Faculty and Staff Information

As a faculty or staff member, you may have questions regarding students with disabilities and health conditions. Look to OSD as a resource, and follow these guidelines governing disability-related services in higher education.

1. Students with disabilities must meet the same admission standards as other students.
2. Once admitted, they have the same rights to all programs and facilities and are eligible to receive reasonable accommodations that relate to their disability.
3. They have a right to confidentiality of all disability-related information.
4. Students with disabilities are responsible for meeting the same academic standards as other students. While students may receive some reasonable accommodations intended to mitigate the educational impact of their disabilities, these accommodations should not water down the curriculum, alter the standards for performance or waive any class activity that provides students with essential knowledge or skills.

OSD Syllabus Statement
Syllabus statements indicate a faculty member’s willingness to provide reasonable accommodations to a student with a disability. The statement should be an invitation to students who have disabilities to meet with the faculty member in a confidential environment to review course requirements and discuss their needs for accommodations. In addition, it makes the students aware that disability-related accommodations are coordinated through OSD.

Suggested syllabus statement:
In coordination with the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD), reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified students with disabilities and health conditions. Please meet with the instructor the first week of class to make arrangements. You can also reach Jhony Nelson, director of the Office for Students with Disabilities, at jhonyn@lagcc.cuny.edu or in Room M-102.

Find more information in the Faculty and Staff Handbooks.

Service animals
For information about service animals in the classroom and elsewhere on campus, see the ADA requirements about service animals from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Online testing accommodations
Online students with documented disabilities may be eligible for extra time on tests, books in alternate formats and other accommodations. If you know you have a student with a disability in one of your online classes who may need accommodations, contact OSD to discuss.

Universal Design for Learning
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies can often reduce or eliminate the need for some individual accommodations. However, keep in mind that individualized accommodations will be necessary for some students with disabilities.