Policies and Procedures
Accomodation Policies
A student with a documented disability may be eligible for accommodations, coordinated through the Office of Student Life, Disability Services for Students.
The purpose of any accommodation is to reduce or eliminate disadvantages that may exist because of an individual's disability.
When documentation clearly verifies a need for the requested accommodations, the University will make modifications on a case-by-case basis.
The institution will not, however, waive specific courses or academic requirements that are considered essential and central to a particular program or degree.
The most appropriate accommodations will be determined collaboratively between the student, DSS staff, and related faculty or administrators.
The policies and procedures for the most common accommodations will be discussed in the following five categories:
Program Accommodations
Course Accommodations
Testing Accommodations
Housing Accommodations
Transportation Accommodations
For Course Accommodations and Testing Accommodations, appropriate accommodations are discussed between a DSS counselor and the student; letters are then prepared for the student to deliver to faculty.
These letters recommend the appropriate accommodations, and briefly outline procedures. The student's documentation must justify the need for all requested accommodations.
Both student and professor are asked discuss the accommodations and their appropriate implementation; then they are asked to sign and date the request letter.
The student should return the original letter to Disability Services for Students, 330 Memorial Union, for the student's file.
Students and faculty are encouraged to maintain on-going conversations regarding the accommodations.
If problems arise which cannot be resolved between the student and the faculty member, both the faculty and the student are encouraged to contact the staff of Disability Services for Students (DSS) for assistance.
So that students with disabilities will be empowered to approach faculty early in the semester, professors are encouraged to include the following statement on their syllabi: “If you have a documented disability and wish to discuss accommodations, please contact me as soon as possible.”
