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ODE

Roles and responsibilities for accommodations – Interactive Process 

Reasonable accommodations work best through the interactive process - an ongoing, good-faith dialogue among students, faculty, and the Office for Disability Equity (ODE). This partnership focuses on removing barriers while protecting UM’s academic standards and meeting the university’s legal and ethical obligations. Below is what each role contributes. 

Students

Students are active participants in the process. Stay engaged by: 

  • Registering with ODE. Contact ODE and schedule an initial meeting with an access consultant. 
  • Sharing your information. Provide ODE with necessary information, which may include documentation describing barriers related to your disability. 
  • Submitting a Semester Request on time. Submit a Semester Request in the ODE portal, which sends your accommodation letter to faculty for the semester.  
  • Connecting with faculty early. Contact faculty promptly to discuss how your approved accommodations will work in their course. Accommodations are not retroactive. 
  • Communicating early. Inform your access consultant promptly if an accommodation is not working or if you require a new one. 

Faculty 

Faculty bring course expertise and help implement approved accommodations by: 

  • 
Collaborating on implementation. Work with the student and ODE to put the accommodation letter into practice. 
  • Acting promptly and consistently. Apply accommodations without delay and consistently throughout the semester. 
  • Sharing course expertise. Help ODE understand the essential components of your course or program. 
  • Upholding academic standards. Accommodations change how students access learning, not the standards they must meet. 
  • Responding to ODE. Reply promptly to requests for information or collaboration. 
  • Raising questions early. Contact the student’s access consultant with any concerns, especially if an accommodation might fundamentally alter your course. 

Office for Disability Equity

ODE determines eligibility and supports students and faculty throughout the process by: 
 

  • Reviewing requests. Evaluate requests and documentation to determine eligibility.  
  • Identifying accommodations. Determine reasonable accommodations that reduce barriers without changing essential course or program requirements. 
  • Issuing accommodation letters. Review the student’s Semester Request and issue the accommodation letter to faculty through the ODE portal. 
  • Collaborating for access. Work with students, faculty, and departments to identify barriers, understand course requirements, and support implementation. 
  • Handling complex cases. Consult with faculty when an accommodation may fundamentally alter a course or create an undue burden and explore alternatives. 
  • Providing support. Assist students with additional requests or implementation concerns.