This essay presents the most pressing legal concerns at my institution in the upcoming five years and proactive actions that could mitigate problems associated with these legal issues.
1. What do you consider to be the most pressing legal concerns at your institution in the upcoming five years? Why?
The most pressing issues that my institution will be facing in the upcoming five years include issues related to disabilities and employment. Since there are more and more students with disabilities wanting to be educated in regular classrooms, it is becoming more difficult to accommodate them and yet a lack of this accommodation could lead to legal actions.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act states "no qualified individual with a disability in the Unites States shall be excluded from, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under" programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance or is conducted by an Executive agency or the United States Postal Service (U.S. Department of Justice, 2005, p. 12). Section 504 covers institutions to include K-12 and postsecondary schools. In accordance with Section 504, my institution is required to accommodate students with extended time permitted to take a test; modify teaching methods; and assure the availability of learning aids. Keeping up with these issues is costly and time consuming for teachers who already face a diverse population and increased accountability demands.
In addition to these problems, there are issues related to employment in the elderly. Age discrimination is a legal issue that is difficult to deal with since more and more employees are working to an older age and more elderly persons are seeking employment. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967 prohibits age discrimination in employment. This act prohibits discrimination against those 40 ears of age or older (The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
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