Rights & Responsibilities

As a student with a disability, you may have questions regarding access and services. Since you have much to contribute to PENN, here is a brief overview of what PENN has to offer you.

Student Grievance Procedures

Disability Laws

The Rehabilitation Act provides a definition of a person with a disability as an individual who:

has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities;
has a history or record of such an impairment;
is regarded as having such an impairment.

The ADA further prohibits discrimination against persons who have known relationships or associations with disabled people.

The definition of a person with a disability in the ADA parallels the one used in the Rehabilitation Act.

Rights of Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities have a right to enjoy all the opportunities, benefits and privileges bestowed on members of the PENN community. Other rights include:

equal access to a civil, productive, non-discriminatory learning and working environment
equal access to all University-sponsored programs, activities and benefits in the most integrated setting
protection from harassment and other forms of illegal discrimination in all phases of their degree program

provost memorandum

Visit the Vice Provost for University Life website