Advising

The core of SAS advising and primary way we interact with all students who apply for services is through our initial meeting(s). The purpose of these meetings is to learn from you (and, if applicable, your providers through documentation that may be required) about the impacts of your condition and to work together to determine what, if any, reasonable accommodations and services will help to level the playing field for you.

In the process, we usually ask many questions, which is not us trying to pry or indicate that we do not believe you. Instead, we seek to understand and ensure that we have the full picture of your needs and therefore what accommodations and services–some that you and your providers may not have thought of–may be appropriate.

Sometimes, it takes multiple meetings and emails to ensure that we have fully understood your condition's impacts and considered all possibilities. And between meetings/emails to you, your SAS advisor is actively reviewing/gathering additional information related to your request; however, you can always email to inquire if you had anticipated your advisor would provide you a response sooner.

SAS will almost always share at least a few campus resources that will support you in managing or may even fully address your concerns, especially if you engage with the resource(s) multiple times/as we usually recommend. If you are not eligible for one or more requested accommodations during your initial meeting, please contact the SAS advisor with whom you met again if something changes about your condition or you have regularly engaged the recommended resources that SAS suggests to limited avail.

If approved for academic accommodations and you decide to request any accommodation emails—please do so by the end of week 2 when you finalize your courses—we send them to your instructors, which opens a line of communication between SAS and your faculty if there are questions.

(If approved for any testing accommodations, you need to send your accommodation email in order to schedule any tests in the Testing Center.) It is important to then email or schedule a meeting with your professor to discuss the implementation of your accommodations (such as if you'll test with your professor or the Testing Center). If you feel hesitant about doing so, contact your SAS advisor and we can help to coach you through the conversation or even join if needed. If you are not sure who your advisor is, you can find this information in A11y on your Overview page in the "ADVISOR" box.

Because your classes change each quarter (and may change significantly if you take advantage of an off-campus program, for example) and/or your condition may be variable in nature, it will likely be reasonable to modify your accommodations from time to time. Please contact your SAS advisor right away if you think that is (or is about to be) the case. In addition, if you need to miss class or a deadline related to your disability, please copy us on any communications with your faculty so we can check in with you and your faculty and assist if needed.

We are available to you throughout the quarter, in between quarters, and throughout your entire undergraduate and/or BE enrollment at Dartmouth in case you have a question or concern about your accommodations or their implementation (whether by SAS or by a professor). However, we can't help if we don't know there's an issue! And don't worry: the last thing we want to do is make you feel further stressed if you're already in an uncertain/tense situation—we'll work with you to decide how best to approach the situation and empower you to handle it yourself if you feel comfortable.

We also support students with disabilities impacting their on-campus housing, dining, and other needs. Although we may be limited in our ability to make immediate changes related to deadlines that Residential Life, Dartmouth Dining Services, and other offices on campus need to adhere to, all of our offices are committed to responding as fully as possible to requests whenever they come in.

One other area in which we provide support is with internship/career and graduate school accommodations. Since not all students who require SAS accommodations require them in professional settings, many students work with us and the Center for Professional Development around questions of if and when to disclose a disability and to request an accommodation. Students also frequently have questions about accommodation request processes for graduate and professional exams such as the GRE and LSAT and how to request accommodations in graduate/professional school.

SAS is not a success/thriving resource like the Academic Skills Center; SAS' purpose is to provide equal access for disabled students who are experiencing functional impairments as a result of their conditions, consistent with disability laws. Moreover, students experience hardships for a range of reasons. It is therefore all the more important for SAS advisors to treat students equitably, so SAS advisors often make disability determinations or decide upon the reasonableness of a requested accommodation as an SAS committee.

As a result, not all students who apply will meet the criteria to be considered disabled and/or qualify for all requested accommodations. If we do not approve a request for accommodations, it is not meant to diminish the concerns you are sharing, and we all the more hope you will engage with the alternative support resources we recommend. If you disagree with your SAS advisor's determination, you may also appeal it.