Student Disability Center

Reasonable Accommodation Process

Following establishment of eligibility, the Disability Specialist, in consultation with the student, will determine what academic accommodations or placement exam accommodations are necessary to allow the student to access the University's educational opportunities. Each student's accommodations are individually tailored to meet the student's disability-related needs and are based upon the student's current functional limitations and the requirements of the specific classes in which the student is enrolled or placement exam being taken.

Academic Accommodations
Students must request academic accommodations prior to or at the beginning of each quarter by completing an SDC Accommodation Request Form. Deaf or hard-of-hearing students who will be using interpreters or captioners must complete the SDC Accommodation Request Form for D/HH Students. Copies of this form are available for printing online or in the SDC reception area. Disability Specialists can assist students in completing these forms. All accommodations must be approved by your Disability Specialist. The University is not required to provide any academic accommodation that would result in a fundamental alteration of the academic program.

Please note that it can take up to two weeks to process accommodation requests, so it is very important to submit the request form early. Requests for notetakers and other auxiliary services should be submitted before the beginning of classes, or soon after classes start. Requests for exam accommodations should be submitted far enough in advance of the exam date to allow adequate advance notice to the instructor. The forms submitted should be complete and legible to prevent delay.

If classroom or examination accommodations are approved, the student will receive an accommodation letter with instructions regarding notifying instructors of the accommodations authorized. If notetaker or auxiliary services are approved, the student will receive instructions on how to locate and work with service providers. Please note that the SDC will not pay for notetaker or auxiliary services unless the Disability Specialist has authorized them in advance. Thus, it is important to submit an accommodation request for each quarter in which the student wishes to receive services, even if such services have been authorized in the past.

Placement Exam Accommodations
Student smust request placement exam accommodations prior to scheduling the exam by completing a Placement Exam Accommodation Request Form. Copies of this form are available for printing online or in the SDC reception area. Disability Specialists can assist students in completing the form. All placement exam accommodations must be approved by your Disability Specialist. The University is not required to provide any placement exam accommodation that would result in a fundamental alteration of the exam. If placement exam accomodations are approved, a letter authorizing the accommodations will be sent to the exam administrator and a copy will be made available for the student at the SDC or mailed to the student if the examination occurs during Summer Advising. All logistical arrangements for the accommodations are a shared responsibility between the exam administrator and the student. The student should contact the exam administrator well in advance of the exam date to ensure that the approved accommodations are in place.

If the requested academic or placement exam accommodations are not approved, the student may appeal that decision through the SDC Appeals Procedure (PDF or Word version).