Agreement Accommodations

“Agreement Accommodations” is the umbrella term used in reference to accommodations which inherently require a collaborative discussion. There are four accommodations under this designation.

Students are approved for these accommodations when they may encounter barriers related to certain class policies due to the nature of their disability. These accommodations are not approved when the root cause of the student’s challenge is related to a skill deficit, conflicting life obligations, or personal choices that impact their ability to meet course expectations. Students and faculty are equally encouraged to include the student’s Accessibility Counselor if they would like support in determining reasonable parameters for the accommodation.

Important reminders about these accommodations:

  1. Faculty cannot unilaterally deny a student's accommodations. If an instructor has concerns regarding an accommodation, or the proposed parameters of the accommodation, they must discuss this with the students Accessibility Counselor. 
  2. Accommodations are not retroactive, and it is at faculty discretion to provide the agreed upon parameters prior to the date they receive the Accommodation Notification.
  3. Agreements should list specific expectations and logistics to minimize confusion. Agreements that are vague, broad, or unspecific often result in students and instructors failing to meet each other's expectations.
  4. AS can be included in the conversation at any point in the process, at the request of the student or instructor.

Agreement Accommodation Policies

Reasonable Extension of Assignment Due Dates: Pending Agreement
Reasonable Modification of Course Attendance: Pending Agreement
Reasonable Use of a Memory Aid for Exams: Pending Agreement
Reasonable Modification of Assignment Format: Pending Agreement

Agreement Accommodation FAQs

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  • An introductory email template is provided to all students as a resource. While students can begin the conversation in any way that feels comfortable to them, we provide a template that can be used as a starting point. Students are encouraged to edit the template as they see fit. 

    Students can also request that their Accessibility Counselor begin the conversation with their instructors if they do not feel able to do so themselves. 

  • While students are encouraged to set up a meeting with their instructors, it is sometimes possible to establish agreements via email. Email is considered less optimal for this process as it often results in the process taking longer than necessary. If a student is attempting to use email as the primary method of communication due to scheduling conflicts, they are encouraged to reach out to their Accessibility Counselor for support.

  • Agreement Accommodations are designed to proactively discuss reasonable modifications to existing course policies. As such, it is important that the agreement is established before a student needs to use the accommodation.

    However, it is also important to review the syllabus and course policies to determine whether the course actually poses a barrier. For example, if a student is taking a course that has open book/open note exams, the use of a memory aid would not be necessary, and an agreement would not need to be established. 

  • We recommend sending a follow up email to your instructor and Accessibility Counselor confirming the details of the conversation so that it can be referred to later.

  • If you establish an agreement and then discover that you need to update the parameters due to new or worsening disability related barriers, we recommend reaching out to your Accessibility Counselor and your instructor to discuss whether additional flexibility is reasonable. 

  • While we always encourage students to self advocate, we also recognize the inherent power dynamic between a student and their instructor. If at any point in a conversation, you and your instructor are not able to agree to reasonable parameters, we recommend reaching out to your Accessibility Counselor right away. This gives us the opportunity to reach out and discuss your instructors concerns, answer questions they may have, and help facilitate the collaborative discuss to determine what is reasonable in their course.