Students with Disabilities
Dear Faculty and Professional Staff:
The State University of New York (SUNY) is committed to ensuring welcoming and inclusive
living and learning environments for all students, including students with disabilities.
Students with disabilities are entitled equal access to programs and services in compliance
with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities
Act (1990, as amended in 2008).
The Disability Services Center (DSC) facilitates and coordinates the provision of
services and accommodations for students. Accommodations are evaluated on a case-by-case
basis, determined by disability documentation and the interactive process with the
individual student.
I am writing to you today to share important information about the DSC as we prepare
for a successful semester. Our shared goal is to ensure equal access and a positive
learning experience for every FSC student. The DSC provides the framework and guidance
for this effort, but successful implementation of accommodations requires the partnership
of our entire faculty. Please familiarize yourself with the below College procedures
for assisting students with disabilities, and obligations for administrators, faculty
and instructional staff. Students remain responsible for self-identifying and must
register with the DSC to access necessary accommodations.
Student Registration for Services
- Self-Disclosure and documentation: To receive services, students must first self-disclose their disability by completing
a “Getting to Know You Form” and providing appropriate documentation to the DSC. A
counselor will then meet with the student to review their needs and determine appropriate
accommodations.
- Disclosure to a professor: If a student discloses a disability to you directly and requests an accommodation,
you should always refer the student to the DSC. This ensures the student receives
a proper and official accommodation plan.
- The "Accommodate" system: Once a student has met with the office, they will request their accommodations for
each course, each semester, using the Accommodate system, an online tool for automating,
simplifying and tracking the approval and delivery of accommodations.
- Accommodation Letters: DSC will then send you an official accommodation letter for each student in your
class who is approved for services. You must review these letters and note that the
accommodations are only in effect from the date the official accommodation letter
is sent for that specific semester; accommodations are not retroactive. The letter
will come from a non-FSC email address, farmingdale-accommodate@accommodate.symplicity.com.
Testing with Accommodations
- Student Responsibility: It is the student's responsibility to schedule their testing appointments with the
DSC for in-person, on-campus exams using the DSC Testing Appointment Request Form.
- Faculty Confirmation: After the student schedules a testing appointment, you will receive an automatic
copy of this form. We ask that you please confirm the details of the exam, such as
the date, length of the exam, and any permitted materials (e.g., a calculator, notes)
with the office at testing@farmingdale.edu.
Please note: When interacting with students, it's important to remember that the nature of a student's
disability is confidential. Please don't ask students questions about their specific
disability. Many disabilities aren't visible, and a student who doesn't have obvious
signs of a disability is still entitled to accommodations. You should always refer
students to the DSC, as this ensures the student receives a proper and official accommodation
plan.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding student accommodations, please contact
the Disability Services Center at dsc@farmingdale.edu or 934-420-5174. The DSC is located in Whitman Hall, room 186D (office) and room
183 (testing room). For testing-related questions or to send us exams, please email
testing@farmingdale.edu.
Need tips on accessible and inclusive teaching? Visit the “DSC Instructional Resources”
page on Brightspace for guidance on student support and more.
Thank you for your partnership in supporting our students.
Sean Lane, PhD
Senior Vice President and Provost
