ADA Grievance Procedure

The Zimmerli Art Museum is committed to making our facilities, galleries, and programs accessible for all. The museum has adopted the following internal Grievance Procedure for resolving complaints alleging violations of or noncompliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (collectively, the “ADA”). 

Please submit a complaint using the procedure outlined below if you believe the museum has improperly denied a requested accommodation or provided an inadequate accommodation; the museum’s facilities or its programs, services, or activities have been inaccessible to you due to disability; you have experienced discrimination or harassment by museum staff based on disability; or you believe that the museum is otherwise not in compliance with the ADA. If you are a Rutgers student, you may wish to file a grievance through the Rutgers’ Office of Disability Services: https://ods.rutgers.edu/students/informal-resolution-grievance-process. Employment-related complaints of disability discrimination should be directed to Rutgers’ Office of Employment Equity: https://uhr.rutgers.edu/oee/home.

Submitting a Complaint

You may submit a complaint in person at the Museum’s front desk, by email to Brandon Truett, btruett@zimmerli.rutgers.edu, or by mail to:

Accessibility Coordinator

Zimmerli Art Museum

Rutgers University

71 Hamilton St

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

You may also call 848-932-6766 if you need any assistance or an accommodation to file your complaint.

Grievance Procedure

1. Complaints must be submitted in writing, and must contain (a) the name, address, phone number, and if available, email address of the person submitting it (the “Complainant”); (b) a brief description of the nature of the complaint and the alleged violation of the ADA; and (c) a description of circumstances giving rise to the complaint, including the date, location, and names of involved individuals and/or witnesses.
2. A complaint should be filed within thirty (30) calendar days after the alleged violation.
3. The Accessibility Coordinator or their designee shall conduct a prompt investigation following the receipt of a complaint, providing all interested parties an opportunity to submit information relevant to the complaint. The Accessibility Coordinator will contact the Complainant within ten (10) calendar days of receiving the complaint to discuss the alleged violation, gather additional information, if needed, and discuss possible resolutions.  
4. A report containing the Accessibility Coordinator’s findings, explaining the Museum’s position and offering one or more options for resolution of the complaint, if any, shall be issued in writing or another accessible format by the Accessibility Coordinator no later than sixty (60) calendar days after receiving the complaint. This report will be sent to the Complainant no later than five (5) business days after it is issued. This timeline may be altered for good cause, such as complexity of the investigation or availability of relevant individuals; the Accessibility Coordinator will inform the Complainant if an extension is necessary and an updated date of completion.
5. The Complainant can request a reconsideration of the complaint in instances of dissatisfaction with the resolution. The request for reconsideration must be made within ten (10) calendar days of receiving the Accessibility Coordinator’s report. The request for reconsideration must be made in writing or another accessible format and addressed to the Accessibility Coordinator. The Accessibility Coordinator shall forward the request to the Museum Director. The Director will respond to the Complainant in writing or another accessible format within fifteen (15) calendar days. The Director’s decision is final.
6. The Accessibility Coordinator shall maintain the files and records of the Museum relating to the complaints filed according to the Museum’s Record Management Policy.

The right of a person to a prompt and equitable resolution of the complaint filed hereunder shall not be impaired by the person’s pursuit of other remedies in external forums. Use of this grievance procedure is not a prerequisite to the pursuit of other remedies.

These rules shall be construed to protect the substantive rights of interested persons to meet appropriate due process standards and to ensure that the Zimmerli Art Museum complies with the ADA.