The Office of Special Services provides a variety of support services to help students with disabilities. The Director, Cynthia Pratt, and her assistants support students in their independent living development and in being advocates for themselves. This office also provides information to the College faculty and staff regarding accommodating students with special needs.
Cazenovia College has been a pioneer in its commitment to serving students with learning disabilities. As part of our Center for Teaching and Learning, the staff of the Office of Special Services provides a selection of support services to help students with disabilities learn how to function independently at the College and to advocate for themselves. The College complies with all federal, state and local laws governing education of students with special needs. Students requiring reasonable accommodations should file their requests in writing with the director, Office of Special Services (315-655-7308) at least 30 days prior to expected need for accommodations.
Benefits and Services:
Students who wish to utilize the services available through the Office of Special Services must provide appropriate documentation of their disability. Student identification must be voluntary and all documentation received is confidential. Documentation must identify the individual as a person with a disability as defined by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Chapter 504, and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
Documentation should validate the need for services based on the individual's current level of functioning in the educational setting, and should be comprehensive. The following documentation is needed in order for the individual to be eligible for services:
Every student with a documented disability has the following rights:
Cazenovia College has been a pioneer in its commitment to serving students with learning disabilities. As part of our Center for Teaching and Learning, the staff of the Office of Special Services provides a selection of support services to help students with disabilities learn how to function independently at the College and to advocate for themselves. The College complies with all federal, state and local laws governing education of students with special needs. Students requiring reasonable accommodations should file their requests in writing with the director, Office of Special Services (315-655-7308) at least 30 days prior to expected need for accommodations.
Benefits and Services:
- Testing accommodation
o Extended time
o Alternate location
o Use of computer
o Use of calculator - Free copy of notes
- Individual and small group tutorial support in learning strategies
- Study skills assessments
- Assistance with setting goals
Students who wish to utilize the services available through the Office of Special Services must provide appropriate documentation of their disability. Student identification must be voluntary and all documentation received is confidential. Documentation must identify the individual as a person with a disability as defined by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Chapter 504, and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
Documentation should validate the need for services based on the individual's current level of functioning in the educational setting, and should be comprehensive. The following documentation is needed in order for the individual to be eligible for services:
- An Individual Education Plan (IEP)
- Any tests administered that include scores, recommendations, and accommodations
- Documentation must include a diagnosis and a summary of current impact on the individual
- Documentation must be current (within the last three years)
Every student with a documented disability has the following rights:
- Equal access to courses, programs, services, jobs, activities, and facilities available through the College
- Reasonable and appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids determined on a case-by-case basis
- Appropriate confidentiality of all information pertaining to his/her disability, with the choice of whom to disclose his/her disability
- Information reasonable available in accessible form
- Meet the College’s qualifications and essential technical, academic, and institutional standards
- Identify himself/herself in a timely manner as an individual with a disability when seeking an accommodation
- Provide the Director of the Office of Special Services with appropriate medical, psychological, psycho-educational, or other documentation that verifies the nature of the disability, functional limitations, and need for specific accommodation
- Follow specific procedures for obtaining reasonable and appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids
- Contact the Director of the Office of Special Services at the beginning of each semester so that appropriate accommodations can be made in a timely manner. Students are strongly encouraged to make this contact within the first two weeks of the semester. This includes filling out the required academic accommodation plan, which indicates the student’s individual academic accommodation.