Disability Services

How to Access Academic Accommodations

• Complete the Initial Request for Accommodations Form and Upload documentation.
  • This form provides DSO staff with information about your disability and how it impacts you. Include as much detail as possible.
  • The form will include a place to upload documentation.
• Students submit documentation from a licensed medical provider.
  • While all students who request accommodations are asked to submit documentation it is only one part of the interactive process. DSO staff will work with students to determine individualized accommodations using both documentation and insight shared by the student during the Intake Interview.
  • Disability-related documentation should provide information on the functional impact of the disability so that effective accommodations can be identified. Criteria for the source, scope and content of documentation differs by disability type. Documentation may include assessments, reports, and/or letters from qualified evaluators, professionals, or institutions. Further information about documentation requirements can be found here: Documentation Guidelines
• Schedule your intake appointment.
  • Once the request and documentation is reviewed, students will receive a notification and instructions for scheduling an intake appointment via the Accommodate system. (How to schedule an appointment in Accommodate)
• Attend your intake appointment.
  • The student and DSO staff will engage in an interactive process which includes review of documentation, the student’s perspective on the impact of their disability and requested accommodations.
• Accommodation approval:
  • DSO staff will engage with the student to determine appropriate and reasonable accommodations, tailored to the student’s individual needs. Accommodations are intended to address access barriers due to the functional limitations of a diagnosed disability. While medical providers may provide recommendations for accommodations, the DSO has a right to approve or deny accommodation requests.
  • Students may be asked to provide further documentation to support their accommodation request. Specifics can be discussed during the intake appointment.
  • DSO staff may need to engage with faculty to determine if specific accommodations are reasonable within a specific class or program.
  • Accommodations which fundamentally alter the nature of a course or academic program are not considered reasonable or appropriate.
• Notifications (Upon accommodation approval):
  • Students receive an official notification of their approved accommodations via the Accommodate system. Students should log into Accommodate to review their approved accommodations and related information.
  • Faculty receive an accommodation letter which notifies them of the student’s approved accommodations.
• Communication:
  • Students and Faculty should communicate about the approved accommodations and establish a plan for how they will be used in each class.
  • Students and Faculty should reach out to the DSO if there are any questions or concerns about accommodations or implementation.
• Please review Implementing Your Accommodations for additional information about using your accommodations each semester.

Accessing Non-Academic Accommodations

• Housing & Dining Accommodations: Requests for medical singles, Emotional Support Animals, or meal plan modifications require documentation that establishes a direct nexus between the disability and the specific housing/dining need.
• Medical Singles: Documentation should include a description of the disability-related access barrier(s) that substantially limit the student’s ability to access university housing or the educational environment.
• Emotional Support Animals: Documentation must indicate how the ESA is necessary, because of the student’s disability, to access university housing and/or the academic environment and a description of the preexisting relationship between student and the specific animal that is being requested, along with the therapeutic support that the specific animal provides.
• Please see the University’s Emotional Support Animal Policy for further details.
• On-Campus Residential Parking: Students residing on campus are generally not permitted to obtain an on-campus parking permit. Exceptions are made only through the DSO for students with valid, documented medical needs or mobility impairments. Documentation must explicitly state why the student requires a vehicle on campus to manage their disability.

Important Timelines:

• Timely Notice: Students are encouraged to submit requests 6-8 weeks before the start of the semester. While requests are accepted year-round, accommodations are not retroactive.
• Academic Accommodations: To ensure accommodations are in place for the start of the Fall semester, students should submit requests no later than August 1st. This will allow sufficient time to complete the interactive process prior to the start of classes.
• Intake Appointment Availability: Intake appointments are typically available within 1-2 weeks of scheduling. Longer wait times are possible at the start of the semester (August & January) and other high volume times.

1. Log into the Accommodate Portal using your Carlow username and password.
2. Select the “Appointments” tab on the menu on the left side of the screen.
3. Select “Request new appointment”
   • For Type, choose the proper appointment type
   • For Location, choose “In-person” or “Remote”
   • For Counselor, you may leave blank or choose the name of a specific person
   • Ignore the rest of the fields
4. Click “Check Availability” in purple at the bottom of the screen.
   • This will load available times for appointments.
   
5. Review the availability options and click on the appointment you’d like to request.
6. Review the appointment details and add information under “Additional Notes” to help DSO staff prepare for your appointment.
7. Click “Submit Request”
8. Once your appointment request has been approved, you will receive a follow up email confirming the date and time and a link for virtual appointments.

Carlow University makes every reasonable effort to provide qualified applicants and students with disabilities with the opportunity to take full advantage of its programs, activities, services and facilities. The Disability Services Office (DSO) supports this commitment by arranging reasonable accommodations tailored to individual needs.

When students seek accommodations, the Disability Services Office must determine 1) if the student’s physical or mental health condition qualifies as a disability, 2) the barriers and impacts the student experiences related to the disability, and 3) the level and severity of the impacts.

Documentation is only one part of the interactive process during which accommodations will be determined. DSO staff will work with students to determine individualized accommodations using both documentation and insight shared by the student during the Intake Interview.

General Documentation Guidelines

• Documentation must provided by a professional licensed to diagnose and/or treat the indicated disability and/or impact.
• Documentation must be up-to-date and reflect the current status of the student’s disability and functional limitations. Note: documentation that is five years old or more often does not meet this requirement.
• Documentation must describe the treatment relationship between the student and medical or mental health provider (e.g. how long the provider has treated the student, frequency of treatment visits, primary goals of treatment, etc.).
• Documentation must describe in detail how the student’s disability impacts the student and substantially limits the student’s ability to engage in one or more major life activities, as well as its impact on participation in academics and/or other aspects of campus life.
• The documentation provided cannot be from a family member or someone with a personal relationship with the student or the student’s family.
• If the initial documentation is incomplete or inadequate, Disability Services has the discretion to require additional documentation.
• The Disability Verification Form serves as one option for providing the necessary information. Alternatively, a student can submit a letter on their healthcare professional’s letterhead that provides the above information and is signed and dated by the professional.
  Disability Verification Form (PDF, opens in a new tab)
• While medical providers may provide recommendations for accommodations, the Disability Services Office retains the right to determine what accommodations are reasonable and appropriate within the technical and academic requirements of a student’s program at Carlow University.

Category-Specific Documentation Guidance

Criteria for the source, scope and content of documentation differs by disability type. The below information is intended to provide students with a starting point for obtaining adequate documentation.

• Learning Disabilities (LD): Documentation should include a comprehensive neuropsychological or psychoeducational evaluation. This should include measures of aptitude (e.g., WAIS-IV) and achievement (e.g., WJ-IV) with all standardized subtest scores included, if possible.
• ADHD: Documentation should describe the history of symptoms, the specific diagnostic criteria met, and the current impact on executive functioning or attention in an academic environment.
• Psychological Disabilities: A report from a mental health professional outlining the diagnosis, severity, stability of the condition, and any side effects of medication that may impact learning.
• Chronic Health or Physical Disabilities: A letter from a treating specialist detailing the diagnosis, the expected duration (permanent or temporary), and the frequency or triggers of “flare-ups” that may require flexibility.

Non-Academic Accommodations

• Housing & Dining Accommodations: Requests for medical singles, Emotional Support Animals, or meal plan modifications require documentation that establishes a direct nexus between the disability and the specific housing/dining need.
• Medical Singles: Documentation should include a description of the disability-related access barrier(s) that substantially limit the student’s ability to access university housing or the educational environment.
• Emotional Support Animals: Documentation must indicate how the ESA is necessary, because of the student’s disability, to access university housing and/or the academic environment and a description of the preexisting relationship between student and the specific animal that is being requested, along with the therapeutic support that the specific animal provides.
• Please see the University’s Emotional Support Animal Policy for further details.
• On-Campus Residential Parking: Students residing on campus are generally not permitted to obtain an on-campus parking permit. Exceptions are made only through the DSO for students with valid, documented medical needs or mobility impairments. Documentation must explicitly state why the student requires a vehicle on campus to manage their disability.

Referrals for Assessment

Disability Services does not perform psychological or neuropsychological evaluations. If you are having difficulty obtaining documentation or connecting with a provider, please contact us at DSO@carlow.edu. We may be able to refer you for an assessment through our campus resources at no cost to you.

The following assistive technology is available for our students.

• Sensus Access and Document Conversion
• Read and Write Gold
• DSO Guides on Assistive Technology
• Microsoft AT Quick Start Guides

Document Conversion

You can easily convert documents to an alternative, accessible format with SensusAccess. The use of SensusAccess requires a “carlow.edu” email address. If you need help, watch this video.

Carlow University references several sources in making adjustments to provide for the needs of students with disabilities. They include:

• Policy Regarding Reasonable Accommodations
• Reasonable Accommodation Determination Process
• Emotional Support Animal Policy

Reasonable Accommodation Determination Process

What is the Purpose of the Disability Accommodation Process?

The purpose of the disability accommodation process is to ensure a student is not discriminated against solely on the basis of disability and has the same level of access to Carlow University as their nondisabled peers. The goal is equal access and equal opportunity, not to facilitate a specific accommodation.

Of note, accommodations in K–12 environments may reduce standards and expectations to promote academic success because success is central to the K–12 accommodation process. In college, the process is substantially different. The fundamental baseline of college accommodations is equal access and opportunity relative to other students.

How are Reasonable Accommodation Decisions Made?

The Disability Services Office facilitates an interactive process to understand a student’s academic and/or housing experiences and how any accommodations requested may be necessary to ensure nondiscrimination and equal access and opportunity. The goal is to remove an institutional barrier created by the college environment. Every request for accommodation is explored on an individualized, case-by-case basis in which facts and relevant information are gathered. The process may be brief or involve a series of communication exchanges, depending on the nature of the request.

Disability Services relies on the following information to make informed decisions:

• Student narrative/history
• Third-party documentation from a qualified medical/health/counseling provider
• Consultation with other members of the campus community, when necessary

What is the role of third-party documentation in determining reasonable accommodations?

Documentation serves two purposes:

1. To establish that a student has a disability.
2. To provide information to help Disability Services understand how and why a requested academic or housing may be reasonable, logical, and necessary to ensure nondiscrimination and equitable access relative to the disability.

While third-party documentation may confirm the existence of a disability, it does not solely determine the reasonableness of accommodations. Medical information is taken into account, but it is not the sole factor in our decision-making process. Disability Services considers multiple elements when evaluating accommodation requests.

Recommendations made by medical providers are not automatically approved, as they may exceed what is necessary for ensuring equal access. When suggested accommodations are aimed primarily at enhancing academic performance rather than addressing barriers to access, students may be referred to other campus resources or provided with alternative options to meet their needs.

For more information, please review the Disability Services Documentation Guidelines.

What factors are considered when determining if an accommodation is reasonable?

Disability Services prioritizes equity and strives to facilitate accommodations that offer the most equitable experience without fundamentally altering an essential outcome or aspect of a course or campus experience. Students with disabilities meet the same academic standards and essential course objectives as every other student. Furthermore, the overall expectations of being a college student, as required of all students at Carlow University, are not to be reduced.

The interactive process may include consultation with faculty and others to ensure reasonable access is facilitated, which may occur through accommodations or other measures, such as inclusive design.

Disability Services utilizes a structured review process for each accommodation request. A reconsideration process is available for students who do not agree with the initial determination. For more information, please see the Accommodation Appeal Process and Procedures on the Disability Services website.

When necessary, reasonable accommodations are provided when they:

• Establish meaningful access or an equal opportunity to fully engage and participate in the same activities, campus services, benefits, and experiences; utilize the same information, and have the same opportunity to achieve as a person without a disability.
• Directly address how the student’s disability interacts with barriers in the academic, housing, or broader campus environment.
• Are thoughtfully designed to effectively remove institutional barriers to access.
• Ensure that academic requirements or technical standards do not discriminate against a student based on disability (for academic accommodation requests).
• Resolve disability-related needs that cannot be addressed through preparation, adjustment, counseling, or routine planning, or implementation of other strategies that any student who lives on or off campus must consider and incorporate to continue to be successful students (for housing accommodation requests).

When are academic accommodations potentially not reasonable?

Requested accommodations will not be supported for disability reasons or within the context of a specific academic experience if the accommodation would result in any of the following:

• Lower an academic standard, such that it becomes inappropriately easier for a student to fulfill the mandatory elements or learning objectives required of all other students for the course, program, or degree achievement.
• Remove or waive the acquisition of an essential skill such that it becomes impossible to accurately assess the individual student’s learning, knowledge, and course work relative to the required course, program, or degree goals, and/or essential elements.
• Reduce expectations of what is generally expected of all college students (including but not limited to consistent in-class participation, managing time and deadlines, content memorization, and experiencing challenges with academic content).
• A significant alteration in the nature of the program.
• Remove or waive the acquisition of a skill that is directly related to the health and safety of others.
• Remove or waive requirements that are directly related to qualifying for a professional license.
• Enhance student success without removing an institutional barrier that impedes equitable access.
• Address something that the student could otherwise manage through various approaches, such as time management, reduced course load, different study strategies, etc.

At times, an accommodation may be deemed appropriate for disability reasons but is not reasonable within the context of a specific academic experience after further analysis due to one or more of the above-listed factors. In these situations, Disability Services will attempt to identify alternative reasonable accommodations, if possible.

When are housing accommodations potentially not reasonable?

A housing accommodation due to disability is generally not supported for any of the following reasons:

• Solely to ensure the student is successful at the University (accommodations in higher education are to provide access, not success).
• To ensure a quiet, solitary place for studying.
• To provide a preferred environment for relaxation, emotional regulation, stress reduction, recovery from daily activities, or general symptom management.
• To increase comfort or alleviate discomfort in the housing arrangement, such as by having a specific roommate or having a roommate-free experience to avoid addressing typical roommate conflicts.
• To ensure a private space for virtual appointments.
• To serve as an alternative to the student developing the skills, abilities, and practices necessary to effectively live on-campus.
• When a request is intended for the housing assignment itself to provide treatment, therapeutic benefit, symptom management, or medical support, rather than to ensure equal access to university housing.
• To increase comfort by making it easier to manage an academic schedule, such as by not having to plan for commute time.
• To minimize concerns about living independently for the first time away from on-campus housing.
• Due to financial concerns, whether related to disability or not.

At times, an accommodation may be deemed appropriate for disability reasons but is not reasonable within the context of a specific housing experience after further analysis and/or discussion with Housing. In these situations, Disability Services will attempt to identify alternative reasonable accommodations, if possible.

A requested accommodation may be unreasonable if:

• Implementation would pose an undue financial or administrative burden.
• Implementation would fundamentally alter university housing policies.
• Facilitation poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others or to personal and University property.

Emotional Support Animal Policy

Emotional Support Animals in Carlow University Student Housing

Carlow University is committed to creating and sustaining a successful community of inclusive excellence as we prepare students to live, learn, and work among people who experience the world in fundamentally different ways. Within this framework, the University is committed to providing a supportive environment for students with disabilities as well as to complying with all applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act as amended (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Fair Housing Act.

Service animals are animals trained to do specific work or tasks to assist people with disabilities in the activities of daily life. Under the ADA, service animals are allowed to accompany people with disabilities in all areas where a student is normally allowed to go. Emotional Support Animals are animals that may be needed because of a disability, but are without specified training to assist with the activities of daily life. An Emotional Support Animal is not considered a service animal under the ADA These animals that provide support but do not have specialized training may be identified by various names i.e., a companion animal, Emotional Support Animal, therapy animal or assistance animal. Carlow University uses the term Emotional Support Animal (ESA). ESAs, unlike service animals, have additional restrictions regarding where they can be utilized.

Under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) a person with a disability may keep an ESA in the individual’s dwelling when there is an established need for the therapeutic nature of the animal that is connected to the individual’s disability. An ESA provides emotional support to persons with disabilities who have a disability-related need for such support. The ESA is indicated by an appropriate and relevant healthcare professional as necessary for an individual with a disability.

An ESA may be a reasonable accommodation for a student with disabilities but only within the student’s privately assigned living space. Students may qualify for this accommodation if (1) the student has a documented disability; (2) the animal is necessary to afford the student with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy their dwelling; and (3) there is an identifiable and documented nexus between the disability and the assistance that the animal provides. The University will allow only those ESA’s that are allowed by local and state laws and conform to standards within this policy.

Students must receive Emotional Support Animal designation from the Director of Disabilities Services Office (hereto referred to as “Director”) prior to bringing their animal to campus. A student requesting permission to keep an Emotional Support Animal in University housing must make a formal request to the Disability Services Office. To do so, the student must submit the appropriate “Disability Housing Accommodation Request Form” and, in some cases, documentation of his/her disability for review. Forms must be completed and submitted as soon as a student knows that he/she will be requesting a Service or Emotional Support Animal, which should be at least 30 days before the student intends to move into University housing.

While applications submitted after this timeframe may be accepted and considered, the University cannot guarantee that it will be able to meet a late applicant’s accommodation needs, including any needs that develop during the semester. Therefore, students are to follow the deadlines indicated for all housing accommodations requests found in the general Housing and Food Service Accommodation policy.

To make determinations, the Director will review documentation, and communicate/consult with the appropriate members of the university community. Like all accommodations, the determination of whether or not an ESA shall be permitted is made on a case-by-case basis through an interactive process between the student and the Director. Once approved, the Director will notify the Residence Life Office, and the student. A Residential Life staff member will likely then contact the student for additional details and, along with the student’s other residential life preferences or needs, determine a housing option for the student. Students should note that housing options may be limited as the University balances appropriate accommodations to students with disabilities with students who have allergies and/or animal fears. Consequently, advance notice as noted in the Housing and Food Service Accommodations policy of the need for an animal is essential to the University providing a smooth transition for the student and the rest of the community where the student will reside.

Requirements for Emotional Support Animals

The care and supervision of the ESA is solely the responsibility of the student owner. The student must be in full control of the ESA at all times. ESAs may not pose a direct threat to the health and safety of persons on the University campus, cause physical damage to property, or fundamentally alter the nature of the University operations. The ESA must be maintained (kept clean, free from fleas or ticks, etc.) and may not create safety hazards for other people. Local and state ordinances and laws regarding animals apply, including requirements for immunizations, licensing, noise, restraint, at-large animals and dangerous animals.

An animal’s behavior, noise, odor and waste must not exceed reasonable standards for a well-behaved animal. These factors should not create unreasonable disruptions for other residents. If the noise (whining, barking or meowing) is excessive, it is grounds to remove the ESA from campus. ESA’s may also be excluded from the university campus if the animal behaves in an unacceptable way or the student does not control the ESA. Uncontrolled barking, jumping on other people, or running away from the handler are some examples of unacceptable behavior for an ESA.

Any suspected or observed issues related to animal abuse or neglect will be reported to the proper investigatory authorities and may subject the student to University disciplinary action as well.

The student is responsible for immediately cleaning up and properly disposing of the ESA’s waste and is responsible for having the equipment to do so. Generally, this task cannot be delegated to another if the owner is physically able to accomplish this task. People who are physically unable to accomplish this task are responsible for arranging for it to be done and any related costs. The University retains the right to designate a particular area for the ESA to relieve itself and/or for the disposal of its waste.

ESAs are limited to the privately assigned living space (room) of the student except when exiting or entering the student’s residential building. The animal may not be taken into bathrooms, laundry facilities, indoor recreational rooms, lounges, hallways, computer labs, study rooms, or other areas of the residence hall. It also cannot be taken into classrooms or other buildings on campus or allowed to roam freely on campus grounds.

ESA’s must have enough space within the privately assigned living space to be appropriate to the size of that animal. ESAs are to be confined (i.e. cage, tank) when the owner is not present in the room. Owners shall not leave their ESA unattended overnight. The animal may not be left under the care of others on campus. If the owner cannot take the animal with them, the animal must be taken off campus until the owner returns.

Roommates, neighbors, security, physical plant, grounds crew, housekeepers, on-call staff, and residential life staff may all be notified of the presence of the approved ESA in a particular space.

The student, not the University, is responsible for the actions of the ESA including, but not limited to, any bodily injury or property damage. Students with ESAs shall be charged if additional cleaning or damage occurs as a result of having the animal on campus. The student is expected to pay these costs upon repair or cleaning. In addition, the University retains the right to remove the ESA, at the owner’s expense, should the animal become a direct threat to the health and safety of others or violates these requirements in any way. The owner must provide the name and contact information of an off-campus person who is willing and able to take the animal in the event of an emergency.

The student must sign an Assistance Animal Agreement prior to bringing the ESA to campus.