The Accommodations Process

The Student Disability Center provides reasonable accommodations to qualified students with disabilities to provide them equal access to all University programs, facilities, services, and opportunities. Students with disabilities can request accommodations by engaging in the accommodations process.

The accommodations process is a holistic, individualized, and interactive process that is initiated by the student. Once initiated, the student engages in an interactive conversation with the SDC to explore what access barriers they encounter in the university environment and what kinds of accommodations can be put in place to remove or mitigate those barriers. Accommodations are determined based on all of the information provided to the SDC, including the student’s self-report and supporting documentation. Accommodations are put in place to provide a student equal access/equal opportunity. Accommodations cannot lower expectations, or requirements, and cannot fundamentally alter the essential functions or objectives of a program or course. 

This is a fluid process that can be engaged and reengaged at any time. If a student feels an accommodation is not sufficient to provide them with equal access, they can reengage the process to explore other options.  

This process can involve multiple people including the student, SDC staff, faculty, and other staff. Others such as parents, family members, medical providers, and others can be involved if the student gives consent to their involvement. However, the student is still the one who initiates and drives the process.   

Accommodations can and may need to be adjusted and customized to each unique environment, course, or situation. In these situations, the student and the SDC will continue to engage in the interactive process to determine what accommodations are appropriate. Some accommodations may need to be determined in collaboration with individual instructors or university staff.

  1. The student submits a new SDC student application. This application allows the student to provide information to the SDC about their accommodation request.
  2. The student contacts the SDC and schedules an appointment with an accommodation specialist. Appointments can be conducted in-person, over the phone, or virtually. Student applications will not be reviewed by SDC staff until the student schedules an appointment.
  3. The student meets with the accommodation specialist and discusses the student’s disability and the disability-related barriers the student encounters or foresees encountering in the university environment.
  4. The student and accommodation specialist will discuss what accommodations are possible to provide the student equal access.
  5. The specialist will request any documentation that is needed to support the accommodations.
  6. Please note, while we encourage students to provide documentation ahead of their first appointment as it is helpful for SDC staff to prepare, it is not required to meet with us. If a student does not have documentation or is unsure of what documentation to provide, they can still meet with an accommodation specialist who will assist in identifying what documentation is needed and how to obtain it.
  7. Based on what accommodations are determined to be appropriate, the student will choose which accommodations they’d like to use and for which course or environment they want to use it in.
  8. Depending on the situation or request, the specialist may need to consult with others such as faculty and staff before approving an accommodation.
  9. The student may choose to implement all, some, or none of the accommodations.
  10. Once accommodations are approved, the accommodation specialist will enter the information into the SDC Student Portal.
  11. The student will use the portal to review their approved accommodations, send accommodation letters to their instructors, and perform other accommodation-related tasks.
  12. Instructors are required to follow the accommodations and ensure implementation in their course.
  13. If needed, the accommodation specialist will contact any appropriate faculty or staff to inform them of the needed accommodations.
  14. If questions or concerns arise from either students, faculty, or staff related to the student’s approved accommodations, they need to contact the SDC as soon as possible to have their question or concern addressed.

Things to note:

  • Accommodations are not retroactive and are only in place from the time they are approved moving forward.
  • Instructors cannot negotiate accommodations directly with the student. Any adjustments to an accommodation need to be discussed with the SDC.
  • Some accommodations may need to be adjusted throughout a student’s time in their degree program. For example, accommodations for lecture style classes will look different than accommodations for an internship or practicum.

Students who want to utilize their academic accommodations for future semesters will need to renew their accommodations each semester. Doing so can be a streamlined process.

If the student does not need to change any of their accommodations:

  1. The student uses the SDC Student Portal to request their accommodation letters be sent to their instructors. The portal allows students to send out their accommodation letters to their instructors.
    • Some accommodations may need to be reviewed by the SDC each semester before they can be renewed. If so, when the student uses their student portal to request accommodations, this will notify the SDC so that the request can be reviewed.
  2. If questions or concerns arise from either students, faculty, or staff related to the student’s approved accommodations, they need to contact the SDC as soon as possible to have their question or concern addressed.

If the student wants to discuss or change accommodations:

  1. The student contacts or schedules an appointment with an accommodation specialist to discuss changes to their accommodations.
  2. The student and accommodation specialist discuss changes to accommodations. Depending upon the requested changes, the accommodation specialist may request supporting documentation before implementing a change in accommodations.
  3. If accommodation adjustments are approved, the accommodation specialist will update the student’s accommodations in the SDC Student Portal and then the student can send out updated accommodation letters through their SDC Student Portal.
  4. Instructors are required to follow the accommodations and ensure implementation in their course.
  5. If questions or concerns arise from either students, faculty, or staff related to the student’s approved accommodations, they need to contact the SDC as soon as possible to have their question or concern addressed.

Things to note:

  • Accommodations are not retroactive and are only in place from the time they are approved moving forward.
  • Instructors cannot negotiate accommodations directly with the student. Any adjustments to an accommodation need to be discussed with the SDC.
  • Some accommodations may need to be adjusted throughout a student’s time in their degree program. For example, accommodations for lecture style classes will look different than accommodations for an internship or practicum.