Accommodations are available to meet students' needs when barriers to the physical and digital learning environments, residential life/housing, dining, and other campus and university related programs and activities exist.
Student Accessibility Services (SAS) is designated by the University as possessing the authority to assess and determine reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities through the interactive process. Accommodation is determined on a case-by-case basis and how the interactive process is used varies. Students may request accommodations from other university employees or offices, and in every case, SAS must be engaged to determine the appropriateness of accommodations.
Contact Information
Students are encouraged to visit www.stcloudstate.edu/sas for information related to common accommodations, common conditions that lead to disability, meeting with SAS, and using accommodations. Student Accessibility Services can be contacted by phone at 320-308-4080, by email at sas@stcloudstate.edu, or in person at Centennial Hall 202. Students are encouraged to contact SAS early and often regarding their disability related accommodation needs. Students can also connect with SAS by scheduling a meeting online.
Self-Disclosure
Students can formally self-disclose disability and need for accommodation by completing the Accommodation Request Form available on the SAS main webpage at www.stcloudstate.edu/sas. Completion of the Accommodation Request Form initiates the interactive process. Students can also schedule a meeting with SAS to inquire about accommodation and their individual needs; this too initiates the interactive process.
Students’ self-disclosure of disability or related need to any employee of the institution (faculty, staff, administration) initiates the interactive process. Students must be informed that SAS has the responsibility and authority to determine the appropriateness of accommodations, and they must be provided with SAS contact information, website, or information about how to request accommodation, at a minimum. If a student chooses, the employee can help make a personal connection to SAS by emailing a student and sas@stcloudstate.edu as an introduction, calling SAS with a student present, bringing a student to the SAS office for more information, etc.
Students are not required to formally state they are requesting “reasonable accommodation” or mention the “ADA” or other laws in their request for access or to begin the interactive process.
Eligibility
Eligibility for accommodation is determined through the interactive process, once initiated by a student sharing their disability or related needs to SAS. This requires a student to have a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Accommodation Process
- Students complete a Welcome Meeting with SAS staff to begin determining reasonable accommodations.
- Once approved, SAS is responsible for sending semester Letter of Accommodation to students’ faculty.
- Once approved, students are responsible for confirming all faculty were included in their letter and informing SAS of any inaccuracies.
- Students must meet with SAS each semester to review and update their letter of accommodation. This is not to reassess approved accommodations for permanent disability.
If issues to using approved accommodations arise, students should contact SAS as soon as possible to communicate their concerns.
Documentation
While not required to initiate an accommodation request, documentation can be a helpful tool in understanding how to meet a student's needs and determine eligibility.
Documentation may be requested at any point of the interactive process if it is needed to establish rationale for reasonable accommodation. St. Cloud State University accepts many forms of documentation depending on the level of information needed; the following are helpful documents to support accommodation requests and should be submitted with the Accommodation Request Form if available:
- A screenshot from a medical portal such as MyChart, My Care etc.
- A picture of a prescription or medication taken to support a condition
- A letter, report, or evaluation from a provider who is knowledgeable of a student’s condition and its impact
- Individualized education plan (IEP), evaluation report (ER), or a 504 plan from high school
- Record of accommodation or disability from another institution
- Veterans benefits or military service document of disability