materials)	John Harris Director, Disabled Student Services 615.898.2783
Accommodation Requests from individuals outside the institution (including access during events)	Watson Harris ADA/504 Campus Coordinator (Director, Academic Technology) 615.898.5366

Although each area of responsibility listed above has it own complaint and appeal process, the ultimate decision in appeals resides with MTSU's President. University Counsel assists each department and the President as the institution deliberates complaints of discrimination and reasonable accommodations.

We ask you not to decide complaints of discrimination or requests for accommodation, but that when you receive a complaint or request that you first contact the appropriate MTSU department. This is the only way the institution can maintain consistency in the way these issues are resolved and ensure compliance with federal laws.