Disability Services

Accommodations are available to any enrolled student with a disability. Commonwealth University is committed to providing equitable access to educational experiences, campus facilities, and university related opportunities for all students. UDS supports these requests for accommodations under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended in 2008.

Examples of disabilities covered by above laws:

• Learning disabilities
• Medical disabilities
• ADD/ADHD
• Physical/mobility impairments
• Hearing loss
• Visual impairments
• Emotional/psychological diagnosis
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Traumatic brain injury
• Temporary injury or condition resulting in functional limitation

UDS engages in a purposeful, interactive process with each student to determine if they qualify as a student with a disability and to identify appropriate campus access-related accommodations on an individualized, case-by-case basis.

Services include but aren't limited to:

• Advanced course registration
• Accommodative testing
• Notetakers
• Scribes
• Sign language interpreters
• Oral interpreters
• Readers
• Auxiliary aids
• Adaptive equipment
• Lecture recording
• Housing Accommodations - Based on availability; students are encouraged to reach out to University Disability Services as soon as possible to determine reasonable accommodations

Setting up accommodations is made easy by using our secure online portal - Accommodate

• Click below to fill out the Initial Request Form and provide information about your disability experience.

First Time Users

• Once you complete the form, UDS will reach out to you and communicate next steps.
• You will meet with a UDS professional and engage in the interactive process to determine reasonable accommodations.
• You can always contact the appropriate campus UDS office with any questions along the way.

It is important to note that the accommodation determination process takes time and documentation should be supplied as early as possible.

Students should submit at least one of the following forms of documentation to the Accommodate system:

1. Full evaluation/diagnostic report
   • A psychological evaluation from a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist either faxed directly from the doctor’s office or with original signatures.
   • This would provide the richest information to determine the best possible accommodations and supports.
   • Must include recommendations for accommodations.
2. Documentation that provides proof of diagnosis and prior accommodations.
   • IEP/504 plan
   • Please Note: The accommodations for postsecondary education may be different from secondary education environments. Although the documentation types mentioned above can provide important information, we are not able to utilize the same accommodations in all cases. All accommodations will be discussed in the initial meeting with UDS and determined on a case by case basis. Any other accommodations specific to your disability must be requested and approved. 
3. Disability Verification Form
   • Must be completed and signed by a licensed healthcare professional
   • Available for download on our website
4. A letter from a health care professional
   • Provide the following information on letterhead with the date and signature:
     • A diagnostic statement identifying the disability (with the date of diagnosis)
     • Severity of the disorder (mild/moderate/severe)
     • Recommended accommodations that may assist the student in minimizing the impact of the condition in an academic setting.

Students with a disability have a right to the following:

1. Equal access to courses, programs, services, jobs, activities, and facilities available through the University.
2. Reasonable and appropriate accommodations and/or auxiliary aids determined on a case-by-case, and course-by-course basis.
3. Confidentiality of all information pertaining to the condition(s) with the choice of whom to disclose disability specific information to except as required by law.
4. Information available in accessible formats.
5. File a complaint under PRP 2060, ADA Policy

Students with a disability has the responsibility to:

1. Meet the University’s qualifications and essential technical, academic, and institutional standards, including the Student Code of Conduct.
2. Identify oneself as an individual with a disability to the University Disability Services office when seeking an accommodation.
3. Provide documentation from oneself and/or an appropriate professional source as indicated that verifies the nature of the disability, functional limitations, and the need for specific accommodations.
4. Participate in an interactive process with UDS staff, faculty, and other University resources as indicated to obtain and coordinate reasonable and appropriate accommodations.
5. Submit a Letter of Accommodation Semester Request for each class in which they wish to receive accommodations. This must be initiated in a timely manner to ensure accommodations are in place. Accommodations cannot be applied retroactively.

Commonwealth University is committed to providing equitable access to educational experiences, campus facilities, and university related opportunities for all students. University Disability Services (UDS) supports these requests for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. 

If you have or believe that you have a disability, please contact the appropriate office:

• Bloomsburg – 043 Warren Student Services, or call 570-389-4491
• Lock Haven/Clearfield – 205 Ulmer Hall, or call 570-484-2665
• Mansfield – 147 South Hall, or 570-662-4150

It is recommended that students contact the UDS during the first two weeks of classes or immediately upon diagnosis to ensure accommodations are met in an efficient, appropriate, and timely manner for the best student learning outcome. Upon qualification, students can request for UDS to send their Letter of Accommodation (LOA) to any professor for the identification of academic or accessibility adjustments. 

The student is responsible for discussing how accommodations will be used in a particular class with their professor. UDS can participate in those conversations as requested. Students must renew accommodation letters at the start of each semester by submitting a semester request through Accommodate.

Faculty members and staff play a crucial role in ensuring access for students with disabilities. Therefore, University Disability Services has compiled a selection of resources to assist with this process. With the common goal of quality service for students, we encourage open communication and collaboration with all campus community members.

If you identify a student who may be eligible for accommodations, please refer them to the University Disability Services at the appropriate campus location. You can also direct them to our page on the website to read more about how to register for services. 

• Accommodations 101
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Sign Language Interpreting
• Universal Design
• Consideration for Extended Time on Assignments Procedure
• Consideration for Absences Procedure

Faculty have the right to the following:

1. Expect the student to initiate accommodation requests.
2. Receipt of Letter of Accommodation (LOA) for any student requesting accommodations.
3. Expect UDS to administer exams in a secure and monitored environment when proctoring on behalf of the faculty.

Faculty have the responsibility to the following:

1. Provide accommodations only to students who are registered with UDS. It is NOT your responsibility to provide accommodations to students who are not registered with UDS.
2. Use a syllabus statement and class announcements to invite students to disclose their needs to UDS. The recommended syllabus statement is located our website under faculty resources.
3. Act immediately upon getting a student’s request for accommodations by contacting UDS (if unsure about request), by providing the service or completing the necessary steps in ACCOMMODATE. If you have questions, contact UDS.
4. Work to ensure that all audio-visual materials used in class are accessible (e.g., that videos shown are captioned for students with hearing loss and that the equipment used has captioning capabilities, that videos shown will be made with auditory description in some way or that written transcripts will be provided, etc.)
5. Consider incorporating principles of Universal Design for Learning in your teaching. A fact sheet is available on Universal Design from UDS.
6. Treat and protect all disability-related information as confidential medical information. For example, keep printed items, such as Letters of Accommodation (LOAs), Exam Requests, or emails regarding student disability-related information in a protected location.
7. Clearly communicate your exam procedures with the student and approve exam accommodations upon request
8. PLEASE NOTE: Faculty do NOT have the right to ask students if they have a disability or for documentation of their disability. Disability related documentation has been vetted and is confidentially stored in UDS. For those students with documented disabilities, faculty do NOT have the right to ask about the nature of the disability. However, if students choose to disclose their disability, this information should be treated confidentially.

Commonwealth University seeks to provide students, employees and campus visitors with disabilities reasonable and effective accommodations to ensure equal access to the University’s learning and work environments, and sponsored events.

Accommodations are available to any employee with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. In order to be qualified for a position, an applicant or employee must be able to perform essential job functions. Essential functions are job duties that are fundamental to the position.

To request an accommodation in the University workplace, employees with a disability must contact the ADA Coordinator. Documentation from a professional provider (e.g. psychologist, psychiatrist, or medical provider) is required. This documentation must identify the employee’s diagnosis, including how the diagnosis limits major life activities, and indicate if the employee is able to perform essential job functions in the employee’s current position with or without accommodation(s), as well as the recommended accommodation(s) based on the diagnosis. 

This documentation must be on letterhead, designate appropriate professional license(s), and be signed by the professional provider. Using the ADA Employee Health Questionnaire is the preferred and most efficient way to ensure all necessary information is provided.

The ADA Coordinator may be reached by contacting Tess Fosse, 570-389-4529, Warren Student Services Center or emailing CUADA@commonwealthu.edu.

More information can be found in the ADA Policy, PRP 2060.