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The SMU policy on student disabilities (to be included on all course syllabi) states:
Disability Accommodations: Students needing academic accommodations for a disability must first contact Ms. Rebecca Marin, Coordinator, Services for Students with Disabilities (214-768-4557), to verify the disability and establish eligibility for accommodations. They should then schedule an appointment with the professor to make appropriate arrangements.
A separate communication from the Provost also directs the faculty to consider confidential all such accommodations to not disclose them to other individuals.
Rules of the road:
- The federal requirement for accommodations comes from Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
- A student must request an accommodation from the SMU Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (OSSD) and provide documentation of a disability (for details see: “Guidelines for documentation of a learning disability”)
- If the OSSD establishes eligibility, they will write a letter on SMU letterhead requesting an appropriate accommodation (for details see: “Establishing Eligibility and General Guidelines for Documentation”). Such requested accommodations may include extra time on timed exams (typically 50% additional time).
For an instructor:
- A student requesting an accommodation must present the instructor with a letter from the OSSD.
- An accommodation involves a meeting of the minds between the instructor and the student. If the instructor agrees that the requested accommodation is reasonable, then it should be implemented. If the instructor does not, the accommodation should be negotiated, perhaps with the help of the OSSD. If the instructor decides that an accommodation is not warranted, he or she may be asked to justify this in writing.
- Faculty do not have to lower their teaching standards nor the nature of what they are doing in providing an accommodation
- Faculty will find it helpful to ask the accommodated student how they would like inquiries from classmates to be handled.
- If possible, the instructor should not disclose accommodations to other individuals. For example, the student may be scheduled to take an exam in another room.
- If other students ask why classmate X is receiving special treatment, either (a) handle it per the accommodated student’s request, per above or (b) do not discuss the matter with them. OSSD suggests saying only: “There is a good reason for what is happening, but I am not able to discuss the details of that with you. If you are concerned about what may appear to you to be unfair circumstances, I assure you that every student in this class is being afforded a fair and equal opportunity.”
Further information: Quick facts
(Written by R. Barr, in consultation with C. Weber, SMU Legal, and R. Marin, OSSD)
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