Accomodating Disabled Students
The college is obligated to make accommodations only to the known limitations of an otherwise qualified student with a disability. It is the student's responsibility to notify the college of disabling conditions and to request accommodations.The procedure for doing so is as follows:
Students who are requesting disability accomodations need to send appropriate documentation to the Educational Counselor in the Academic Support Center.
When the student contacts the office, they are alerted to their obligation to provide appropriate documentation, provided they have this information. This information includes any psychological evaluations, previous Individual Education Plans, medical records, etc. If the student feels that they may have a condition which would warrant consideration for accommodation but has no documentation to that effect the Educational Counselor in the Academic Support Center, with the consent of the student, then makes a referral to an appropriate agency for an evaluation. The student then bears the responsibility for any fees that may be incurred during this evaluative process, as assessed by the agency.
The Educational Counselor in the Academic Support Center will maintain a separate, confidential file of this information which will be used for the exclusive purpose of arranging the necessary accommodations for the student. Accomodations will be arranged by the Educational Counselor and will be coordinated with the persons (e.g., individual faculty instructors, residence hall directors, director of the physical plant, etc.) who will carry them out. The Educational Counselor will also maintain, in the student's separate file, a complete record of the accommodations provided.
Students with disabilities who elect not to identify themselves immediately, or who develop disabilities after being admitted, may identify themselves and request accommodations at any time. They may do so by contacting the Educational Counselor in the Academic Support Center.
If testing is required to document the disability, the Educational Counselor in the Academic Support Center will refer the student to an appropriate party to be tested. NOTE: any costs of such testing will be borne by the student requesting accommodation.
Upon submission of the Self-Identification Form, a meeting is then scheduled with the Educational Counselor in the Academic Support Center and the student to assess and discuss their individual needs. This meeting may also include the students' parents or guardians, if the student chooses to have them present.
Identified Students
Students who have already self-identified and who are currently enrolled in the Student Disabilities Services program at Glenville State College are alerted to the necessity to reactivate their enrollment at the beginning of each semester. Students are sent a notification in which it is requested that they contact the Educational Counselor in the Academic Support Center to schedule an appointment.This appointment serves more than a single purpose; it serves as a means to assess the student to determine if there are any changes that need to be made in accommodations, and it allows the Educational Counselor in the Academic Support Center the opportunity to assess academic progress. If a student is being successful, then few adjustments may be necessary. However, if the student is experiencing academic difficulty, it may be necessary to make adjustments for that student on a variety of levels. The adjustments may come in the form of further assessment to determine need for accommodation or teaching the student new skills, such as study skills, time management, test taking skills, etc.
Next, the appointment gives the student the opportunity to make personal contact with someone who can act as a liaison between the student, faculty and staff. This personal contact provides a healthy proportion of humanity to what could otherwise potentially be perceived by the student as nothing more than an exercise in bureaucracy.