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Rights and Responsibilities

The OAS is committed to supporting faculty in understanding their role in facilitating accommodations for students who have disabilities. This is a collaborative process between the individual student with disabilities, the Office of AccessAbility (OAS), and faculty. Faculty may reach out to the OAS at any time for clarification or support regarding challenging situations. All three parties play a role in safeguarding equal access to a postsecondary institution. Our goal is to work together to provide access to students in need.

Faculty Rights and Responsibilities

    • Maintain the university’s academic rigor and essential elements of the course content.
    • Require students to demonstrate their knowledge of critical standards of course content.
    • Consult with the Office of AccessAbility regarding any accommodation that seems unclear or unfair.
    • Request an official Letter of Accommodation before providing a requested accommodation.
    • Request guidance from the OAS for clarity, counsel, or training for supports and services offered by the OAS.

    • Incorporating best practices in teaching that support a diverse community of learners.
    • Including a statement in your syllabus that explains how students can access accommodations.
    • Meeting with a student after receiving a Letter of Accommodation from OAS to discuss parameters, logistics and expectations. This discussion should establish open communication and confidentiality.
    • Providing accommodations listed in the Letter of Accommodation.
    • Contacting the OAS if you have any questions or concerns. This may include referring students to the OAS if they have not registered and are requesting an accommodation.
    • Maintaining confidentiality of information regarding disability issues. 

    • Have equal access to your educational experiences at Eastern and utilize accommodations to remove or reduce disability-related barriers.
    • Decide when to utilize accommodations each semester by requesting them. It is most effective to request an accommodation in advance.
    • Request adjustments to your accommodation at any time by following proper procedures and protocols through the OAS.
    • Have approved accommodations provided to you free of charge, as mandated in the Americans with Disabilities Act.
    • Report a formal or informal complaint if you feel you are being discriminated against.

    • Self-disclosing and providing documentation of disability by a licensed provider that meets the guidelines for the different types of disabilities.
    • Making an appointment to register with the OAS to discuss the impact of your disability and the reasonable accommodations they require.
    • Submitting your semester request for your accommodation by semester.
    • Carrying out all essential elements to update and maintain the use of your accommodation for your course, program, or activity.
    • Engaging in proactive communication with instructors to discuss accommodations and determine how they will be applied in each class.
    • Disclosing issues to the OAS in a timely manner, to resolve any hardships in real time. Accommodations are not retroactive.