On behalf of the Student Accessibility Support Services (SASS), welcome to Haskell Indian Nations University. Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that most postsecondary schools provide accommodations for students with disabilities. The Student Accessibility Support Services program supports students with disabilities in a manner that is consistent with the best practices in the field of accommodations at the postsecondary level and the guidelines recommended by the Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD).
Accommodations are individualized based on the needs of each student as identified in the documentation of the student’s disability. Any information provided to Dr. Mann is confidential and will not be released to any other person/office until the student signs a release of information form.
Students are encouraged to contact Dr. Mann to request accommodations.
Accommodations are modifications to how a student accesses academic content or on-campus housing due to a student's disability. Accommodations are based on recommendations from professionals who are familiar with the student, their disability, and how that disability affects the student. These professionals may be special educators, therapists, or medical professionals (doctors, nurses).
Accommodations are specific to each student and assigned based on professional recommendations. Accommodations may be in academics or housing. Some examples of academic accommodations: more time for a test, taking a test in a semi-private room, having access to the instructor's lecture notes, and audio recording lectures. Some examples of housing accommodations: private dorm room, wheelchair-accessible dorm room, or emotional support animal.
To begin, contact Dr. Lara Mann, Student Accessibility Coordinator (contact information at the top of this page). Have the student's IEP, 504 Plan, psych-education evaluation, psychological evaluation, or medical documentation sent to Dr. Mann. If a student does not have a diagnosis and is interested in being tested for a learning disability or psychological condition, ask Dr. Mann about this opportunity. The student and Dr. Mann discuss what accommodations are needed. Dr. Mann then sends the academic accommodations to the instructors that the student wants notified of their accommodations. Dr. Mann sends housing accommodations to Residential Life staff.
Yes. Parents and other family members are welcome to contact Dr. Mann with questions. However, if a student wants to establish accommodations at Haskell, Dr. Mann will have to communicate directly with the student, not a parent or family member. If the student is over 18 years old, Dr. Mann cannot reveal any information about the student without their written consent. This confidentiality includes information about whether or not the student is receiving accommodations, what those accommodations are, or how the student is doing in classes. Dr. Mann has a permission release for students who wish to grant consent for Dr. Mann to share information with their parent or family member.
No. All accommodations must be based on a documented disability, as determined by a medical (doctor, nurse, therapist) or educational professional. Haskell can arrange for currently enrolled students to be tested for learning disabilities and/or mental health conditions. See Dr. Mann about this opportunity. The results of such testing can be the documentation needed for accommodations.
Academic accommodations are modifications to how students access academic (classroom) content, to alleviate the effects of a documented disability. Academic accommodations are specific to each student and assigned based on professional recommendations. Accommodations cannot change the fundamental nature of the class (which can be found in the Course Objectives or Learning Outcomes of the class syllabus). All students are expected to do the same assignments, tests, and labs. A student cannot have a modified assignment (such as fewer math problems or a shorter page requirement for an essay) or a different test than the rest of class. However, the student can have accommodations for how to access that assignment or test. Examples of academic accommodations at Haskell:
For academic accommodations, an educational professional (school psychologist, Special Education specialist, Special Educator) or medical professional (doctor, nurse, therapist) must determine that the accommodations are necessary for a documented disability. Generally, that documentation is an IEP, 504 Plan, or psych-education evaluation. Have these documents sent to Dr. Mann or request them from the student's former school. Haskell can arrange for currently enrolled students to be tested for learning disabilities and/or mental health conditions. See Dr. Mann about this opportunity. The results of such testing can be the documentation needed for accommodations.
Dr. Mann notifies instructors that a student has accommodations, usually by email. Students have to request that accommodations be sent to instructors each semester. Accommodations are not sent “automatically” to instructors just because a student had accommodations one semester. Students can choose to have accommodations sent to some of their instructors (of their choice) or all of their instructors. Students should meet with each of their instructors 1-on-1 at the beginning of the semester to discuss how they can be most successful in that class.
No. Students can choose whether to use their accommodations or not. For example, the student may have an accommodation for a semi-private testing room but can choose to take a test with the rest of the class. If the student wants to use their accommodation, they should let the instructor know.
No. Accommodations are not retroactive. That is, if a student establishes accommodations mid-semester, the accommodations do not apply to the first part of the semester that has already passed. If a student needs extra time to complete an assignment, they need to notify the instructor before the due date for the assignment passes.
No. Special Education coverage ends after 12th grade. Many (but not all) of the same modifications can be provided in college. The main difference between Special Education and college accommodations is that the curriculum in college cannot be changed for an individual student. For example, a student cannot have a modified assignment (such as fewer math problems or a shorter page requirement for an essay) or a different test than the rest of class. However, the student can have accommodations such as more time to take a test or more time to complete an assignment.
No. A Special Education resource room and para-educators are supports that are part of Special Education, which ends after 12th grade. Student tutors are available to all students in math and English at Haskell; see the General Questions section on this page. If a student has an accommodation for a semi-private testing room, that can be done in Dr. Mann's office. The student must notify Dr. Mann that they want to take a test in Dr. Mann's office at least two days before the test is scheduled. Students without accommodations may take tests in Trio or the Student Success Center.
Housing accommodations are modifications to on-campus living for students with disabilities. Examples of housing accommodations at Haskell:
For housing accommodations, a medical professional (doctor, nurse, therapist) must determine that the accommodation is necessary for a documented disability. To document that, Dr. Mann has a letter that the student's medical professional needs to fill out requesting information about their specific needs. Wheelchair-accessible rooms are reserved for students with mobility/physical disabilities that require first-floor access, grab bars in the bathroom, etc. or students who require a private bathroom due to a disability.
No. Any student may make a housing request to the Residential Life office. However, those requests are not required accommodations.
No. Age is not a disability. If a student has a documented disability sometimes related to older age (for example: arthritis, medical condition, etc.) then a private room or room on the first floor may be an appropriate accommodation. A medical professional (doctor, nurse, therapist) must determine that a private room is necessary for a student's documented disability. To document this, see Dr. Mann for a letter to give to your medical professional.
No. Veteran status is not a disability. If a student has a documented disability resulting from military service (for example: PTSD, medical condition, etc.) then a private room may be an appropriate accommodation. A medical professional (doctor, nurse, therapist) must determine that a private room is necessary for a student's documented disability. To document this, see Dr. Mann for a letter to give to your medical professional.
Generally, no. Learning disabilities and ADHD can be accommodated with classroom modifications. Study space can be found in various campus buildings including Tommaney Library, the Humanities Library (Ross Hall room 137A), Stidham Union, and dedicated study rooms in the dorms. A medical professional (doctor, nurse, therapist) must determine that a private room is necessary for a documented disability. To document this, see Dr. Mann for a letter to give to your medical professional.
No. Snoring loudly is not a disability. Using a CPAP machine is an accommodation for a disability (for example: obstructive sleep apnea) that generally does not require a private room. A medical professional (doctor, nurse, therapist) must determine that a private room is necessary for a documented disability. To document this, see Dr. Mann for a letter to give to your medical professional.
Yes, but only if the student’s medical professional (doctor, nurse, therapist) determines that a first-floor room is necessary for a documented disability (for example: arthritis, injury, etc.). To document this, see Dr. Mann for a letter to give to your medical professional.
No. Service animals (generally dogs) are specially trained to perform one or more specific tasks to alleviate the effects of a disability. Some examples are dogs that assist a person with visual impairment in crossing the street or alerting others before a person has a seizure. Service animals may go wherever their person goes, including businesses and restaurants. Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are not specially trained, and they provide emotional comfort. ESAs are a housing accommodation at Haskell so they must stay where the student lives, such as the student's dorm. ESAs may not go to class or other campus buildings at Haskell.
An ESA is an accommodation for a documented disability, as determined by a medical professional (doctor, nurse, therapist). The ESA must be part of the students' treatment plan for their disability. To document that, Dr. Mann has a letter that the student's medical professional needs to fill out, requesting information about the student's specific needs. Letters from pet therapy websites will not be accepted.
There are many pet therapy websites that sell generic ESA letters or claim to add your animal to an ESA registry. These websites are scams. There is no such thing as an ESA registry. Medical professionals (doctor, nurse, therapist) who verify a student's need for an ESA must be familiar with the student and their disability, and the ESA must be part of the student's treatment plan for a disability. Generally, this requires the medical professional and the student to meet for several appointments. Dr. Mann will follow up by calling the student's recommending medical professional to verify the need for, and recommendation of, the ESA accommodation. Letters from pet therapy websites often do not contain contact information for the recommender.
ESAs are not pets. Pets are not allowed to live on campus in the dorms. A medical professional determines if an animal is a person's ESA.
No. A private dorm room and an ESA are separate accommodations. Students with ESAs will be assigned a roommate.
First, the student should contact Dr. Mann. Dr. Mann will give the student the necessary permission releases and ESA forms, including the letter that must be completed by the student's medical professional. This document outlines the ESA forms and procedures. The ESA is not allowed to live on campus until all parts of the ESA forms are completed, as well as proof of a current rabies vaccination and a well animal visit are submitted to Dr. Mann.
These are the rules and responsibilities for ESAs on campus. Each student with an ESA is required to sign their agreement to follow these rules and responsibilities before the student is allowed to have an ESA on campus.
The ESA is an extension of the student, so the student is responsible for:
ESAs are a housing accommodation, so the animal must stay where the student lives. It cannot go with the student to class or any other buildings on campus. ESAs also cannot go in other students’ dorm rooms. ESAs are allowed to go into the public areas of the dorm in which the student lives, such as the hallways, TV room, laundry room, and study rooms. ESAs must enter and exit the dorm using the front door. Animals on campus must be leashed.
No. It is against the rules and responsibilities for anyone to babysit an ESA on campus. If a student is off campus for more than 6 hours, they must arrange for care of their ESA off campus.
The following Accessibility Support Services documents and forms (in PDF format) are available for download.