How to Tell a Student No: Maintaining Empathy, Firmness, and Clarity in a Difficult Discussion

Description

Denying a student's request for a particular accommodation can be hard. This webinar will offer practical guidance regarding the process you should undertake before saying "no" to a request, how to word your response to the student, holding firm in the face of push-back from students and parents, and best practices for documenting your decision and communications. Whether you are in a one-person office or a large office setting, this webinar will offer helpful advice for navigating this sometimes sticky situation with sensitivity for the student's position and understanding of your role in the accommodations process.

Contributors

Michael Southern

Michael S. Southern is Director of Accessibility Resources at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, OH. He’s held this position that since January 2011. Michael has worked with students with disabilities for over 25 years as a Vocational Rehabilitation counselor at the Kentucky Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and as Director of Disability Services at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. While in Bowling Green, Michael served as President and Vice President for the Mayors Commission for Person with Disabilities, providing advocacy and resource to the community regarding the education and employment needs of person with disabilities. Michael is often called on to share his expertise on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to present strategies for students with disabilities transitioning from high school as well as presenting to faculty and staff on creating an equitable and educational experiences for all students with disabilities within the post-secondary environment. Michael served for 6 years on the Ohio-AHEAD (OH-AHEAD) Executive Board. He has presented on multiple occasions at the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion yearly conference at the University of Cincinnati and mostly recently, served as Staff Senator to ensure equitable practices was being established for both represented and unrepresented staff at his institution. Michael's degrees are in Rehabilitation Counseling and Services with an emphasis on Therapeutic Program Planning for persons with disabilities from Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky.
Christopher Stone

Chris Stone, Ed.D. is Director of Disability Resources at Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Stone leads Disability Resources in its efforts to assist disabled students in meeting their academic and personal development goals and supports the University in the broader mission of inclusivity and opportunity for disabled students. Following graduation from Central College (Pella, IA), Chris taught 7-12 Literature and Language Arts and coached track and cross-country before attending St. Ambrose University (Davenport, IA) and earning his M Ed: Post-Secondary Disabilities Services. Chris completed his Ed D from George Washington University, in Washington, DC. Chris previously served on the board of the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) and the North Carolina affiliate of AHEAD (NCAHEAD), and currently is the President of Missouri AHEAD. He has presented at a number of national and international conferences, co-chaired AHEAD’s annual conference (2016), and acted as the Accessibility Advisor for the ACPA Convention (2022). Of particular note, Dr. Stone gave a keynote address and was a featured presenter at the Inaugural Inclusion School conference in Guayaquil, Ecuador in 2020.

Description

Contributors

Michael Southern

Christopher Stone