Student and SAS Responsibilities

To receive accommodations, students must self-identify for services. Self-identification as it relates to SAS entails providing documentation, discussing functional needs, and discussing accommodations with SAS. If students do not self-identify or specifically request accommodations, then accommodations cannot be implemented.

The student is responsible for completing all intake materials, submitting current and comprehensive documentation, and discussing any possible accommodations with SAS. Accommodations should be requested in a timely manner. Importantly, accommodations cannot be granted retroactively.

Students are not under any obligation to use their approved accommodations. However, to utilize accommodations, students are required to send their accommodation letters to faculty each semester. Students can choose which professors will receive the letters as well as the specific approved accommodations included in each letter. It is ultimately a student decision as to what accommodations are shared and when, but as mentioned in other sections, accommodations cannot be granted retroactively, so proactive outreach is always encouraged.

Students are responsible for sending accommodation letters to faculty in a timely manner. Ideally, students should send their letters to faculty as early into the semester as possible. Students are not required to send letters early, but there are no retroactive accommodations. Additionally, accommodations could be denied for a particular instance if implementation is not reasonable.

If students experience issues with accommodations and how accommodations are implemented, then students are responsible for reporting these issues to SAS. SAS can assist students with resolving any issues but need to be notified of the issue.

If the student needs to update their accommodations, the student is responsible for contacting SAS. SAS must approve any additional or revised accommodations. Depending on the request, this may or may not include sending updated documentation and/or meeting with SAS. SAS may request additional information as a means of supporting these updates.

If accommodations are changed or updated, students are responsible for sending their letters to faculty again to ensure faculty have the up-to-date accommodations. Even when faculty are aware or have advocated for the potential change, the letters must be sent again. At the time of approval, SAS can help students send these letters as needed.

SAS strongly encourages all students to reach out directly to professors to talk with them about their accommodation needs. Ideally, this should happen when the accommodation letter is sent. Many faculty members can help in ways that might not be listed within an accommodation letter (e.g., additional course flexibility the student was not aware of, instructional strategies, additional course supports). Importantly, students need to speak with their professors to ensure this can happen. SAS encourages all students to have this conversation proactively, as this will help both students and faculty in any later conversations.

Different accommodations have different guidelines associated with them. This could include specific timelines, student responsibilities, and steps to ensuring implementation. Students are responsible for meeting all responsibilities associated with their approved accommodations.

Students are responsible for working with academic advisors on creating a course schedule that best fits their needs. SAS does not have a course advising role, but many accommodations are only effectively implemented with careful planning. The student’s advisor will be an important person to help them create this schedule. As needed, SAS can help support that conversation to ensure student needs are met.

Unlike in K-12 education, students are responsible for coordinating and accessing campus services. SAS can help students connect with other campus services (commonly, Center for Academic Resources (CFAR), Psychological and Counseling Services (PACS), and Health and Wellness), but students are ultimately responsible for following through with any of these providers.

If there are any concerns or grievances students are encouraged to report those within a timely manner. More information about this process can be found on our Grievances and Concerns page. 

Accommodations cannot modify any essential requirements. All students are expected to meet both academic and behavioral standards as set forth within the UNH Community and within classrooms.

Students are responsible for communicating directly with SAS. This includes responding to communications from SAS related to accommodations and the accommodations process.

Though not all students will need to update their documentation, there are situations in which updated documentation is necessary. In those circumstances, students are responsible for providing the additional documentation to SAS. Any delay in providing updated documentation could result in a delay in accommodation implementation.

Students are responsible for providing updated contact information to SAS. This is important to ensure effective communication.

SAS is responsible for helping students navigate through the accommodations process. This includes: assisting with the in-take process; safely storing, collecting, and reviewing student documentation; and meeting with students to discuss possible accommodations and the overall accommodations process. As necessary, this might also include additional meetings or meetings with other campus providers.

SAS is responsible for approving student accommodation requests. This includes classroom, exam, housing, parking/transportation, and other accommodation requests. SAS is also responsible for helping explore flexibility requests. SAS is under no obligation to approve all accommodation requests. SAS is responsible for determining what accommodations are reasonable given the student’s functional needs and the educational context. Accommodations may be denied, and reasonable alternatives may be approved. It should also be noted that fundamental alternations of essential requirements cannot be approved.

SAS is responsible for completing the accommodations process in a timely manner. SAS strives to complete the process quickly, but specific timelines are dependent on when the request was made, the nature of the request, student preparedness for the process (availability of appropriate documentation), and the time of year (SAS experiences a high volume of requests in August, September, and January).

SAS is responsible for maintaining a student record and storing that record safely. This includes adhering to any guidance provided through USNH or campus IT services.

SAS can provide assistance to students with sending their accommodation letters. Students are ultimately responsible for sending the letters, but SAS can help students navigate this process. This includes guidance on the website, but students can also call the front desk for individual assistance.

Some accommodations require more outreach and coordination from SAS. This more directly includes coordination with Housing/Residential Life as well as with Transportation Services, but this can also include coordination with faculty members. SAS helps ensure that approved accommodations are implemented and any issues with accommodations (faculty, students, or staff who have raised concerns) are addressed.

When students require changes or updates to their accommodation letters, SAS is responsible for meeting with the student to discuss the updates and changes. At that time, SAS will determine if additional documentation or additional meetings are necessary. This is determined based on an evaluation of each individual circumstance. For some cases, this might mean re-engaging in the accommodations process, but for requests that are already supported this might mean simply meeting and making the appropriate change to the accommodations. When changes are made, students are still responsible for re-sending their letters.

When a student has a concern about their accommodations, SAS is responsible for meeting with the student to better understand what the situation is, and what potential solutions there might be. If the student has a formal grievance, SAS can assist the student in connecting with the Civil Rights and Equity Office (CREO) but is not directly involved in this aspect of the formal grievance process.

SAS is also responsible for providing broader supports to the UNH community related to accommodations, accessibility, and inclusion. While SAS might not be directly implementing these practices across the community, SAS does seek to positively influence these areas.

SAS is responsible for continual updates and revisions to processes. At the very least, this should be re-evaluated yearly, but changes can be made as necessary. When possible, stakeholders should also be a part of the revision process.

SAS is also responsible for providing the UNH community with updates related to SAS practices. As mentioned above, SAS can and should revise processes as necessary. This should be communicated to the relevant stakeholders.

SAS is also responsible for reaching out to the community to learn from the experiences of all relevant stakeholders.