Implementing student accommodations
Receiving accommodation requests from students
Students may reach out to you in two ways.
Official request. The Office for Disability Equity (ODE) sends you a letter through the ODE portal. This is your official notice of the student's approved accommodations.
Informal request. A student may ask you for accommodation without a letter. Don't make arrangements yet. Send the student to ODE first. This ensures consistency with university policies.
What's in the accommodation letter
ODE delivers letters through the portal. You will receive an email when a new letter arrives.
Each letter includes:
- Which accommodations ODE approved
- Implementation guidance
- What counts as a "fundamental alteration"
- Who to contact with questions
Responding to a letter
Students are advised to follow up with faculty after their letter has been delivered. This follow-up is for you to communicate how the accommodation will be implemented in your course.
Step 1: Review the letter
- Understand what ODE approved.
- Contact the student's access consultant with any questions (See When to contact ODE below).
Step 2: Communicate with the student
If the student hasn't contacted you, reach out first. Use this conversation to:
- Agree on how accommodation will work in your course
- Set clear expectations for communication and deadlines
- Document any agreed-upon arrangements
Step 3: Implement the accommodations
- Check the common accommodations page for guidance.
- Keep all disability-related information confidential.
When to contact ODE
Contact the student's access consultant before you act, if:
- You’re not sure how to provide an approved accommodation.
- A student asks for something not listed in their letter.
- An accommodation might conflict with essential course requirements or policies.
- You are considering denying an accommodation.
If an accommodation conflicts with a course requirement
Sometimes an accommodation may change an essential part of a course or academic standards. This is called a "fundamental alteration." If you think this applies, inform ODE and engage in the interactive process.
Step 1: Inform ODE about your concerns
Do one of the following:
- In the ODE portal, note your specific questions, concerns, and comments.
- Contact the student's access consultant directly.
Step 2: ODE reviews the concerns
The access consultant reviews your comments and the course syllabus, then consults with you. They may add notes or suggest alternative accommodations. You and the student can see these notes in the portal.
ODE may consult others (if needed)
The access consultant and assistant director may consult with relevant representatives, like the department chair, dean, and other knowledgeable administrators, to:
- Identify essential course or program requirements.
- Determine whether the requested accommodation is reasonable.
- Explore alternative accommodations that meet the same learning objectives.
Step 3: Decision notification
The access consultant or assistant director sends the decision to you, the student, and any other relevant parties. If ODE denies the requested accommodation, the notification will outline the reasons for the decision.
If the student disagrees, they can request reconsideration from the director.
Key reminders
- Do not inform the student directly that you can't provide an accommodation. Do contact the access consultant to discuss essential course requirements and explore alternative accommodations.
- Do not request disability documentation from students. Do contact the access consultant with questions.
- Do not provide accommodations ODE hasn't approved. Do consult with the access consultant if implementation challenges arise.