ACCOMMODATION REQUEST
Quick Links:
SELF-IDENTIFYING AND REQUESTING ACCOMMODATIONS
PROCESS FOR REVIEWING ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS
Self-Identifying and Requesting Accommodations
Student Accessibility Services is dedicated to the provision of services, resources, and programs to facilitate equal learning and working opportunities for students with disabilities at The University of the South.
Students seeking accommodations are required to self-identify their disability and need for accommodations with Student Accessibility Services. Student Accessibility Services will not seek out students with disabilities. Students may self-identify at any point during the semester
How to Register
To be considered for accommodations, please complete and submit our SAS Intake Form with the appropriate supporting documentation to Student Accessibility Services. You are urged to submit the intake application at your earliest opportunity. Prompt submissions ensure adequate time to access and make reasonable accommodations, as some requests may need additional time to be provided. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive.
Please see the Housing Accommodations webpage for information related to the deadlines specific to requests for housing accommodations.
- Have you already used accommodations at Sewanee and are looking to request a new accommodation letter? Please click here
Documentation Guidelines
Documentation of the disability are required by SAS from students seeking accommodations. It is a vital part of the accommodation process which equips the department with the ability to make an informed decision regarding the need for accommodations and the type of accommodations that may best serve the student.
The University of the South’s documentation guidelines is guided by the recommendations of the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD). Documentation from external sources may include educational or medical records, reports, and assessments created by health care providers, mental health providers, school psychologists, or other appropriate professionals.
The required documentation may vary depending on the nature of a student’s disability. Its relevance and value are dependent on the original context, credentials of the evaluator, the level of detail provided, and the comprehensiveness of the narrative. SAS will be unable to proceed with intake unless the appropriate supporting documentation is provided. In the course of the review process, SAS may request additional documentation.
Process for Reviewing Accommodation Requests
During the intake process, the University engages in an interactive process to determine appropriate and reasonable accommodations. This process involves the office of Student Accessibility Services, the student, and the student’s treating health care provider(s).
The Office of Student Accessibility Services will review the student’s request for accommodations and the supporting documentation provided. Information submitted will be discussed during the student’s intake. When deemed necessary, Student Accessibility Services may request additional documentation from the student.
While reviewing the student’s request for accommodations, the Office of Student Accessibility Services will first determine whether the student has a disability, as defined by the Americans with Disability Act (ADA). Once disability status has been established, a determination regarding reasonable accommodations will be made and whether the student requires one or more reasonable accommodations and, if so, what those accommodations should be. In conducting the assessment, the granted accommodations will be discussed with the student and the student’s perspective on their needs will be considered. The final decision as to which accommodations may be reasonable rests with the Office of Accessibility Services. Students have the right to appeal any accommodations decision via the University’s Grievance and Appeal Process.
Accommodation Letter
Upon completion of the review process, a student who has been granted accommodations will be provided with an Accommodations Letter that describes the approved accommodations. A SAS staff member will review the letter with the student. Upon receipt of the letter, the student should schedule a meeting with their faculty to discuss the specific accommodations outlined in the letter and how they will be implemented. It is in the best interest of the student to do this early in the semester, as accommodations are not retroactive.
