Office for Disability and Access

Guidelines for Academic Advisors of Students with Disabilities

  • In order to receive accommodations a student must meet with ODA staff to determine eligibility and services required.

  • The student is at liberty to choose whether or not to disclose their disability and to what extent they share details. After a student discloses a disability to you, ask the student how their disability impacts class participation, performance and learning.

  • Take the student’s learning needs and preferences into consideration. If a student requires additional time to complete tests as an academic accommodation, then that student will likely need longer than most other students to complete similar tasks. Encourage students—especially in their first semester of study—to take a reasonable load.

  • Students with some disorders have difficulty organizing information and meeting deadlines. These students may benefit from any organizational tools or strategies that you can suggest.

  • Be advised that, when counseling students about (potential) careers or career choices, federal mandates prohibit discouraging certain career options because of a disability.

  • When advising students with disabilities, the information they share should be kept strictly confidential.

  • You are invited and encouraged to make referrals to ODA, the Center for Student Success, or the Student Outreach & Support advising system if you are concerned about a particular student.

  • Please direct any questions regarding or on behalf of students with disabilities to the Office for Disability & Access in Mudd Center 205 (x55588). Our staff welcomes questions that you or your students might have.