FAQ

1. Who is eligible for accommodations?

Students are encouraged to talk to a member of Student Access and Accommodation Services if they have questions regarding their eligibility to receive accommodations.

2. Who do I contact with questions?

Students may contact Erica Stubblefield, Assistant Director, Center for Student Success via email at Erica_Stubblefield@bshsi.org or phone at 804-627-5303.

3. Do I need to inform my professors of my accommodations?

No, after the intake meeting the staff of Student Access and Accommodation Services will work with faculty and staff to facilitate implementation of accommodations. It is the responsibility of the student to contact Student Access and Accommodation Services with all questions or concerns.

4. What about confidentiality?

Student disclosure of a disability is voluntary. Information pertaining to an applicant’s or student’s disability will be shared only among those in Administration who have a need to know in order to evaluate and facilitate the request for reasonable accommodation and the applicant’s or student’s qualifications. Student accommodations are only shared with faculty who will teach the student and administrators/staff as needed for appropriate implementation. The institution considers disability-related information as confidential material and will protect it in accordance with the Family Educational Rights to Privacy Act (FERPA). Information will not be released unless:

• The student provides written authorization;

• The information is required by law;

• The information is needed in order to assist the student with an educationally related issue

5. As a student seeking assistance with accommodations, what am I responsible for in the process?

1. Contacting Student Access and Accommodation Services, self-disclosure, completing the request form for accommodation.
2. Providing complete, adequate and current documentation from an appropriately qualified professional regarding the condition and accommodation. Students are responsible for costs associated with obtaining the appropriate documentation.
3. Notifying Student Access and Accommodation Services of accommodation requests as soon as possible to support the timely implementation of accommodations, if approved. While we recommend that requests for accommodation are submitted prior to the beginning of the semester, accommodation requests can be made and will be considered at any time. An average turnaround time is up to two weeks.
4. Note that granted accommodations are not effective retroactively so a student will not be able to retake exams or redo assignments that were originally completed before he or she asked for and received an accommodation.

 

6. What does a review of documentation involve?

1. All documentation will be reviewed on an individual, case-by-case basis. This calls for an individualized inquiry that examines the impact of a disability on the individual within the specific context of the request for accommodations.
2. Determination of accommodations is an interactive process. Student Access and Accommodation Services may contact the evaluator, as necessary and with the student’s permission, for clarification of any information (tests results, conclusions, recommendations, etc.) contained in the documentation. An intake meeting with the student will be conducted in order to inquire about the disability, understand its impacts and identify appropriate accommodations. The institution and the individual with a disability will determine appropriate accommodations.
3. Documentation of a specific disability does not translate directly into specific accommodations. Reasonable accommodations are individually determined and based on the functional impact of the condition and its likely interaction with the environment. As such, accommodations may vary from individual to individual with the “same” disability diagnosis and from environment to environment for the same individual.