Important University-Wide Announcements

  • Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

    UConn is committed to providing students with disabilities equal access to educational opportunities. To accomplish this, UConn grants to students with documented disabilities reasonable and appropriate accommodations, which are academic adjustments or modifications made to elements of a student’s postsecondary program. The Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) is vested by the University with the authority to engage in an interactive process with each student and determine appropriate accommodations on an individualized, case-by-case, class-by-class basis. This practice is in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as amended (2008), which provides that no qualified person will be denied access to, participation in, or the benefits of, any program or activity operated by the University because of a disability.

    Students seeking an accommodation must register online with the CSD via MyAccess  and provide appropriate documentation that establishes the need for an accommodation. Students should refer to the Documentation Guidelines for further information regarding appropriate documentation. Information regarding accommodations is also available through the CSD website at csd.uconn.edu or individuals may contact the CSD at 860-486-2020 or csd@uconn.edu for further information or assistance.  

    In general:

    • Any student with a documented disability may be eligible to receive reasonable and appropriate accommodations;
    • In order to be granted accommodations, a student must contact the CSD and provide documentation which describes the disability or disabilities and identifies necessary accommodations;
    • The purpose of academic adjustments, auxiliary aids and services, and/or modifications, known collectively as accommodations, is to reduce or eliminate any disadvantages that may exist because of an individual’s disability;
    • Faculty, instructors, lecturers, adjunct faculty, teaching assistants and graduate assistants (Teaching Professionals), may not refuse to provide accommodations approved by the CSD;
    • Accommodations cannot guarantee success, but rather seek to promote non-discrimination and equal access opportunities;
    • Accommodations are not merely student preferences; rather they are determined through an established interactive process between the student and the CSD based on documentation received regarding the functional limitations resulting from a student’s disability;
    • Teaching Professionals should not provide academic accommodations to a student without receiving notification from the CSD identifying the accommodations approved for the student.  If a student requests accommodations and a Teaching Professional has not received notification of approved accommodations from the CSD, the Teaching Professional should refer the student to the CSD.  A Teaching Professional should also include a statement regarding accommodations in each course syllabus.  For an example, please go to http://csd.uconn.edu/teaching-students-with-disabilities/
    • The law does not require that higher education institutions waive specific courses or other academic requirements considered essential to completion of a particular program or degree. Rather, institutions are required to consider requests to modify program requirements on a case-by-case basis, to provide a student with a disability an equal opportunity to complete that program or degree.

    Upon a student’s accommodation request being approved by the CSD, the faculty of record will receive an email from the CSD  indicating the approved accommodations along with information on how to log into the instructor portal in MyAccess where the accommodation letter can be viewed detailing the approved accommodations. The faculty of record is responsible to ensure that all Teaching Professionals associated with the course are informed of a student’s approved accommodation(s).  Teaching Professionals associated with a course must also be added as instructors in the Student Administration (PeopleSoft) system so they can access accommodation letters relating to students in their classes/sections.

    The CSD collaborates with students and Teaching Professionals to coordinate approved accommodations and services.  While Teaching Professionals may have input into the means of implementing an approved accommodation, they may not refuse to provide accommodations approved by the CSD.  If a Teaching Professional believes that an approved accommodation constitutes a fundamental alteration of the class objectives or program technical standards, then the Teaching Professional should contact the student’s Disability Service Provider identified in the accommodation letter immediately.  The Teaching Professional should be prepared to explain to the CSD the basis for believing that the approved accommodation constitutes a fundamental alteration of the class objectives or program technical standards.

    Because failure to provide a necessary accommodation may deprive a student equal access to an educational program, it is important that any objection to implementation of an approved accommodation be communicated to the CSD as soon as possible.  The accommodation as approved by the CSD should be implemented while working toward resolution of the objection.   If the CSD agrees that the accommodation as approved would constitute a fundamental alteration of the class objectives or program technical standards, then CSD will work with the student and Teaching Professional in an effort to achieve a suitable resolution.  Teaching professionals may also refer to the procedure for raising concerns regarding approved academic accommodations available at https://csd.uconn.edu/rights-and-responsibilities/

    Please refer to the CSD website at csd.uconn.edu, specifically faculty resources and instructional strategies, for additional information. 

    Contact the Office of Institutional Equity if you have any questions or concerns regarding this post.

    For more information, contact: Office of Institutional Equity at 860-486-2943 or equity@uconn.edu