Letters of Accommodation
- Any student requesting disability-related accommodations should do so through Student Accessibility Services.
- Students will notify faculty of disability-related accommodations via a Letter of Accommodation provided to the student by SAS.
- Students are informed that disability-related accommodations are not retroactive.
- Letters will denote the appropriate academic accommodations that the student is legally entitled to.
- Student's may choose not to use accommodations- that's OK. It's their choice.
Confidentiality
- The faculty is not entitled to know the nature of a student's disability. Please do not ask. This may potentially put students in a very uncomfortable position.
- Any accommodation letters are to be maintained by the instructor until the conclusion of the course. Please shred accommodation letters once the student is no longer in your course.
- Letters of Accommodation should not be shared with colleagues or other staff (even those within your department). It is the student's decision with whom they share their disability information. Any questions please contact sas@buffalostate.edu.
Attendance and Grading
- Students with disabilities must meet the same academic requirements as a student without a disability, with or without accommodations.
- Disability-related accommodations cannot fundamentally alter a course requirement.
- Disability-related accommodations may utilize a creative approach in the delivery of content or assessment with the goal of "leveling the playing field" for a student with a disability. For example, A student who is blind may need to utilize assistive software for testings.
- Students should not be graded differently because they have a disability.
Attendance is always another area of uncertainty for faculty trying to accommodate students with disabilities.
- Some students may experience chronic health conditions that may affect their attendance. Please note that SAS will never issue a blanket attendance waiver. Any student struggling with a chronic disability that impacts attendance is evaluated on a case by case basis. SAS works with both student and instructor to determine how class absence has impacted their ability to complete the class requirements, and if there is a reasonable accommodation that would allow a student to continue in the course.
- Occasionally students may need to take a medical leave of absence or withdraw from a course. SAS will assist a student through this process if necessary.
If you suspect a student has a disability
- While you don't want to ask a student if they have a disability, you may encourage students to reach out to a number of support services on campus including, tutoring, the Counseling Center, Advisement, and Student Accessibility Services.
- If you are ever unsure who to approach a student who may potentially be struggling due to an undisclosed disability, please contact any of the SAS staff! We are here to help!
