Accessibility and Construction

Pomona College, in compliance with Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, does not discriminate on the basis of disability, in any of its policies, procedures or practices.  It is the policy of the College to provide qualified persons with disabilities with access to its programs, when viewed in their entirety, in the most integrated setting possible.  The following statement on construction, renovation, and alteration, flows from the spirit of that nondiscrimination principle.

Construction of New Buildings and Facilities

  1. New construction will comply with the guidelines and regulations set forth in Section 504, Title 24, and relevant state and local building codes.  The primary standards for such construction are derived from the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS, 1984), the Amended Architectural Barriers Act (1984), and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990.
  2. The College endeavors to employ the most barrier-free design and materials in new construction in order to provide superior access to the functions and programs that take place in those new facilities.  The College's goal is to ensure full accessibility and usability of its new buildings.

Renovation and Alteration of Existing Buildings and Facilities

  1. The renovation and alteration of existing facilities will comply with Section 504 and applicable federal regulations, as well as relevant state and local codes, in order to enhance program accessibility.  The College recognizes that Section 504 does not require structural changes to existing facilities where other methods are effective in achieving overall accessibility to the programs and services of the College.
  2. Any renovation or alteration will, to the maximum extent feasible, be pursued in a way that makes the renovated or altered portion of the building accessible to a student with a disability.  However, the design of many existing facilities makes it impractical or prohibitively expensive to renovate or alter them in such a way as to make them barrier free.
  3. Historical Buildings:  The College's renovation and alteration of buildings in its historic preservation plan will employ the "maximum extent feasible" principle.  While complying with state and federal law, and striving for enhanced physical accessibility, the College will endeavor to preserve the historical integrity, sentimental value, and aesthetic significance of its historic buildings.  In this context, program accessibility in the most integrated setting possible will take priority over physical accessibility, as allowed by state and federal law.