Student Accessibility and Support Services Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions

WHEN SHOULD I CONTACT STUDENT ACCESSIBILITY AND SUPPORT SERVICES (SASS)?

Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact SASS as soon as possible, even before admission. Admission decisions at ESU are made without regard to disability; all prospective students are expected to present academic credentials at or above minimum standards. You are not required to tell you admissions counselor about your disability; however, your admissions counselor can easily connect you with SASS.

I HAVE A DIAGNOSIS OF _____. DOES THAT MEAN I HAVE A DISABILITY?

A diagnosis does not necessarily equal a disability. A disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life function. If your diagnosis substantially limits a major life function it may be a disability.

WILL MY IEP OR 504 PLAN TRANSFER WITH ME TO ESU?

No. IEPs and 504 Plans are specific to K-12 education. However, an IEP or 504 Plan can be used as documentation when registering with SASS. At ESU, accommodations appropriate to higher education settings will be provided to ensure you access to all the programs and services of the university.

WILL I RECEIVE THE SAME ACCOMMODATIONS I RECEIVED IN HIGH SCHOOL?

It depends. In K-12 education, accommodations are often course modifications (i.e., reducing the number of assignments in a class, changing test format, etc.). Course modifications are not provided at the college level. Accommodations are provided to ensure equal access to the course content.

DOES SASS NOTIFY MY PROFESSOR OF MY ACCOMMODATIONS EACH SEMESTER?

No. It is the student’s responsibility to share their accommodation memo with each of their professors at the beginning of the semester and discuss how the accommodations will be implemented in the class.

DO I HAVE TO DISCLOSE MY DISABILITY TO MY PROFESSORS?

No. What you tell your professors about your disability is up to you; however, discussing how your accommodations will fit into their class is important to build rapport and mutual understanding. You are not required to disclose specific details about your disability.

WHAT IF I DON’T NEED ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ALL OF MY CLASSES? CAN I JUST USE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR CERTAIN CLASSES?

Yes. Because the structure of classes differ, you may not need accommodations for all of your classes.

WHAT IF THE ACCOMMODATIONS ARE NOT WORKING OR NO LONGER NEEDED?

If your accommodations are not working, you will need to contact SASS as soon as possible to discuss adjustments to your accommodation memo. Accommodations can be revised at any point during the semester.

HOW OFTEN MUST I PROVIDE NEW DOCUMENTATION TO SASS?

Once you are registered as a student with a disability, further documentation is generally not required. However, if there are changes to your disability or you require additional accommodations that are not indicated by the original documentation, further evaluation and documentation may be requested.

WHAT CAN I DO TO ENSURE MY SUCCESS AS A STUDENT WITH A DISABILITY?

• Understand your disability.
• Advocate for your needs.
• Practice frequent communication with SASS and your professors.