Student Accessibility Services
Student Accessibility Services at Bay Path University is committed to enhancing equity and inclusion and embraces the concept of disability as diversity.
Through our interactive process, we strive to gain a holistic understanding of student circumstances and identify reasonable accommodations together. Accessibility Services collaborates with faculty and staff across campus to support access for all students. Our policies and procedures aim to reflect both the spirit and letter of the law as is described in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008.
The University provides a variety of services to students with disabilities based on individual need, requiring current and relevant documentation. Reasonable accommodations that may be made by the University depend on the particular needs of the student and may include academic accommodations as well as housing accommodations.
Students who received special educational services in secondary school through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are not automatically qualified for post-secondary services. IDEA entitles school-age children with disabilities to a free, appropriate education designed to facilitate successful learning outcomes.
The rights of postsecondary students are governed by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and also the Americans with Disabilities Act. These are civil rights statutes requiring that all postsecondary institutions make reasonable and necessary modifications to rules, policies, and practices to prevent discrimination and ensure access and opportunity for students with disabilities.
Such reasonable accommodations must not compromise the academic integrity of the University. They also cannot compromise course goals, standards, or essential course content or impair the rights or opportunities of other students. All reasonable accommodations must recognize the right of faculty to determine the content and academic performance standards in the classroom and related coursework. Equal access and opportunity generally means the same access and opportunity available to the general student population.
High School vs College Accommodations: What's the Difference?
There are some key differences in policy, procedure, and the laws governing accommodations in college versus high school. This document highlights some of these differences to help you make the transition to college feeling supported and confident.
Information for Current and Prospective Students
Current and prospective students may review information regarding registering with the office using the link below.
Confidentiality:
Student Accessibility Services is committed to ensuring that all disability information remains confidential. Documentation is securely filed within the Student Accessibility Services office. The documentation is not included with the student’s academic records.
University Responsibilities
The responsibility of the University is:
- To provide reasonable, appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids as determined on a case-by-case basis.
- To require the student to provide thorough, current documentation to support the accommodation request. The University, at its discretion, may require additional testing or evaluation if the student-provided documentation is inadequate or needs to be updated.
- To ensure any appropriate student releases or authorizations required for the accommodation process are signed.
- To ensure that any and all records are maintained in a confidential manner and are not included in a student’s academic record.
Student Responsibilities
Students seeking accommodations from Accessibility Services have the following responsibilities:
- To understand the attendance policy of their courses and to attend classes unless illness or emergency prevents them from doing so.
- To meet the academic requirements of their courses and major.
- To self-assess how the accommodations agreed upon and implemented for the semester are meeting their needs and share any feedback with the Office of Accessibility Services in a timely manner.
- To understand that accommodations are not retroactive and all forms and documentation must be submitted before these accommodations can be put in place.
- To share any concerns about the delivery of any accommodation with the Office of Accessibility Services in a timely manner.
The preceding responsibilities are a summary. Please take a moment to review the full student responsibility policy here.
Documentation Guidelines
Student Accessibility Services requires that all students who are requesting accommodations submit recent documentation. This documentation is used to determine eligibility for accommodations. Students can contact the office to discuss their documentation requirements in more detail.
Criteria for All Documentation
- Documentation must be provided using the University’s Medical Form for Accommodations.
- This form must be completed by a credentialed professional with an established patient-provider relationship with the requesting student, who is not a family member.
- If submitting documentation for more than one diagnosed condition, separate Medical Forms for Accommodations must be completed for each condition.
Information Required on the Medical Form for Accommodations
The Medical Form for Accommodations must be thoroughly completed by a licensed medical professional who is qualified to diagnose and treat the conditions noted. Incomplete information could lead to processing delays. The following information is requested in this document:
- Diagnosis Information
- The diagnosis/condition, preferably with the associated DSM-5/ICD-10 Code
- Severity and persistence of the condition
- Any functional limitations resulting from the disability that impact major life activities.
- Symptoms Impact
- Description of symptoms experiences and their impact on academic performance and/or the residential experience
- Recommended Accommodations
- Specific recommendations for academic or housing accommodations based on professional assessment
- How these accommodations would alleviate symptoms
Submitting Documentation
Documentation can be uploaded via the AIM Student Portal or sent to our office at:
- accessibility@baypath.edu, or
- Student Accessibility Services
Blake 111
588 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106