Accessibility Services

Mission Statement

SUNY Morrisville is committed to providing students equal access to campus programs, services and facilities. The Accessibility Services Center (the “ASC”) will coordinate reasonable accommodations and auxiliary aids to ensure full participation for students with disabilities. Our mission is to facilitate an accessible and inclusive college environment.

Confidentiality

At SUNY Morrisville, we will treat all student information with the strictest confidentiality. In the ASC, most information is educational records and thus governed by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). We do, however, follow both FERPA and HIPAA guidelines as psychological and medical reports are submitted on occasion. Accommodation requests and supporting documentation are confidential and will not be released until the student provides written consent. Please note, as a college student, we would encourage you to offer consent to the ASC in order to share your information with appropriate parties for “comprehensive” support during your academic career.

The consent section is located in the Academic Accommodations Request Form. 

Academic Accommodations

Am I eligible?

Students with disabilities may be eligible for Academic Accommodations. Federal law, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 assures equal educational opportunities. By law, a person with a disability is someone who:

• Has a physical or mental impairment
• Has a record of such impairment or
• Is regarded as having such an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities such as self-care, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing or learning.

How do I request academic accommodations?

Students who will be requesting support services must identify themselves to the Accessibilities Services Center. To verify eligibility, documentation must be provided that clearly indicates the diagnosis of a disability. To register, please complete the following:

1. Complete the Academic Accommodations Request Form and email to the ASC at: asctesting@morrisville.edu. If you are a Norwich student, email at norwich@morrisville.edu.
2. Provide the Accessibility Services Center copies of your IEP or 504. Or provide any current medical, psychoeducational or neuropsychological documentation indicating your disability and suggested accommodations by a physician.

Notification of Academic Accommodations

Upon approval, students eligible for services/accommodations will meet with a member of the ASC Staff. We will discuss academic needs and start a working relationship to support the student throughout their academic career at SUNY Morrisville. If students fail to self-identify and/or provide adequate documentation of a disability, they will be unable to access services/accommodations. Early identification is encouraged.

Furthermore, upon approval, the ASC will create an informative email (Notification of Academic Accommodations) for each student registered with the ASC for each faculty member. This email will certify that the student has a disability, cites the circumstances for which accommodations are needed and describes the accommodations recommended by the IEP or 504. The students and faculty members will sign/date receipt of the Notifications email (returning a fillable Acknowledgement of Accommodations Notification Form via email to the ASC), hence confirming acknowledgement and good intent of fulfilling the reasonable accommodations for said student. Please note, all parties are invited to contact the ASC if there are any concerns or questions prior to signing the Acknowledgement of Accommodations Notification Form.

Once signed, Faculty will be expected to assist with the provision of accommodations when reasonable and necessary. Moreover, (it is critical) that Instructors share a brief meeting, once notified, with each student to agree on how the accommodations will be executed throughout the semester.

Note: Faculty are not expected to compromise essential elements of the course or evaluation standards. Continual evaluation and open discussion must occur between the student and Instructor to maintain approved standards of work relative to accommodations and class expectations. Should a conflict occur between the student and the Professor, the ASC is available to listen to concerns and mediate between both parties. However, we are not accountable for a student’s academic progress and/or student absences. The primary instructional relationship is between the Professor and the student, like every other student. If further action is required, a Grievance Process is available.

Furthermore, this is very important: please note that college accommodations are quite different from high school accommodations. You might be used to numerous Special Education Teachers working with you daily or Aids that work alongside you during class for comprehension. We do not offer full time aids to work with registered students daily – either in the classrooms or in housing – due to limited resources. Most colleges have the same staffing issues relative to student needs. That said, the ASC at SUNY Morrisville can only provide you with the arrangement of your Accommodations and assist you with identifying campus resources (Tutoring Services, Wellness Center, Advisors, Coaches, Counseling). Moreover, we will provide workshops to support self-advocacy development, time management, organization, study skills and test taking strategies.

What academic accommodations are available?

Once approved, common academic accommodations include:

• Extended time when testing
• Quiet, distraction free testing environment
• Note taking assistance
• Assistive technology
• Readers
• Other

Living Accommodations- ADA/Medical Single Dorm Rooms

SUNY Morrisville recognizes the importance of providing reasonable accommodations in its campus housing for students with disabilities. 

1. Please complete and return the Housing Accommodations Request Form to the Accessibility Services Center if you would like to request a single and/or other accommodative item.
2. Please complete and return the Housing Medical Provider Form to the Accessibility Services Center. The purpose of this form is to provide the housing committee with information regarding the nature and severity of your disability, as well as the reason  a single room is needed to provide you with equal access to the campus experience. This form must be completed by a licensed practitioner that is currently treating you, and has a good understanding of your disability.  Please be sure to provide a 'wet' signature on the front page of the form. A typed name will not be accepted.
3. Provide any additional documentation that provide evidence of the nature of your disability and your needs such as an IEP or 504 Plan.
4. Once the housing committee receives your documentation, your request will be reviewed and an ASC staff member will reach out to you with a decision letter. The housing committee is a group of campus professional staff that have knowledge and background regarding disabilities, residence life, and student life. 

**Residential Life will do everything possible to accommodate your request. However, based on demand and resources, we might be unable to fulfill your requests. Please work with the Residential Life Staff and/or the Director, if necessary, to fulfill your housing accommodations.

Emotional Support Animals

If you are seeking to have an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) in your residence, you are required to submit/email all required paperwork to the ASC at asctesting@morrisville.edu:

1. Please complete and return the Emotional Support Animal Request Form. Be sure to complete all sections and have your veterinarian and licensed practitioner complete their corresponding sections. License numbers and signatures are required.
2. Please have your licensed practitioner also complete the ESA Medical Provider Form. For ESAs, your provider is typically a therapist who has an established relationship with you, meaning you have met with them more than just once or twice, and they have a good understanding of the nature of your disability. Be sure that:
   1. Your provider describes clearly the reason that an ESA will provide you equal access in the campus environment. ***ESAs are only allowed in dorm buildings***
   2. YOU (the student) provide a wet signature on the first page of this form. Typed names will not be accepted.
3. Provide a copy of the animal's current vaccination record. The animal must have an up to date rabies vaccination.
4. Provide a color photo of the animal.

Upon receipt of all documentation, the ESA committee will review your request and reach out to you with a response letter. If the committee needs additional information to make a decision, the information will be requested from the student and will be considered if provided. 

BEFORE AN ANIMAL IS BROUGHT TO CAMPUS:

5. If the committee approves the ESA request, the student must meet with the ASC in person to underscore the responsibilities as an ESA owner and sign the ESA Agreement Form. If there will be roommates in the dorm, a Roommate Consent Form must be completed and signed by all roommates living with the animal. 

Note: Emotional support animals are not allowed in campus housing until the request is officially approved and all the steps of the ESA policy and procedures are completed. An official approval email will be sent when all necessary steps have been completed.

Beware of letter mills online that claim 'guaranteed approval of your ESA' for a cost. These companies may promise licensed providers and evaluation, however, these companies often do not provide an established relationship with the client. ESA certificates or letters of this nature will not be accepted as documentation by the ESA committee. 

Dining Accommodations

Dining accommodations provide students with food allergies or dietary restrictions with equal access to food services. If you are requesting dining accommodations please complete the following steps:

1. Complete and return a Dining Request Form to asctesting@morrisville.edu
2. Complete and return Medical Provider Form
3. Provide any other supporting documentation from your doctor or allergist that describes your needs.

The following are links for more information regarding dining on-campus:

• Dining
• Special Services
• diningservices@morrisville.edu 

Temporary Accommodations

If you have sustained a temporary injury and need academic and/or physical support services, please note the following:

• Temporary injuries do not qualify as disabilities and are not covered by the ADA. However, SUNY Morrisville will work with students who have sustained a temporary injury by granting limited temporary accommodations for up to one semester at a time.
• Examples of temporary accommodations may include: having an accessible desk in a classroom versus a standard desk based on injury; extended time on exams; scribe for a hand injury or temporary use of an elevator key, etc.

If you are seeking Temporary Accommodations, please contact the ASC at 315.684.6349 or if attending the Norwich campus, call 607-334-5144 ext. 5055. You will need to complete a Temporary Accommodations Request Form for the temporary services plus medical documentation. Or, if an NCAA student athlete, have the Athletic Department Training Room forward the ASC their in-house form.

What if I am undocumented with a disability but feel I need services?

There are many reasons why students arrive to college and have not been officially documented. You want to give yourself the best chance to be successful, so we commend you for advocating for yourself and asking for questions. Based on your prior experiences, you might have noticed that you are struggling when testing; cannot focus; have difficulty reading exam questions; have performed poorly in math and/or writing throughout high school, etc. We are here to help!

Please contact the staff at:

• The Morrisville Campus: call 315.684.6349; email us at asctesting@morrisville.edu. Or just drop in at 202 Butcher Library!
• The Norwich campus: call 607.334.5144 ext. 5055 or email at: norwich@morrisville.edu

To determine if you qualify for Academic Accommodations, the process will be to:

1. Assess your history and symptoms through a meeting with the ASC
2. If you are deemed to require further assessment, the ASC will work with you regarding testing with an appropriate department for a final diagnosis.

In the meantime, the ASC will do whatever we can to assist you regarding your educational pursuits.

NVRA Voter Registration

The Office of Accessibility Services is a National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) voter registration site. For more information, please visit their website.