Disability Services

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POLICIES and PROCEDURES

As defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, a "person with a disability" is someone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. A person is considered to be a person with a disability if s/he has the disability, has a record of the disability, or is regarded as having the disability. The University will make a "good faith" effort to provide reasonable accommodations to persons identified as having disabilities on a case by case basis.

REQUESTING ACADEMIC ACCOMODATIONS

All students with disabilities are responsible for identifying themselves as a having a disability and must request services from the Coordinator of Disability Services. 

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990...

• A person with a disability is someone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
• A person is considered to have a disability if he/she has record of the disability or is regarded as having the disability.

Disability Services is responsible for determining reasonable and appropriate accommodations and facilitating the approved accommodations for students with disabilities on a case by case basis.

PROCEDURES FOR REQUESTING AND RECEIVING ACADEMIC ACCOMODATIONS

• The student completes an Initial Intake Form (This can be picked up at our office Speert Hall 134)
• The student schedules an initial interview with Disability Services.
• Bring all disability documentation to the initial interview.
• William Paterson University requires that all students seeking accommodations provide appropriate medical documentation Disability Services to:
• Determine eligibility as a qualified individual with a disability and
• Determine appropriate academic accommodations for that student
• For general guidelines for documentation accepted by William Paterson University useful in determining and providing accommodation services, see here (link for "Guidelines For Documentation of a Specific Learning Disability At the Post Secondary Level")
• During the initial interview, a Disability Services staff member will review your educational strengths and weaknesses and any previous accommodations in order to provide individualized accommodations.
• The Disability Services Coordinator reviews the student's documentation.
• If documentation qualifies the student for accommodations, the Disability Services Coordinator prepares an Accommodation Form for the classes which the student requires accommodations.
• Disability Services emails the Accommodation Form to the student.
• The student is required to sign the Accommodation Form.
• Disability Services creates copies of the form for the student's file.
• It is the responsibility of the student to email the Accommodation Form to his/her professors and confirm receipt to discuss implementation of the accommodations.