Faculty & Staff

How does a student become eligible for services?

In order to determine eligibility for an academic adjustment/auxiliary aid, the student must register at the Office of Accessibility Services and provide documentation of a disability. See the Documentation Guidelines for explicit details.  

Syllabus statement 

Make your course "accessibility-friendly."  

Include a statement in your course syllabus welcoming students with accessibility issues.  This sends the message that UMass Dartmouth values individual difference, diversity, and supports an inclusive learning environment. It also normalizes the accommodation process and informs students of a valuable resource to enhance the educational experience and help with retention.

Below can be included to notify students of the Office of Accessibility Services:

UMass Dartmouth is committed to providing equal access to all of our students and be compliant with the legal mandates expressed in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

If you have a documented disability or chronic health condition and require accommodations to obtain equal access in this course, please call the Office of Accessibility Services at 508.999.8711 to make an appointment. 

You may also want to notify students that if they have emergency medical information that they wish to share with you, or need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, to please inform you.

Helping a Student in Distress - As a faculty or staff member interacting daily with students, you are in an excellent position to recognize behavior changes that characterize the emotionally troubled student. Please visit UMassD's Counseling Center for more information on how to recognize some of the signs of a student in distress.   

The Care Network, an initiative within the Division of Student Affairs, coordinates efforts with campus partners to assist students who encounter challenges in achieving success. The purpose of the Care Network is to identify students who may benefit from assistance and guidance as they manage the presenting issue(s) that are affecting their well-being, adjustment, and overall success at the University and to help them build capacity for managing issues during and beyond their time at UMass Dartmouth.

Student Affairs staff in Care & Advocacy are available to provide consultation, answer questions, respond to concerns, or direct individuals to the most appropriate resources.

To make a referral to the Care Network please see the Care Network referral form

Accessibility to department events 

General Questions about OSAS

Why don't I get notified for spring accommodations until well into the semester?

• While we encourage students to register for their accommodations before the spring semester begins, many of them choose to do so once they are back on campus. This means you'll get requests throughout the first month of the spring semester, and sometimes even later. You're notified of these accommodations as soon as we finish our meeting with the student.

Why aren't students told to sign up for accommodations every semester?

• During every intake meeting, we remind students that they must register for accommodations each semester. This information is in the student's signed agreement of acknowledgement, is noted on our website, and student newsletters that we send out to our registered OSAS students.

I know I have students in my class with testing accommodations, can I send you their exams early?

• It is the student's responsibility to register for each exam they have during a semester. If we don't reach out to you asking for the information for an exam, then you should assume the student will be forfeiting their accommodations for that exam and taking it in class.

Does your office address academic integrity? What about the use of AI?

• We address academic integrity as far as taking exams in our testing room. This information is in the student's signed agreement of acknowledgement.  As each professor often has their own policy, it is the responsibility of the professor to make clear what their expectations are in relation to AI and academic integrity.

Does your office help with understanding the financial side of college?

• This is not under the purview of our office. We recommend students reach out to the Financial Aid office for help with this.

Many of my students don't buy books or other necessary materials for class, why?

• This is not under our purview and would be a University discussion. 

I feel as if a student in my class needs extra support, can I email the office for someone to reach out to them?

• We are bound by self-disclosure law.  This means that that the student must contact our office directly to request services. 

I don't agree with an accommodation.

• Reasonable academic accommodations are not optional. If you're concerned about any accommodation, reach out to us. 

What can students expect at their intake appointments?

• This is explained fully during our transition webinar and also on our website under student resources.

Summer High School to College Transition Webinar 

Is your transition webinar for the general incoming first year students or just OSAS students?

• Our transition webinar is only for incoming first year students who intend to register with OSAS in the fall.

What topics do your transition webinar cover?

• During our transition from high school to college webinar we cover topics such as:
  • • differences between high school and college
    • what our office does, where we are located, and how it functions (policies, etc.)
    • reasonable accommodations in a college setting
    • the accommodation process (how to register, what to expect, how it works)
    • professionalism in the classroom and in emails
    • academic integrity
    • self-advocacy
    • resources on campus (tutoring, counseling center, health services, etc.)
    • study tips for college
    • time management tips