☰ In This Section

In order for the accommodation process to proceed smoothly, all parties need to understand their roles and responsibilities.

Students participate in the process by:

  • Providing OARS with documentation of their disability.
  • Keeping their assigned accessibility specialist informed and providing updated documentation if your disability or its symptoms change
  • Requesting accommodations as far ahead of time as possible. Some accommodations cannot be effectively arranged if they are requested on short notice.
  • Discussing accommodations with faculty and staff members as needed and notifying OARS right away if there are any concerns or difficulties with receiving accommodations.

OARS is responsible for:

  • Clarifying what documentation is needed to determine eligibility for accommodations.
  • Maintaining student files in a confidential manner.
  • Sending to faculty or staff members individually specific emails identifying reasonable accommodations. These emails will detail who is responsible for specific parts of providing accommodations and what to do if there are any concerns.
  • Releasing disability-related information on a need-to-know basis to other university faculty and staff members.
  • Discussing with students how their disability impacts them at the university, and informing them when additional documentation is needed in order to receive requested accommodations.
  • Helping students to identify reasonable accommodations.

Faculty and staff participate in the process by:

  • Supporting and implementing reasonable accommodations as identified in the email from OARS.
  • Consulting with an accessibility specialist if requests seem to conflict with course or program objectives/requirements.
  • Maintaining appropriate confidentiality.
  • Submitting course text/materials lists to the bookstore as early as possible so students with alternative textbook accommodations can access them in the needed formats.
  • Including an announcement on syllabi directing students to OARS if they need an accommodation related to a disability.