Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities

Welcome! We’re ready to help you set up your accommodations.

Alverno's commitment to an inclusive and equitable campus community includes students with disabilities, whether those are permanent or temporary. 

The Student Accessibility Office, housed within Instructional Services, is the centralized campus resource that helps to set up and determine reasonable accommodations and to ensure fair and equitable access to your Alverno education in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the ADA Amendments Act. 

Find Student Accessibility Coordinator Tasia Hicks in FO 411 or by email at Tasia.Hicks@alverno.edu. 

Types of Disabilities that May Qualify for Accommodations 

• Mental health needs (emotional management, anxiety, depression, and some forms of neurodiversity)
• Learning needs (executive functioning, memory, attention, and some forms of neurodiversity)
• Physical needs (sensory loss or impairment, mobility needs)
• Temporary disabilities (pregnancy-related health limitations, acute injuries)

APPLYING FOR ACCOMMODATIONS

How to Request Disability-Related Accommodations

Step 1: Apply via Blaze. You can click here:

 https://alverno.pharos360.com/login.php?service=/index.php?

Or, you may access your Blaze account through Moodle by clicking on the “Student Links” menu at the top of the home page and then clicking “Blaze.”

Once you are in Blaze, you will see this menu:

Click on the highlighted red and white “Ask for help” icon, and you will see the following drop-down menu:

 

You will click on the highlighted “Student Accessibility Application” and follow the on-screen prompts. 

Step 2: Meet with Student Accessibility Coordinator

Once your application is submitted, and the accompanying documentation has been provided, the coordinator will reach out to set up a meeting with you. At this meeting, a discussion will occur between you and the coordinator. This is your opportunity to discuss your needs, add information from your perspective, and actively participate in formulating your accommodations. 

Problems filling out this application? Please contact the Student Accessibility Coordinator or go to the main Instructional Services Office in FO 405. We can help!

Questions and Answers about Student Accommodations 

Whose job is it to get me accommodations?

Ultimately, accommodations are a collaboration between the student, Accessibility professionals, and instructors. However, students need to initiate the process and actively participate in the implementation of accommodations. This may be different than systems you experienced before (especially if you are coming to Alverno from a high school environment). We’ll explain more specifics below.

 As an adult student with privacy rights,

• You must refer yourself to the Student Accessibility Coordinator for services and complete the official process as directed. 
• If you want to use accommodations for a class, you must tell us to release your memo to that instructor. We cannot automatically release your private information to instructors without your specific permission! 
• Once you release the memo to an instructor, it is your responsibility to set a meeting with your instructor or send an email to discuss how the accommodations will work in that specific class. Not all accommodations on your memo will apply to every class, so your involvement is required.
• Please be aware that you may not necessarily get accommodations in your preferred way (for example, your instructors are not required to allow you to retake assessments or to change course outcomes for you).

 In brief, we will gladly support you and advocate for you, but you are required to take charge of your own accommodations. If you have questions or need guidance, just contact us. We’re here for you.

What if I would rather set up accommodations with my instructor instead of going through the Student Accessibility office?

Instructors are not required to fulfill accommodations that are not officially established through the Alverno College Student Accessibility Coordinator. In fact, they are instructed not to do so.

You should NOT be asked or required to share disability-related information with anyone except the Student Accessibility Coordinator. Your diagnosis is private. Think carefully  before revealing it, even if you are asked.

What if I’m already diagnosed and want to set up accommodations?

Easy! You need to “self-identify” your disability to us and request accommodations by filling out an application (see instructions below). You may have had an IEP or 504 plan in the past, or you may have recently been diagnosed with a learning or mental health disorder. Submitting this documentation to the Student Accessibility Coordinator will help us to get started.

What if I don’t have a diagnosis yet but think that I may need accommodations?

We would be happy to meet with you to work on a plan to determine your need for accommodations and advise you on how to get the proper official documentation.

How long does it take to set up my accommodations once I submit my documentation?

We will make every effort to respond to requests from incoming and current students quickly; however, accommodations can take time and coordination to provide, and there is no guarantee they can be provided with late notice. Come to us as soon as you can! We’ll be here to help.

What are the criteria for acceptable documentation?

Appropriate documentation should come from a qualified professional who is unrelated to the student and licensed in the field related to the disability condition. Documentation should be presented on the provider’s professional letterhead and contain statements identifying:

• The specific diagnosed condition that relates to the need for accommodation
• A statement of the major life functions that are impaired by this condition
• The extent of the impact (moderate to severe)
• An explanation for how functioning within an academic program is impacted
• Suggestions for accommodations that may mitigate the effects of a student disability
• For specific criteria related to Emotional Support and Service Animals, please see Emotional Support Animals & Service Animals below

The Student Accessibility Coordinator will take the recommendations into consideration and help translate them into accommodations appropriate for your needs at Alverno.

What specific types of documentation are acceptable?

• Official visit summary from a doctor/clinician that includes diagnosis
• Neuropsychological assessment
• Individual Education Plan (IEP)
• 504 Plan
• Psycho-educational evaluation / psychometric test results from general measures of aptitude and academic achievement
• Psychological evaluation (developmental or learning disorder diagnoses)
• Audiogram
• Vision screening results
• Other information from a qualified healthcare provider that can provide insight into your needs and/or provide support for any requested accommodations

Note: External agencies who administer standardized tests as part of licensure may have different, more stringent documentation guidelines than Alverno College. Students may need to supply additional documentation for any certification or licensure test they plan to take in the future.

If I get formal accommodations set up, does that mean that I get to retake assessments that I did not pass before my accommodations were set up?

No. Accommodations don’t work backwards.You need to go through the process with us, release your memo to instructors who teach classes where you want to use the accommodations, and talk about the accommodations with your instructor. 

However, you NEVER need to reveal your diagnosis to anyone but the Student Accessibility Coordinator, even if someone else asks you.

Is there any way I can get accommodations before my documentation is complete?

We may be able to help you to set up temporary accommodations while the college engages in an interactive process to determine whether ongoing accommodation is appropriate and, if so, which reasonable accommodations are needed. 

Temporary accommodations are just that: temporary. They do not reflect a determination that ongoing accommodations will be granted and/or which reasonable accommodations are appropriate. They also do not create an obligation on the part of Alverno to continue accommodation if appropriate documentation is not provided to us officially.

What do I do once my accommodations are approved?

After meeting with the Student Accessibility Coordinator, a memo will be created in Blaze. A copy will be provided to you and your advisor. The Accessibility office will also send a copy to instructors who you choose. You may tell us to approve or revoke any instructor’s access to your memo at any time.

The memo is not distributed to any instructor without your direct request in order to protect your privacy. The memo will NOT include your private diagnosis, but it will include a list of approved and documented accommodations.

It is important to note that this is a dynamic, collaborative process between you and those you have chosen to share your accommodations with. It will be your ongoing responsibility to communicate with your instructors regarding the implementation of your accommodations. 

What if I feel my accommodations are not being honored?

Alert the Student Accessibility Coordinator as soon as possible if accommodations are not provided or do not meet your needs.

Accommodations are a collaborative effort between students, instructors, and professionals in the Accessibility office.

If you have attempted resolution of any concerns with the Student Accessibility Coordinator and still feel the situation is unresolved, you may utilize the Bias Incident Protocol. 

Potential Accommodations

Academic Accommodations

We will develop a custom accommodation plan for you that may include:

• Alternative text formats (document conversion, large print, audio)
• Alternative testing (extended time, different environment)
• Note taking support
• Recording class sessions
• Laboratory assistance

This is not an exhaustive list. Please discuss other possibilities with the Student Accessibility Coordinator

Non-Academic Accommodations

We will develop a custom accommodation plan for each student that may include:

• Emotional Support Animal
• Service Animal
• Dining accommodations
• Residential accommodations
• Parking accommodations

This is not an exhaustive list…please discuss other possibilities with the Student Accessibility Coordinator

Facility Access

Any student requiring physical access or facility accommodation should contact the Student Accessibility Coordinator as soon as possible to make a request. Some possible examples include preferential seating, accessible classrooms, elevator access, etc.

Accessible parking is available on campus. For information, click this parking page.

Pregnancy and Parenting

Your Title IX services begin when you notify the Title IX Coordinator, Jason Pilarski (Jason.Pilarski@alverno.edu) to request services. 

Under Title IX, you have the right to continue your education activities regardless of pregnancy, childbirth, or pregnancy termination-related conditions. This includes school sponsored internships, clinics, lab work, athletics and extracurricular activities. 

Harassment or intimidation because of a pregnancy-related condition is sex discrimination in violation of Title IX and is illegal. Alverno’s Title IX Policy can be reviewed by clicking this link: https://catalog.alverno.edu/collegepolicies/studentnon-academicpolicies/pregnant-parenting/

Students wanting to request accommodations related to their pregnancy should contact the Student Accessibility Coordinator, who will engage in an interactive discussion with the student and other need-to-know personnel (such as the Title IX coordinator, Jason Pilarski, Jason.Pilarski@alverno.edu) regarding requests.

Emotional Support Animals & Service Animals

Information about Alverno’s policy regarding animals on campus can be viewed by clicking here: https://catalog.alverno.edu/collegepolicies/studentnon-academicpolicies/esa-animals/

Alverno College permits the presence of an emotional support animal (ESA) in the residence hall room of qualified students with disabilities.

1. Fill out the accommodations application via Blaze, as described above.
2. Submit documentation to the Student Accessibility Coordinator in support of your request. Documentation from provider must include:
   1. A mental health diagnosis requiring accommodation.
   2. A description of how current symptoms impact your ability to access or enjoy living in the residence halls. 
   3. Identify and describe the species and size of the animal, and note that the provider has discussed with you the appropriateness of the animal in this setting.
   4. Describe how the animal’s presence will alleviate your symptoms in this setting.
3. Once your documentation has been reviewed and accepted, you will be contacted by the Student Accessibility Coordinator to discuss the expectations of your animal. You will also be asked to fill out and sign an agreement about those expectations. 
4. If you have a roommate, you will need to discuss the presence of your ESA, and they will need to sign a roommate acknowledgement agreement.
5. You will need to provide a copy of your animal’s up-to-date vaccinations. Please collaborate with your veterinarian for what core vaccinations are expected as a minimum for your specific breed of animal. 

If you are a student registered for a science lab,and wish to bring your animal into the lab, it may be necessary to make arrangements to keep your animal as well as others in lab safe. Click here to view the Alverno Service Animals In Laboratory Settings Guidelines: Alverno Service Animals In Laboratory Settings Guidelines

While it is not required, the Student Accessibility Coordinator is available to help you communicate with members of the Alverno Community about your service animal. Click here for information to share with others about your animal: Service animal information and etiquette.

Contact

Tasia Hicks

Student Accessibility Coordinator
P: 414-382-6026
F: 414-382-6354
Office: FO411
Tasia.Hicks@alverno.edu
StudentAccessibility@alverno.edu

Want to learn more about accessibility during your time in college?

• Link: Access versus Success
• Link: College Policies: Student Non-Academic Policies; Pregnant- Parenting
• Link: Differences between High School and College