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Student Guide for Disability Resources

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The primary goal of the Counseling Center at the University of Southern Indiana is to help students function more effectively in the educational environment by assisting in overall personal development. Aspects of this development include the facilitation of emotional growth, improvement of interpersonal skills, adjustment to college life and exploration of options to aid in the resolution of personal and educational issues. The promotion of independence and self-advocacy is also instrumental in this development, and remains a major tenet of our philosophy for working with all students.

Under the law, professors may be responsible for ensuring students with disabilities receive reasonable accommodations in their classes, however, as a student with a disability you are responsible for initiating and maintaining communication with each of your professors and for following through with your assigned responsibilities in the accommodation process. The Counseling Center’s role in this process is to assist the University in determining your eligibility as a student with a disability and to endorse your qualification for specific accommodations, to advocate on your behalf with your professors, and to assist in setting up academic accommodations and locating the resources you need to be more successful in the classroom.

While most of the services offered through the Counseling Center are available to all currently-enrolled USI students, disability resources are provided only to students with professionally-documented disabilities. A separate registration in the Counseling Center is required to use these resources. Please note the University does not charge any additional costs to a qualified student for the provision of reasonable and appropriate accommodations for a disability.

REGISTRATION AND APPEAL PROCESS

FORMS:
Each student must fill out a Personal Information Form (PIF) when first applying for disability resources through the USI Counseling Center. It is your responsibility to update the PIF, when necessary. It is not necessary to fill out a new PIF each semester if you have no changes to make on the form.
A Request for Disability Resources form must be filled out in the Counseling Center at least 60 days before academic accommodations are needed, and finalized as soon as you register for your classes. A new Request for Disability Resources form must be filled out before each new semester begins to reactivate your use of disability resources for the upcoming semester. It may not be possible for the University to provide you with the specific accommodations you request, if we do not have at least a 60 day notice with which to arrange accommodations that require additional staff or funds. The University reserves the right to substitute accommodations in such situations.

DOCUMENTATION:
The Counseling Center has a required disability verification form to be completed by your professional/specialist to document your disability and to provide us with the information needed to best determine your qualification for, as well as the type and level of accommodations you may need. In most cases, either a current, comprehensive and age-appropriate testing report or a recent diagnostic narrative must be included with this form from your professional, depending on your type of disability. The specific types of professionals or specialists who may appropriately document your disability and fill out your disability verification form are listed on each verification form, as are the required attachments. A good match between the credentials of the professional making the diagnosis and the condition being reported is expected.

All testing included in your diagnostic report cannot be older than 3 years for LD or AD/HD or older than 6 months for psychiatric impairments and must only include tests appropriate for use with adults. When learning is affected (a learning disability is identified) the testing must show that the symptoms of the learning disability have resulted in either a significant discrepancy between achievement and ability or in difficulties with processing information. A fully comprehensive, and the most accurate, testing will include the identification of global intelligence (IQ test,) a complete assessment of all areas of achievement, and a complete assessment of all areas of information processing, using tests such as those found in the Woodcock Johnson III battery of tests. A fully comprehensive testing is not required, but it will provide us with the best information for determining eligibility and specific accommodations. and when learning is affected, must show that the symptoms of the disability have resulted in either a significant discrepancy between achievement and ability or difficulties with processing information. If your test report is comprehensive but is older than 3 years, the specialist may include a brief narrative detailing why the testing is still considered a valid assessment of your current level of functioning.

A diagnostic test report is required for those students with learning disabilities; however, a diagnostic narrative may be substituted for students with AD/HD or psychiatric impairments. The age of your documentation is less important for deafness, blindness, severe physical disabilities and chronic medical conditions. Documentation must be received and your eligibility verified in the Counseling Center before our staff are able to endorse your qualification for reasonable accommodations.

Please request one of the following disability verification forms to be completed by your licensed clinical professional or specialist:

                    Learning Disabilities/Neurological Impairment Verification Form
                    Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Verification Form
                    Psychological/Psychiatric Disability Verification Form
                    Physical/Health Disability Verification Form

Since accommodations are provided to address specific functional limitations, it is very important you make sure your professional fills out your form thoroughly and completely, and includes all required attachments. The first step in the eligibility process is the identification of a specific type of disability. The second step in the process is identifying your specific functional limitations as compared to the average college student. Finally, the third step in the process is to identify specific accommodations to address those limitations. If your professional does not identify all of your current functional limitations, you may only qualify for a minimal number of accommodations; if no functional limitations are identified, you may not qualify for any accommodations.

Please note: professional recommendations for accommodations must be directly related to your diagnosis and functional limitations and will be considered but cannot be guaranteed. In special circumstances, you may request a waiver of our required verification form in the eligibility and endorsement process, if every question on the form has been clearly and adequately addressed in your diagnostic narrative or evaluation report.

A school plan such as a Section 504 or an individualized education plan (IEP) is not considered appropriate or sufficient documentation. We will accept such a plan if you choose to submit it, but it will not be used in your eligibility determination.

ACCOMMODATIONS THAT ARE NOT ENDORSED:
Accommodations are only considered appropriate if they do not compromise or fundamentally alter the essential, academic requirements of a course or field of study. Accommodations which do so will not be endorsed by Counseling Center staff. Accommodations are also not endorsed if they are for the purpose of personal use or study, such as a wheelchair or other individualized services needed for independent living, mental health stability, rehabilitation, individual remediation instruction or private tutoring. While these services are not provided as accommodations to a college student with a disability, you cannot be discriminated against when using any University service that is available to all students. Finally, accommodations that create an undue financial or administrative burden may not be provided, including those for which the University does not have enough advance notice or those that are impossible or infeasible to provide.

ADA COORDINATOR APPEALS AND GRIEVANCES:
You have the right to appeal any disability eligibility or requested accommodation decisions made by any Counseling Center staff member, faculty member, or University department. You also have the right to file a complaint or grievance against any member of the University community if you feel you have been treated unfairly or discriminated against because of a disability. Please contact the ADA Coordinator by calling 812-465-7101 or by e-mailing him at drgoeppner@usi.edu, to obtain specific instructions about this process .

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MEETINGS AND APPOINTMENTS

MATHEMATICS PLACEMENT TESTING WITH ACCOMMODATION:
If you have a documented disability and choose to request accommodations for your mathematics placement tests, please follow these steps in setting an appointment:

1st Reserve a place for a specific Orientation date through the Office of Student Development Programs by calling (812) 465-7167.

2nd Contact Counseling Center staff at (812) 464-1961 to register for disability resources; this includes providing us with a copy of your completed disability verification form with attachments before you schedule an appointment for the placement tests. Once your registration in our office is complete, we will send a memo listing your appropriate accommodations to the Academic Skills Center, upon your request. Please indicate the appropriate disability verification form when you call to register with us.

3rd Contact the Academic Skills Center at (812) 465-7157 to schedule an appointment for placement tests with accommodations. You must request the specific accommodations you would like in the testing situation, such as minimized distractions or a reader/scribe. The mathematics placement test is not timed, is administered on a computer, includes a “virtual” calculator within the program and does not require you to request extra time. However, you may need to specifically request additional time on a departmental placement test.

COUNSELING CENTER STAFF:
Each student is expected to make contact in the Counseling Center prior to the start of each new semester to turn in your Request form to activate your use of our resources and to pick up your letters for your professors. Regular appointments with a counselor are not required, however, you are encouraged to set up any appointments you feel you need. If you have a question, you are also welcome to e-mail Leslie Smith at lmsmith@usi.edu

If you have an issue to discuss which you feel is difficult, complicated or of a personal or confidential nature, please set up an appointment with a counselor for assistance in resolving the situation. If you have a problem to report, it is best to meet with a counselor rather than to speak of the problem in the lobby area or with clerical support staff. You may be asked to provide the counselor with a written statement of your problem or complaint, to assist us in determining appropriate options for resolving the situation.

FACULTY:
You are expected to establish a working relationship with each of your professors and to self-identify as a student with a disability, so your professors will have the opportunity to provide accommodations. If you do not identify your disability, your professors may not know accommodations are necessary, and by law, they may not be responsible for accommodations if you have not given appropriate notice, or if they don't know the nature of your disability. A "Letter of Disability" is available for you to take to your professors, if you feel it will assist you in speaking to them. This letter (very generally) states you have a disability and lists the accommodations you have been determined eligible to receive. Some professors may require you to present this “Letter of Disability” before they will provide accommodations.

If you have a problem arise in a class during the semester, it is your responsibility to discuss and attempt to resolve the situation with your professor, first. Counselors are available to mediate situations in which you have already attempted to resolve the situation with your professor, but you are still in need of a satisfactory solution. Remember, your professors are your primary resources for your classes. Your professors are responsible for assisting you in finding note takers and readers, as well as helping you identify options for completion of their classes. Their job responsibilities include office hours, which are the times set aside to answer questions, clarify class/textbook material and problem-solve with students.

ACADEMIC ADVISORS:
All students are expected to meet with an advisor prior to enrolling for classes and to register for classes at the earliest possible opportunity. If you do not participate in early registration, you may not be able to meet your 60-day obligation for turning in your Request for Resources form to the Counseling Center.

Students who do not declare a specific major or who are admitted to the University on a conditional basis are assigned to a University Division advisor. Students with declared majors are assigned to an advisor in the school of their major. Advisors assist students in determining appropriate classes to take, scheduling and registering for classes and will confer with students regarding academic progress and standards. It is very important you relate any special needs you have to your academic advisor to assist them in appropriately advising you. If you have questions about the advising process or are not sure with which advisor you should meet, please contact the administrative assistant in the school of your major. The name of your assigned advisor is also available by logging onto your BANNER account.

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