Registration Process and Document Guidelines

Student Accessibility Services

Documentation Guidelines

Our office’s primary mission is to determine if your request for disability-related accommodations is appropriate. An important piece in making this determination is the documentation that you provide to us.

Students are responsible for providing current, appropriate documentation of their disability from a qualified health services provider (i.e., physician, licensed psychologist, etc.). High School IEPs and 504 Plans alone are not sufficient documentation of a disability at the college level, although they can be helpful. Students should understand that while medical or educational documentation can establish a diagnosis, not every diagnosis rises to the level of being a disability under the law. Documentation is essential in determining the current impact of the disability on a student’s performance, and so it is important that disability documentation meet certain guidelines.

While SAS may require additional information to further define needed accommodations, documentation should:

Address the current functional limitations (i.e. the current impact of the disability on the student) and prognosis of the condition
Be current – what is considered current will vary with disability, but some helpful guidelines are: within the last 3 years for learning disabilities or ADHD and the last year for psychiatric disabilities. Many disabilities are stable, lifelong conditions, and thus current may not mean "recent." Some disabilities, however, will vary over time with changes in environment, in treatment, and/or medications. The goal of documentation is to illustrate a connection between the current impact of the disability and the requested accommodations.
Be typed or printed on official letterhead, dated, and signed by an evaluator qualified to make the diagnosis
Be provided by a licensed or otherwise properly credentialed professional (third-party) who has appropriate and comprehensive training, relevant experience, and no personal relationship with the individual being evaluated
Include a clear diagnostic statement
Include a description of the methodology used and test scores that support the diagnosis
Include specific recommendations for accommodations that are related to the functional limitations

Documentation can also include:

Student's self-report:

The student is a critical source of information regarding their disability. A student interested in requesting accommodations must schedule a Welcome Appointment with SAS Case Manager to discuss their disability, including the impact of the disability, their experience with accommodations (effectiveness, etc.), the current need for particular accommodations, and any student questions.

Additional relevant medical and educational sources:

Documentation from additional sources helps to substantiate disability and accommodation needs. Relevant documentation may include educational records, medical records, and/or reports and assessments created by health care providers, school psychologists, teachers, or the educational system. IEPs and 504 Plans that reflect the student's educational and accommodation history are also helpful.
Documentation will vary in its relevance and value, depending on the original context, the credentials of the evaluator, and the level of detail and comprehensiveness provided.

Academic Accommodations

At Converse University we generally require documentation of the student’s disability to determine eligibility. Please see our documentation guidelines at the bottom of the page.

1) Complete our online application for Academic Accommodations.

2) Provide medical documentation to support the need for accommodations. Third-party documentation should be provided by a licensed or otherwise properly credentialed professional who has appropriate and comprehensive training, relevant experience, and no personal relationship with the individual being evaluated. Documentation must be a scanned attachment on the application or can be hand delivered by the student. Documentation must be current and may need to be updated each year. Applications received without appropriate documentation may not be processed. If you do not already have sufficient documentation, you may ask your licensed, treating provider to complete our Disability Verification Form - Academic and Housing.pdf.

3) Once steps 2 and 3 have been completed someone will reach out to you from our department to set up a Welcome Meeting. A Welcome Meeting with the student is an important part of our process, and is required. Eligibility for accommodations is determined by several factors which will be discussed at the Welcome meeting, and accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to give us a call at 864-596-9027 or email us at accessibilityservices@converse.edu. Thank you!

Housing Accommodations

In collaboration with Residence Life, Student Accessibility Services is committed to providing appropriate reasonable housing accommodations to students with documented disabilities. We recognize that residential living and the learning environment are central to the Converse student experience, thus we strive to make this experience accessible to all students. We evaluate all requests for disability-based housing assignments individually and on a case-by-case basis. Students with physical, medical, or mental health disabilities who require a specific housing accommodation must submit a Housing Accommodation Application and supporting documentation from an appropriate licensed provider (see guidelines at bottom of page). If you do not already have sufficient documentation, you may ask your licensed, treating provider to complete our Disability Verification Form - Academic and Housing.pdf.

Request for housing accommodations must be received by February 1st for returning students and June 1st for new students. As housing space is limited and spaces are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, it is imperative to submit these requests in a timely manner. All applications submitted, regardless of timing, will be accepted and considered. We will make a good faith effort to provide reasonable accommodations; however, we may not be able to guarantee that appropriate residential provisions will be completed within that same academic semester.

Important Information To Consider Before Applying

1) You are not making a request for a specific housing assignment, but rather a request for a housing accommodation based on a documented, ongoing disability whose disability documentation illustrates clear and substantial barriers in the Converse University living environment, and for whom a standard housing assignment with a roommate is not viable.

2) Single rooms are reserved for individuals whose documentation illustrates substantial needs (a medical necessity), and for whom a standard housing assignment with a roommate is not viable. *See detailed section below for more information.

3) Converse University does not grant accommodations solely on the submission of documentation, and/or recommendations of medical/mental health care providers, but on the documented functional limitations posed by the student’s disability in Converse University’s residential housing.

4) Housing accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis, and based solely on that individual student's medically necessary needs in Converse University’s residential housing.

5) Certain disabilities require documentation of current levels of functioning, thus housing accommodation requests do not automatically carry over to subsequent semesters.

Single Room Requests

A limited number of single or suite-style rooms are available for all students. Students who prefer to be in a single room can contact Residential Life about the availability of such rooms. Please be advised that medical singles are reserved for individuals who document substantial needs and for whom living with a roommate is not possible. Access to a single bedroom will only be approved as an accommodation in cases where it is clearly documented that a student cannot live on campus without this accommodation.

Requests for a single room as an accommodation based solely on a desire to have a “quiet, undisturbed place to study” will not be granted. By virtue of the shared facilities, resources, and number of people living under one roof, it is not logical to assume that having a private room would provide such a quiet, distraction-free space to any appreciable degree beyond living in a standard double room. There are numerous campus locations that provide quiet spaces for studying (including study rooms in residential halls, the Library, the Montgomery Student Center, & several academic buildings) that can also be reserved; therefore a request for a quiet, undisturbed space is considered a preference, not a medical necessity (i.e. including for ADHD and/or learning disability). A student's accommodation is considered after a review of medical documentation, and when determined that a standard residential assignment is not a viable option for this student.

Housing Exemptions

Housing exemptions are appropriate when the university can not provide housing that gives the student equal access. Residence Life together with Student Accessibility Services works diligently to make appropriate accommodations for students with serious health problems and/or disabilities.  There are many types of housing available on campus and we are generally able to find a solution within on-campus housing to whatever problem is prompting the request for an exemption. Because of this, housing exemptions are rarely necessary.

Emotional Support Animals

In order to receive permission to have an emotional support animal (ESA) in university housing, the student must work with Student Accessibility Services and Residence Life. Evaluating ESA requests is an interactive process between SAS staff, the prescribing healthcare provider, and the student. Decisions regarding ESA requests can only be reached after appropriate documentation for the disability has been received and evaluated and a meeting/interview with the student has taken place.

Documentation from a medical provider that has an established relationship with the person seeking the accommodation would be much more reliable. Please note that letters purchased online and online ESA certifications typically do not provide the information needed by SAS to deem an ESA accommodation request reasonable. Some websites sell certificates, registrations, and licensing documents for assistance animals to anyone who answers certain questions or participates in a short interview and pays a fee.

Under the Fair Housing Act, a housing provider may request reliable documentation when an individual requesting a reasonable accommodation has a disability and disability-related need for an accommodation that are not obvious or otherwise known. In HUD’s experience, such documentation from the internet is not, by itself, sufficient to reliably establish that an individual has a non-observable disability or disability-related need for an assistance animal. (Excerpt from 2020 HUD Guidance). Converse University will make a good faith effort to provide reasonable accommodations, but may not be able to guarantee that appropriate residential provisions will be completed within that semester.

1) Please fill out the ESA Disability Verification Form and have your licensed mental healthcare provider complete the additional pages.

2) Submit an Emotional Support Animal Application through the Guardian portal. From there, you can also upload the ESA DVF or your licensed mental healthcare provider/fax/email it directly to our office.

3) Your information will be reviewed by a SAS staff member and follow-up provided. If approved, you will then be asked to provide updated vaccination records, proof of flea/tick prevention, proof of Spartanburg City Animal License, and a photo of the animal. You will also need to complete an ESA Handler Agreement.pdf and provide proof of boarding arrangement before being allowed to bring the animal to campus. Only ONE emotional support animal is allowed per student and per room.

4) In addition, your roommate(s) will need to complete an ESA Roommate Agreement.pdf.

Please submit all necessary information with enough lead time to allow the office to fully consider your request. Students should allow at least 2 weeks to complete this process once they have met with a SAS staff member and should not bring their ESA to campus until everything is finalized. ESAs may not be brought to the residence hall until official approval has been given from Residence Life. Bringing an unauthorized animal to campus will result in heavy fines.