Student FAQs

General Questions

Individuals with Disabilities Policy

Emory University is committed to providing equal access to employment and educational opportunities for persons with disabilities. Emory University recognizes that individuals with disabilities may need reasonable accommodations to have equally effective opportunities to participate in or benefit from university educational programs, services, and activities, and to have equal employment opportunities. Emory University shall adhere to all applicable federal and state laws, regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as necessary to afford equal employment opportunity and equal access to programs for qualified persons with disabilities. Applicants for admission and students requesting reasonable accommodations for a disability should contact the Department of Accessibility Services at 404-727-9877 or accessibility@emory.edu. Employees and applicants for employment should contact the Department of Accessibility Services at 404-727-9877 or dasemployee@emory.edu. Visitors and participants in nonacademic programs should contact the sponsoring department or DAS at 404-727-9877. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations and/or discrimination on the basis of disability should be directed to the Director and ADA Compliance Officer in the Accessibility Services office.

What is a disability?

As defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, an individual with a disability is someone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as walking, seeing, hearing or concentrating.

It is important to know that an impairment in and of itself does not necessary constitute a disability. The degree of the impairment must be significant enough to limit one or more major life activities. Documentation must address the substantial limitation posed by the particular disability for which an accommodation is being requested.

How are accommodations determined?

Accommodations are uniquely developed for students on an individual basis. Furthermore, depending on the course content and format, accommodations for students may vary by semester or term.

All requests for accommodations must be supported by the documentation provided by the requesting student. It is important to keep in mind that this is an interactive process. Accommodations are best established and appropriately implemented when there is a partnership between the instructor, the student, and DAS.

What is a "reasonable accommodation"?

It is easier to explain what is not reasonable. The following are kinds of accommodations are not considered reasonable.

Making the accommodation means making a substantial change in an essential nature of a program or element of the curriculum.
The accommodation poses an undue financial or administrative burden to the university.
The accommodation creates a direct threat to the health or safety of others.

Will the services and accommodations that were provided to me in high school be automatically be provided to me in college?

College-level services for students with disabilities are not a continuation of special education services received in high school.

The university must provide accommodations that address your documented disability, thus affording you an equal opportunity to participate in its programs, courses and activities. IEP/504 Plans contain valuable historical information about accommodations in K-12. However, most of these plans do not include diagnostic information, and we therefore may request additional documentation in order to make accommodation decisions.

When discussing possible accommodations for college-level work, be prepared to consider alternative accommodations in the event that some may no longer be available to you.

When is the best time to request accommodations from DAS?

It is suggested that students apply for academic accommodations and submit all registration materials approximately 4 weeks prior to the first day of class. Requests that are received prior to the start of the semester or term will allow DAS to adequately coordinate services and provide instructors with reasonable notice. Further information can be found under the Important Dates section of our website.

After student accommodations are developed, are accommodation notification letters automatically generated each semester or term?

It is the student's responsibility to request accommodation notification letters each semester or term during which accommodations are required. Without this request, the office will not provide an accommodation letter.

Faculty are not obligated to accommodate students from whom they have not received formal notice.

What should I do if my accommodation or services are not effective?

Inform DAS as soon as you become aware that the results are not what you expected. It is harder to correct a long-standing problem and it may be too late if you wait too long or until the course or activity is completed. You and an DAS staff member will work together to resolve the problem, and in collaboration with college faculty, staff and administrators, as appropriate.

What if I need additional accommodations throughout the semester or term?

The needs of a student may vary according to course requirements, format and course content. With this in mind, students have the right to request additional accommodations for which they are eligible at any time during the semester. However, it is the student's responsibility to provide DAS with "reasonable notice."

If documentation on file does not support the request, a student may be required to provide additional documentation. The student's file will be re-evaluated by DAS staff to determine if the new request is reasonable.

What accommodations can be made to attend a campus event?

Please notify DAS no later than a week before you are attending a specific event. If there services or equipment need to be arranged, DAS will need time to ensure that the student has what he/she needs to participate in the event.

Can DAS contact faculty members and explain my situation?

DAS will not communicate with any faculty member until a student has completed the registration process and has an approved accommodation letter in place.

After a student has approved accommodations with DAS, the student will request an accommodation notification letter. Upon receipt, DAS will submit an accommodation notification letter for the student to hand to his/her faculty member. Students should verify each instructor has received the letter.

What if my professor does not want to provide me with reasonable accommodations?

Faculty members receive formal notification of accommodations for all eligible students receiving accommodations. Oftentimes, these situations arise due to miscommunication. If any issues arise, please contact DAS immediately.

What happens if I transfer from the Oxford campus to the main campus?

All accommodations implemented on Oxford's campus, will carry over when the student matriculates to the Atlanta Campus.

Are there different accommodations depending on the academic setting?

During the registration process, accommodations are identified for both on-site and online instruction.

Depending on the accommodation needs, a student would have to notify DAS if they were taking participating in study abroad or have internship experiences as a part of their curriculum. For example, a student with a physical disability may not have used many accommodations for online instruction; however, the student will need special equipment and classroom modifications when he or she takes an on-site course.

The student is responsible for notifying DAS regarding any changes to type of instruction or the type of academic environment.

I have surgery scheduled during the term. Am I eligible for disability accommodation?

This situation can only be determined on a case-by-case basis. Please contact DAS to describe your specific situation.

What if I need an extension because of my medical condition?

This situation can only be determined on a case-by-case basis. Please contact DAS to describe your specific situation.

What if I missed an assignment deadline due to a medical emergency?

This situation can only be determined on a case-by-case basis. Please contact DAS to describe your specific situation.

I have lost contact with my diagnosing physician. What should I do?

Any diagnosing professional can submit a medical verification letter or complete one of Emory's verification forms.

The licensed professional must support the field related to the letter. Please review the documentation guidelines for further information.

What if I do not meet the eligibility requirements to be granted a reasonable accommodation, but I have developed an impairment due to an illness, accident, or surgery?

DAS works with students experiencing a temporary impairment due to injury or surgical recovery to establish reasonable short-term accommodations. Students requesting accommodations for a temporary impairment should complete the Student Registration Form and attach any supporting documentation. Documentation for temporary impairments should indicate the current impact of the condition and provide an estimated recovery time.

My health has deteriorated, but my doctors have not determined an official diagnosis. What are my options?

Although you may not have an official diagnosis, you may still be eligible for accommodations.

To make that determination, DAS will require a formal letter from your treating physician explaining your situation, limitations and impact on academics.

Is pregnancy considered a disability?

Pregnancy and childbirth are not typically covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, if a student is experiencing complications due to pregnancy or childbirth, she may be eligible for temporary accommodations.

Contact DAS if you have any questions regarding any complications you experience while pregnant.

I am taking care of a sick relative or I am the caretaker for a significant other with a disability. Am I eligible for a disability accommodation?

The DAS office works with qualified students with disabilities to ensure equal access and reasonable accommodation when needed. Such a request will not fall under the purview of the DAS office. Students may contact our office for additional resources and campus partner contacts.

What should I do if I feel I may have been discriminated against based on my disability at Emory?

If you feel the actions of any person or entity at Emory has been discriminatory based on your disability status, contact Emory's Department of Equity and Inclusion to file a complaint.

I disagree with the accommodation determination. Is there an appeals process?

If you have any concerns regarding the determination of appropriate accommodations, you can request an appeal of the decision by contacting Emory ADA Compliance Officer Rashad Morgan.

Department of Accessibility Services (DAS) Grievance Procedure

The Department of Accessibility Services (DAS) is responsible for handling requests for reasonable accommodations. On occasion, a student may not agree with a decision to deny an accommodation by DAS. If a student has an accommodation request denied and wants to appeal that decision, this process outlines how those appeals will be handled.

Step 1 (Student Submits an Appeal Request):

Within ten (10) business days after receipt of a decision denying an accommodation request, the individual must submit a written appeal to the Director of the Department of Accessibility Services by contacting Rashad Morgan at rashad.armand.morgan@emory.edu.

Please provide the following three items when submitting your appeal:

1) A copy of your accommodation decision or notification of non-approval.

2) A written statement in support of your appeal, setting forth: what accommodation(s) you originally requested (you may attach your original request instead) and the grounds upon which you contend that the denial should be reconsidered. Those grounds should be limited to the following:

(a) A procedural error occurred within the process that substantially affected the decision to deny the accommodation;

(b) There is new information not known or provided to DAS at the time that would change the decision to deny the accommodation; and/or

You must indicate clearly which of these reasons is the basis for your appeal. If you do not identify one of these three bases, or your identified basis does not fit one of these three categories, your appeal will be denied.

3) All documentation supporting your appeal. Please attach copies of relevant documents; do not cut and paste documents into your email.

Step 2 (DAS Director or Designee Reviews Appeal Request):

Prior to deciding the appeal, the DAS Director, or designee, may request additional information from the individual submitting the appeal, DAS, or anyone else who may have information that would help the DAS Director, or designee, decide the appeal. The DAS Director, or designee, may also ask to speak with anyone who may have information needed to decide the appeal.

The DAS Director, or designee, will endeavor to provide the student with a written decision via Emory email within fifteen (15) business days of receiving all appeals information.

Process Note: When an appeal is being reviewed and the student shares new information or documentation that was not previously provided to DAS, the DAS Director, or designee, reserves the right to refer the student back to their initial DAS point of contact to work through the interactive process. Nothing in the policy shall prohibit a student who believes that they may have been subjected to disability discrimination to pursue a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights.

Office of Civil Rights (OCR) Complaint

Although students are encouraged to attempt to resolve complaints pertaining to disabilities by using this Grievance Procedure, they have the right to file a complaint directly with the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR).