Accommodations Request Process Directions:

Step 1: Submit current documentation of disability (permanent or temporary) to the Director of Accessibility Services by emailing the following completed forms to accommodations@brenau.edu or faxing them to 770-297-5883

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION VERIFICATION FORM FOR ACADEMIC SETTING (4)

Authorization for Release of Medical Information (Brenau University Office of Accessibility Services)

This documentation will be confidentially reviewed within one week. Please submit documentation 1 week prior to the start of classes if you would like for accommodations to be processed and in effect on the first day of classes. 

What documentation is acceptable in lieu of the above forms?

-IEP/504 plan from high school if a recent high school graduate transitioning to college

-A psychological evaluation or learning disability evaluation.

-Documentation must state your full name and date of birth (identifying information). Please submit ALL pages of psychological or medical disability evaluations.

IMPORTANT: Acceptable documentation must state the following:

1) A specific diagnosis or diagnoses

2) Information regarding what functional impairments this diagnosis causes you in the academic or fieldwork setting

3) Specific recommendations for how your disability can be accommodated in the academic and/or fieldwork/clinical/internship setting

These three elements must be listed in your documentation in order for a determination to be made regarding how to best meet your needs and what accommodations would be reasonable modifications based on your needs.

Documentation must also be current. Documentation must be dated within the last 3 years for permanent disabilities and within the last year for temporary disabilities such as injuries and psychological/emotional disorders (such as anxiety, depression, etc.). Documentation should reflect your current health/functioning and disability status. Documentation must be signed by someone who is not a family member of the student.

*You may be asked to submit updated documentation for review each year if your initial documentation does not specifically state a permanent disability.

Step 2: Contact the Director if you would like to make an appointment to discuss accommodations via phone/Zoom/in person at the Office of Accessibility Services. You may email accommodations@brenau.edu to request a meeting with the Director. The telephone number to call for accommodations related matters is 770-534-6134.

Step 3: Once your documentation has been received and the Director has communicated with you regarding your requested accommodations, you will then receive a welcome email from accommodations@brenau.edu with your letter of accommodations attached and further instructions. Please read your welcome email and all attachments carefully and save a copy for your records. Your letter of accommodations is prepared based on your specific needs and medical recommendations. Letters are always emailed only to the student’s Tigermail university email address. Be sure to check your Brenau email to find your letter.

*You are encouraged to share this letter with your professors right away upon receipt of the letter and then again at the start of each semester with your new professors. Doing so right before a test is not acceptable. You must provide one week’s notice in order to make arrangements for testing appointments at the Office of Accessibility Services or to make arrangements with faculty to honor your accommodations.

Step 4: Share your letter with each professor via email to inform them of your accommodations. Please note that the student is then responsible for sharing this letter with their professors, academic advisor, and fieldwork coordinators at the start of every new semester by email. This is an important part of self-advocacy and allows you the opportunity to discuss with each professor any testing or other arrangements that need to be made to provide your accommodations in each course. Please let your professors know what your preferences are (if you would prefer to test in the classroom or schedule appointments with the Office of Accessibility Services).

Your professor may ask you to arrive early and/or stay late to provide extra testing time, for example. They may book a separate classroom for a small group or use an office space for an individual student. Or, your professor may direct you to schedule an appointment to test with the Office of Accessibility Services if they are unable to provide your accommodations (for example, if they cannot provide extended time because they need to get to another class they are teaching). Be proactive about making plans for testing accommodations with each professor and the Office of Accessibility Services.

*Please note a release of information must be signed in order for us to send a copy of the letter to anyone outside of the university other than the student. This includes parents or spouse. Due to FERPA regulations, only the student and faculty has a right to the letter of accommodations unless a FERPA waiver is signed by the student.

IMPORTANT TESTING INFO: In order to take your tests at the Office of Accessibility Services, you MUST schedule all testing appointments by completing the testing appointment scheduling form for students or contacting the Office Manager at ADAtestproctoring@brenau.edu prior to the scheduled class testing date with as much advance notice as possible. A minimum of one week prior to the test date is required in order to ensure a proctor is scheduled and able to assist you.

To SCHEDULE COURSE TEST/EXAM APPOINTMENTS to be proctored at the Office of Accessibility Services, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/Z5gK4otCzjTaYQUK9

*Your test dates will be listed on each course syllabus which you will receive the first day of class, so please plan accordingly. Many students simply make a list of testing dates for each course and complete a form for each testing appointment at the start of the semester in order to get all testing dates on the calendar in advance or schedule a time to meet with the Office Manager and provide her with all testing dates and specifics.

For questions regarding scheduling testing appointments, please email ADAtestproctoring@brenau.edu

The Office of Accessibility has limited space and staff; no walk-in testing or same-day sign-up testing appointments are available. Only students who have testing accommodations are permitted to take course tests at the Office of Accessibility Services (we are not a general testing center for make-up tests or SAT/ACT/GRE/CLEP/placement testing). Our business hours are from 8:30am-5pm Monday-Friday.

*If your classes are on evenings, weekends or located at one of our regional campuses you will need to make a testing plan with each professor regarding how your accommodations will be honored. Your professor will work with you to honor your testing accommodations per your letter. Your professor may have other faculty/departmental/regional campus staff or one of our proctors Zoom in to virtually assist with proctoring in a quiet space they have booked for you. The professor may also ask you to arrive early to class and/or stay late (at their discretion) in order to provide extended time.

If you experience any difficulties or concerns regarding how faculty or staff are providing your testing or other accommodations, please email the Director of Accessibility Services promptly at accommodations@brenau.edu 

The Director provides support with self-advocacy skill building, can advocate on the behalf of students and can act as a liaison between student and faculty to resolve any issues that may arise concerning accommodations. 

Please see the current Brenau Catalog for more information regarding all university policies and procedures for students regarding ADA and Section 504.