The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides civil rights protection to individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, State and local government services, and telecommunications. The ADA was designed to remove barriers that prevent qualified individuals with disabilities from enjoying the same opportunities available to persons without disabilities. Enabling qualified individuals with disabilities to enjoy the same opportunities as persons without disabilities is done according to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, and as detailed in the University of Kentucky Affirmative Action Plan.

The ADA provides that no qualified individual with a disability shall, on the basis of disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of the university.

Disability discrimination can occur whenever a qualified individual with a disability is denied the same equal opportunities as other university students, faculty and staff because of their disability status.

Under applicable disability laws, an individual with a disability is a person who

1. has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities;

2. has a record of such an impairment; or

3. is regarded as having such an impairment. Temporary, non-chronic impairments that do not last for a long time and have little or no long-term impact are usually not disabilities. Whether an impairment is a disability is made on a case-by-case basis.

The university is dedicated to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified students, employees, and all those with disabilities participating in its programs and services. The University’s Strategic Plan outlines a commitment to a diverse workplace and learning community, a distinguished faculty and staff, and an increasingly higher caliber of students. This dream drives the challenge of providing quality educational and occupational opportunities for everyone, especially qualified individuals with disabilities. The university is dedicated to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified students, employees, and all those with disabilities participating in its programs and services. https://ieeo.uky.edu/key-priorities/ada-compliance