Access and Disability Services
Faculty Resources
Students must reach out to you and show their Accommodation Verification Letter in order to receive academic accommodation in a course. We recommend they do this within the first two weeks of the semester.
Procedures:
- Student contacts you via email or in person to discuss their accommodation(s)
- The student is not required to disclose the nature of their disability(ies), but may choose to do so
- You will work with the student to determine how to make the accommodation applicable and appropriate for your class
- The accommodation should provide students with equal access to the course materials and enable them to participate meaningfully without altering fundamental course requirements
- Different students—even those with the same disability—may benefit from different strategies
- If you are unable to come to an agreement, contact hc-ads [at] haverford.edu
Confidentiality:
Faculty and staff do not need to know diagnostic or other information regarding a student's disability—only what accommodations are relevant and appropriate to meet the student’s disability-related needs in the classroom. Access and Disability Services is committed to ensuring a student's confidentiality as required or permitted by law.
Faculty are welcome to ask students what accommodations they think they will need to be able to participate in a given course. Students may or may not wish to disclose the nature of their disability(ies). Faculty inquiries may only be made for educational and accommodation-related purposes. Information in Access and Disability Services files will not be released, except in accordance with relevant federal and state laws, court order or subpoena, or a written authorization for release.
Syllabi Statement:
In an effort to provide a consistent message to all students, please consider adding the following statement in your syllabi. Including this statement promotes a welcoming and inclusive environment and helps the College stay compliant with federal and state laws. Please note that it is state law in Pennsylvania that individuals must be given advance notice that they may be recorded, so professors need to include the information about audio recording. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Access and Disability Services (ADS) at hc-ods [at] haverford.edu.
Download the Syllabi Statement (Word doc)
"I am committed to partnering with you on your academic and intellectual journey. I also recognize that your ability to thrive academically can be impacted by your personal well-being and that stressors may impact you over the course of the semester. If the stressors are academic, I welcome the opportunity to discuss and address those stressors with you in order to find solutions together. If you are experiencing challenges or questions related to emotional health, finances, physical health, relationships, learning strategies or differences, or other potential stressors, I hope you will consider reaching out to the many resources available on campus. These resources include CAPS (free and unlimited counseling is available), the Office of Academic Resources, Health Services, Professional Health Advocate, Religious and Spiritual Life, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the GRASE Center, and the Dean’s Office. Additional information can be found at https://www.haverford.edu/deans-office-student-life/offices-resources.
Additionally, Haverford College is committed to creating a learning environment that meets the needs of its diverse student body and providing equal access to students with a disability. If you have (or think you have) a learning difference or disability – including mental health, medical, or physical impairment – please contact the Office of Access and Disability Services (ADS) at hc-ads [at] haverford.edu. The Director will confidentially discuss the process to establish reasonable accommodations. It is never too late to request accommodations – our bodies and circumstances are continuously changing.
Students who have already been approved to receive academic accommodations and want to use their accommodations in this course should share their accommodation letter and make arrangements to meet with me as soon as possible to discuss how their accommodations will be implemented in this course. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive and require advance notice in order to successfully implement.
If, at any point in the semester, a disability or personal circumstances affect your learning in this course or if there are ways in which the overall structure of the course and general classroom interactions could be adapted to facilitate full participation, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
It is a state law in Pennsylvania that individuals must be given advance notice that they may be recorded. Therefore, any student who has a disability-related need to audio record this class must first be approved for this accommodation from the Director of Access and Disability Services and then must speak to me. Other class members need to be aware that this class may be recorded."