Reasonable Accommodation and Accessibility Policy

Özyeğin University has implemented a reasonable accommodation policy for persons with disabilities and funds the services and adjustments it requires from its own budget. The policy is put into practice through the Disabled Students Unit Procedure (PROS.YO.05; first issued 25 May 2021, last updated 12 February 2025, last reviewed 12 May 2025) and is managed by the Disabled Students Unit.

1. Purpose and legal basis The policy ensures that necessary and proportionate adjustments are made in good time, so that students with disabilities are not disadvantaged because of their disability. It is based on Turkish Law No. 5378 on Persons with Disabilities, the Regulation on Disability Counselling and Coordination in Higher Education Institutions, the Regulation on Health Requirements for Exam Arrangements and Disability Quotas for Persons with Disabilities (Official Gazette No. 31772, 8 March 2022), decisions of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, to which Türkiye is a party.

2. Scope The policy covers all associate, undergraduate and graduate students with a documented disability, and students with a temporary disability.

3. Reasonable accommodation process

1. Students can apply to the Disabled Students Unit at any time during their studies — through the electronic form at registration, by email to specialneeds@ozyegin.edu.tr, or via their academic advisor or faculty office — and document their condition with a medical report. Applying is voluntary.
2. The Unit's specialist meets the student to assess their needs, consulting the Health Center and the Psychological Development Unit where needed.
3. An individual support plan is prepared, covering teaching, exams, housing, technology and physical access.
4. With the student's consent, the plan is shared with the faculty, instructors, Housing Services, IT and Operations.
5. The plan is reviewed at the start of every semester and at the student's request. Students who consider an accommodation insufficient may ask the Disabled Students Unit to review their plan.

Students' health information is kept confidential and shared only with their consent, and only as far as necessary.

4. Examples of accommodations

• Teaching and exams: extra time, separate room, reader/scribe, enlarged print, computer-based exams, exemption or adapted assessment in language exams.
• Personal support: part-time student assistants, paid by the University, acting as personal assistants.
• Materials and technology: accessible digital textbooks, image descriptions, computers, headphones, voice recorders.
• Physical access: relocating classes from inaccessible rooms, ramps and accessible parking.

5. Housing accommodations

• Students with disabilities receive priority in on-campus dormitory allocation.
• On-campus dormitories have accessible rooms on the ground floor of buildings with entrance ramps, with bathrooms built to accessibility regulations.
• An extra bed for a caregiver is provided when needed.
• Elevators with audible announcements and individual in-room adjustments are provided according to each student's needs.

6. Funding Accommodations are free of charge to students and funded by the University through dedicated budget lines:

• The University allocates budget for the services, events and training of the Disabled Students Unit.
• Part-time students working as personal assistants are paid by the University; in 2025 they provided a total of 215 hours of support.
• Assistive technology and equipment: the Disabled Students Unit submits requests to IT before each year's budget planning, and they are funded from the IT budget.
• Physical accessibility works are funded from the Operations budget.

7. Monitoring and review Each year the Disabled Students Unit reports the number of students supported, the accommodations provided and student feedback; the policy and procedure are reviewed annually (last review: 12 May 2025). Strategy for students with disabilities is set by the Disabled Students Unit Commission, chaired by the Dean of Students, and its decisions become binding once approved by the University Executive Board. The Disabled Students Unit was established by a Senate decision of 21 December 2010. Its 2025–2026 objectives cover improving academic, digital and physical accessibility, sustaining the part-time student support system, staff training, and regular monitoring and reporting of services. The University also opens this work to external review through its applications to the YÖK Barrier-Free University Flag Awards.