Student Accessibility Services

Through our interactive process, we strive to gain a holistic understanding of student circumstances and identify reasonable accommodations together.  Accessibility Services collaborates with faculty and staff across campus to support access and equity for all students.  Our policies and procedures aim to reflect both the spirit and letter of the law as is described in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008.  

The University provides a variety of services to students with disabilities based on individual need, requiring current and relevant documentation. Reasonable accommodations that may be made by the University depend on the particular needs of the student and may include academic accommodations as well as housing accommodations. 

Students who received special educational services in secondary school through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are not automatically qualified for post-secondary services. IDEA entitles school-age children with disabilities to a free, appropriate education designed to facilitate successful learning outcomes. 

The rights of postsecondary students are governed by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and also the Americans with Disabilities Act. These are civil rights statutes requiring that all postsecondary institutions make reasonable and necessary modifications to rules, policies, and practices to prevent discrimination and ensure access and opportunity for students with disabilities. 

Such reasonable accommodations must not compromise the academic integrity of the University. They also cannot compromise course goals, standards, or essential course content or impair the rights or opportunities of other students.  All reasonable accommodations must recognize the right of faculty to determine the content and academic performance standards in the classroom and related coursework.  Equal access and opportunity generally means the same access and opportunity available to the general student population.