Welcome to Student Accessibility Services
Student Accessibility Services (SAS) provides accommodations and support services to students with documented disabilities. We also support the ongoing development of an accessible university that embraces diversity through educational programming, resources, and facilities that are usable by all members of the campus community.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is civil rights legislation that upholds and extends Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Title II of the ADA states: No qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any such entity (42 USC 12132). More information can be found at ADA.gov.
Staff Availability for Students
Students will need to submit an online application for accommodation and upload documentation as specified on the website. The office will be in touch with them to arrange an in-person or virtual Welcome (Intake) appointment. Students who have questions regarding accommodations and services, or questions in general, can reach staff at accessibilityservices@converse.edu or call (864) 596-9027.
Staff Availability for Faculty and Staff
Faculty and staff that have questions regarding accommodations and services, or questions in general, can reach staff by emailing accessibilityservices@converse.edu or calling (864) 596-9027. Our office is located in the Montgomery Student Center, room 206E. If necessary, SAS can also explore virtual meeting options.
Complete our online application below.
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.
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!
**Please note that it is extremely rare to qualify for off campus housing due to a medical accommodation.**
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. Student Accessibility Services receives requests, reviews documentation, and works with Residence Life to facilitate housing accommodations. We evaluate all requests for disability-based housing assignments individually. Accommodated housing space is limited and spaces are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis once the completed application and deposits have been received, therefore it is key to submit these requests in a timely manner. Students with physical, medical, or mental health disabilities who require a specific housing accommodation must submit the appropriate supporting documentation and request to SAS as soon as the student has been accepted and are committed to attending Converse University. All applications submitted regardless of timing will be accepted and considered, however, there is no guarantee that the late applicant’s needs, including any that develop during the semester, can be met.
On-campus residence hall accommodations are available for students with disabilities.
These reasonable accommodations may include but are not limited to:
Wheelchair-accessible unit (ADA accessible)
Private bathroom or semi-private bathroom
Food-safe spaces (for people with severe allergies to foods)
Flashing fire alarms
Single room occupancy (Please note it is highly unlikely to qualify for a single room)
It is helpful for documentation to include the severity of the condition. When evaluating housing accommodations, the Director of SAS considers the factors below:
1. Is the condition's impact life-threatening if the request is unmet?
2. Is there a negative health impact that may be permanent if the request is not met?
3. Is the request an integral component of a treatment plan for the condition in question?
4. What is the likely impact on academic performance if the request is not met?
Timing of the request:
1. Was the request made with the initial housing request?
2. Was the request made before the deadline for housing requests for the semester in question?
3. Was the request made as soon as possible after identifying the need (based on date of diagnosis, receipt of housing assignment, change in status, etc.)?
Important Information To Consider
(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.
(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.
Examples of conditions that ordinarily do not warrant a medical single.
Asthma
Allergies
Learning disorders / ADHD
Insomnia and sleep problems
Orthopedic problems
Depression
Anxiety
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.
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)
Applications should be submitted 6 weeks before the start of school for new students. Applications submitted less than 6 weeks may be considered. 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 Verification of an Emotional Support Animal form and submit it through the Guardian platform (see top of page for the link).
2) You will then be asked to provide updated vaccination records, proof of flea/tick prevention, and a photo of the animal. Only ONE emotional support animal is allowed per student.
3) Your information will be reviewed by a SAS staff member and follow-up provided. If approved, you will need to complete a Handler Agreement and provide proof of boarding arrangement before being allowed to bring the animal to campus.
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.
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 documentation that you provide to us.
Disability documentation for the purpose of providing accommodations must both establish disability and provide adequate information on the functional impact of your disability so that effective accommodations can be identified.
The documentation needs to provide our office with a basic understanding of your disability and enough information to anticipate how the current impact of your disability is expected to interact with Converse University's requirements.
Documentation that is submitted to our office must:
ADD/ADHD
Requirements for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Documentation
Evaluations for ADHD should follow the Learning Disabilities Guidelines below and also provide the following information:
Learning Disabilities
Requirements for Documentation:
1. All reports should be current (no more that three years old), on letterhead, typed, dated, signed, and otherwise legible. If you don't already have documentation, we can send you a Disability Verification Form to have your provider complete.
2. Acceptable psychoeducational documentation will include:
3. A licensed psychologist or appropriately credentialed psychoeducational professional should provide the current psychoeducational evaluation.
4. In order to make an informed decision about the student’s learning disorder and need for accommodation, the report should include the following:
To be completed by a Qualified Licensed Provider: Converse University provides testing and classroom accommodations for students with a verified and substantially limiting disability. A student’s documentation must demonstrate the existence of a condition covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA: 1990). The ADA defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limited one or more major life activities. Documentation of such impairment must be derived from a licensed provider who is not a relative of the student. Students must provide this document to their provider to be completed and and returned to Disability Services.
To be completed by a Qualified Licensed Provider: A licensed clinical psychologist, clinical neuropsychologist, psychiatrist, or other appropriately trained medical professional with expertise in the field of adult psychological disorders must conduct a complete psychological assessment. Students must provide this document to their provider to be completed and and returned to Disability Services.
To be completed by a Qualified License Provider: A learning disabilities assessment, which reflects the current impact of identified impairments on academic performance must be done by a licensed professional who is qualified to administer and interpret intelligence and achievement tests, and a diagnostic report based upon the assessment. This assessment must be done by a trained and certified and/or licensed psychologist, learning disabilities specialist, VR staff psychologist, school psychologist, or educational therapist. Students must provide this document to their provider to be completed and and returned to Disability Services.
A full assessment for ADHD must be conducted by a licensed clinical psychologist, clinical neuropsychologist, psychiatrist, Vocational Rehabilitation psychologist or school psychologist with expertise in the differential diagnosis of adult psychological disorders.