Sample Syllabus Statements Regarding Accommodations
Memo from April 2020: Syllabus Statement Update
Dear EvCC Faculty,
Please consider including a statement in your course syllabus to provide information to any students who may need accommodations. This information helps inform students about the existence of our office and may let them know that their specific barriers may qualify them for accommodations.
Due to societal stigma, some students may be shy, intimidated or embarrassed about their disabilities making it difficult for them to approach their instructors and request accommodations. Including a statement in your syllabus lets students know that your class is inclusive and you are approachable in regards to their needs. Thank you for supporting our EvCC students with disabilities.
We have created a few examples that you may be interested in using:
Extended Version
Any student with a disability is encouraged to contact the Center for Disability Services to have reasonable academic accommodations established. Students will be determined eligible for accommodations during their intake appointment with the CDS office.
Disabilities that may be eligible include, but are not limited to:
- Mobility barriers such as limited gait, wheelchair use, spinal cord conditions, orthopedic conditions, and chronic injury.
- Deaf and hearing loss.
- Blind and visual disorders.
- Chronic illnesses such as immune disorders, cancer, migraines, gastrointestinal, diabetes, HIV/AIDs, fibromyalgia, allergies, etc.
- Invisible disabilities such as autism, ADHD, learning disorders, speech disorders, head injury, and mental health.
In addition to providing resources, referrals and advocacy support, the CDS Office may approve academic accommodations which include, but are not limited to:
- Assistive listening devices
- Captioning and ASL Interpreting
- Alternative format textbooks, such as digital text or large-print.
- Accommodated testing, such as extended time, a more accessible location, etc.
- Ergonomic or accessible furniture and equipment in the classroom
- Notetaking and lecture-capture assistance
- Notification and emergency plan for specific situations like diabetic shock, fainting, seizures, emergency evacuation, elevator necessity, service animal, and severe allergies.
Your diagnosis and specific barriers are kept confidential and your eligible accommodations are provided to your instructors to support an equitable educational environment. The intake appointment only happens once, but you will need to submit your accommodation requests at the beginning of each quarter. Accommodations are not retroactive, so it's important to contact the CDS Office as soon as possible and get your accommodation requests submitted in a timely manner.
Students who have never worked with the CDS Office before can review their Getting Started page and submit their information using the Online New Student Application. Once they have received your application, you will be contacted to set up an intake appointment.
Students who have already completed an intake with CDS in the past should log into AccessPortal and submit their accommodation request before the start of each quarter. After your Faculty Notification Letters have been emailed (you will receive a copy in your student email), please message or meet with me to see how your accommodations can be implemented within this course.
The Center for Disability Services (CDS) Office at Everett Community College is responsible for coordinating and implementing accommodations for eligible students per Policy EvCC3020. This policy abides by state and national laws and legal mandates which stipulates that all individuals with disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodation.
TL;DR Version
If you are a student with a disability and experience academic barriers (including invisible disabilities such as autism, ADHD, learning disorders, speech disorders, head injury, and mental health), please contact the CDS Office at cds@everettcc.edu. You can learn more about their office on their Getting Started page at www.everettcc.edu/cds and fill out an Online New Student Application to have an intake appointment. If you have already completed your intake appointment, you can submit your accommodation request on AccessPortal and then communicate with me to discuss your accommodations.