Americans with Disabilities Act
Date : January 2007
Philosophy and Purpose: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides legal protection to persons with disabilities.
Policy: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) promotes equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications.
Under the ADA, the term "disability" is defined as:
- physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of an individual's major life activities; or
- record of such an impairment; or
- being regarded as having such an impairment.
The term "major life activities" means functions such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, lifting, reproduction, and working.
In accordance with the ADA, Bowdoin College is improving access to many areas of the campus and is providing reasonable accommodations to employees and applicants with a qualified disability. The College does its best to respond to more obvious or apparent circumstances. However, due to the individual, sometimes hidden nature of many disabilities, employees with unique situations that may require accommodation should alert their supervisors or Human Resources. They will determine if reasonable accommodation is necessary and possible under the circumstances. The College is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to enable applicants and employees to perform the essential functions of a position. Employees are expected to cooperate in making such accommodations.