Student Access Services
The Office of Student Access Services (SAS), housed in the Center for Teaching and Learning, oversees Marymount University’s reasonable accommodation approval process for students with documented disabilities who have submitted appropriate disability documentation and completed the SAS registration steps. Pursuant with the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADA/AA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, SAS staff work in conjunction with other university departments to coordinate accommodations that are designed to provide equal access to university courses and academic programs.
Students requesting approval for reasonable accommodations in their Marymount courses must submit requests to the SAS office upon admission to the university. To receive academic accommodations, typewritten documentation from qualified professionals which describe diagnosed disability(ies) and current functional impact on the student in academic settings must be received, reviewed, and approved by the SAS office. Detailed documentation criteria are located on the website, along with a list of self-referred evaluators in the local area. Marymount does not currently conduct evaluations, testing, or provide diagnoses.
Accommodations are determined and/or approved on a case-by-case basis, and must be supported by using the disability documentation submitted by the student to SAS. Students who have been approved for academic accommodations by SAS are responsible for obtaining their instructors' signatures on the official accommodations letter that students receive from SAS. Each semester, students must present the official accommodations letter from SAS to every instructor from whom they wish to receive academic accommodations. Students should discuss their accommodations and any disability-related concerns they may have about the course with the instructor(s) at the start of each semester.
Examples of previously approved accommodations have included: extended time for examinations, the use of e-readers, volunteer note-takers, sign language interpreters, and permission to record lectures. The official accommodations letter from SAS cannot be applied retroactively, and it cannot be used to receive accommodations for previous course content or past due course requirements. SAS supports students through this process by providing one-on-one consultations on topics such as personal self-advocacy, disability disclosure, and effective communication with professors. SAS does not duplicate the support services that are already offered to Marymount students through other university offices.
Accommodations for housing and dining, emotional support animals, and other non-academic modifications are provided in conjunction with other university offices, and will require that the student follow additional procedures to obtain approval from those offices. Please refer to the SAS section of Marymount’s website to review the most updated SAS policies and procedures.