Disability Services

Disability Services
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Empowering access and inclusivity: Our disability services commitment to you

At Susquehanna University, inclusivity is at the heart of our values. We welcome individuals with disabilities. We are dedicated to providing equal access, enabling you to thrive academically and socially — a commitment that is a shared responsibility among all members within our vibrant SU community.

Our devoted team at Disability Services collaborates closely with you, ensuring that reasonable and appropriate accommodations are available to support your journey through the university. Our goal is to empower you, fostering confidence, success and independence, as you grow into a stronger self-advocate.

We encourage you to explore our comprehensive range of services, and we invite you to meet with our compassionate staff. We are here to address your unique needs, ensuring that you have the support and resources necessary to excel during your time at SU.

Requesting Accommodations

STEP 1: Gather Appropriate Documentation

  • For specific guidelines on documentation, refer to the Documentation Guidelines below, and select the disability (or disabilities) that you are requesting accommodations.

STEP 2: Submit Documentation

  • Print a copy of the Healthcare Provider Form specific to the type of accommodation you are requesting and deliver or send it to your provider for completion. Healthcare Provider Forms are located on the Disability Accommodations page under Types of Accommodations in the dropdown menus. In addition to the Healthcare Provider Form, letters written on professional letterhead by your healthcare provider are also accepted if the information contained in the professional letter is comprehensive and addresses all the components contained in the Healthcare Provider Form. Notes or scripts from your provider will not be accepted as appropriate documentation. Please follow the Documentation Guidelines.
  • Attach your documentation to your completed Disability Disclosure & Request for Accommodations Form and submit.

Disability Disclosure & Request for Accommodations Form

  • Your documentation will be reviewed to determine eligibility for any accommodations. Please note that sufficient time is required to review all documentation. It is possible that you will be asked to provide additional documentation or that a consultation with an evaluator will be necessary before a decision can be made.

STEP 3: Meet with the Disability Services Office

  • Students will receive a message from the Disability Services Office, through their SU email or a text message, to schedule a meeting with a Disability Services staff member once your request for accommodations and documentation have been reviewed. During the meeting, the student and the Disability Services staff member will discuss the accommodation request.
  • Students will receive an email following the meeting, reiterating the decision made about the accommodation request and any logistics discussed at the meeting.

Documentation Guidelines

Susquehanna University students who seek accommodations based on their disability are responsible for completing an online Disability Disclosure and Request for Accommodation form and for providing appropriate supporting documentation. A student who seeks academic accommodations on the basis of a disability is responsible for obtaining the needed evaluation and resulting documentation, and for initiating contact with the Disability Services Office. Susquehanna University approaches requests for accommodations with the belief that each student’s circumstance is unique and that a flexible approach is the right way to determine appropriate accommodations.

By itself, a medical diagnosis does not establish a need or an entitlement to accommodations under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act as Amended (ADA-AA). This means that having any disorder or condition does not, by itself, lead to any conclusion under Section 504 or the ADA. Therefore, the documentation required by Susquehanna University extends beyond the medical diagnosis and encompasses the four key elements of a person’s disability status under Section 504 and the ADA. Those key elements are that:

  • the student has a physical or mental impairment
  • the impairment limits the student’s participation in a major life activity*
  • the degree of limitation is substantial, and
  • there is something that the college can do that would be reasonable, needed and predictably effective in responding to the impairment

Documentation that substantiates each of these four areas serves as a foundation that legitimizes a student’s request for appropriate accommodations. If a student seeks accommodations on the basis of more than one disability, then more than one professional may need to be involved in developing the diagnoses and other documentation. A staff member within the Office of Disability Services will review the documentation and collaborate with the student to determine reasonable and appropriate academic accommodations. The accommodations afforded to each student will be determined on an individual basis and will be based on the documentation provided.

Accompanying documentation such as IEPs or 504 plans or letters from previous educational institution’s disability office are welcomed to complement medical documentation; however, these supporting materials alone do not substantiate the need for accommodations and will not be accepted as approved documentation for a request for accommodations.

The content of IEP and 504 Plans from high schools varies greatly. A high school plan can be very helpful in determining appropriate accommodations for high school, but these plans do not always include specific recommendations for accommodations that can be implemented in the college setting or an indication of how students’ needs may have changed over time. Additionally, many IEPs and 504 Plans do not include results from a psychological or psychoeducational evaluation. Given this, students’ IEP or 504 Plan are not, in themselves, sufficient documentation to support a request for accommodations. Students who are eligible for accommodations in high school are encouraged to request an updated assessment prior to graduation from high school. Check out the difference between High School vs. College to learn more about the major differences related to accommodations and expectations.

*The Healthcare Provider Form, list examples of a “major life activity” as defined under the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. According to the ADA, “A major life activity also includes the operating of a major bodily function, including, but not limited to, functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine and reproductive functions.”

 

Appeal Process

Students who disagree with an accommodation decision may appeal the decision by submitting a written statement of appeal:

  • Academic matters: Appeal must be submitted to the Office of Disability Services and the Provost. The Provost will make a final decision.
  • Non-academic matters: Appeal must be submitted to the Director of Disability Services and the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students. The Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students will make a final decision.

An appeal must be submitted within 10 working days of the initial accommodation decision. The appeal must contain the student’s originally submitted documents, response from the Disability Services Office, and any additional information they wish to present. The student will be notified of the decision in writing, by either the Provost or the Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students, typically within 15 working days. The initial accommodation decision will remain in effect until the appeal has been reviewed and a decision rendered.

Contact Us

Disability Services

514 University Ave.
Selinsgrove, Pa. 17870

Get Directions

Location

Fisher Hall, Second Floor

Campus Map

Phone & Email

Phone: 570-372-4412
disabilityservices@vaftizo.com