GUIDE FOR NEW STUDENTS ( .doc)
Getting Started
How Do I Register for Disability Services?
We won't make final determination about accommodations until you arrive at UMM and consult with a Disabilities Services staff member. To help us make that determination, we ask what accommodations you have used in the past. Feel free to call us at (320) 589-6178 or visit our office if you have questions regarding this form or the services we provide.
What Next?
- Provide documentation of your disability. Documentation should:
a) explain how your disability limits a major life activity;
b) be written by a qualified professional;
c) be typed, dated, and on letterhead; and
d) include the name, title, and credentials of the evaluator.
In most cases, documentation should be relatively recent; a very general guideline is less than 3 years old.
A 504 plan or IEP is not considered sufficient documentation, but they can be included in your file. They will help us decide what accommodations make sense for you.
If you do not have access to your files, we can send you an Information Release form. This will give your doctor, school counselor, psychologist, or other agency permission to send us verification of your disability.
Who Has Access To My File?
- All files are confidential.
Files are kept in a locked cabinet and only Disabilities Services staff can access them. Your professors will only be informed that you have a disability if you need accommodations. The specifics of a student's disabilities are rarely discussed with faculty.
If you want another person or institution to have access to the information in your file, you may write a letter giving this office permission to release it or you can fill out a Release of Information by UMM Disability Services.
We will only release the information in your file without your consent if you threaten to harm yourself or someone else, you neglect or sexually abuse a vulnerable adult or a minor, you are pregnant and using illegal drugs, or are being sexually exploited by counseling or health care professionals.
Self-Advocacy
- We encourage students to do as much advocating for themselves as they feel comfortable doing.
Sometimes, chatting with a professor about your disability will help both of you work toward a mutually acceptable accommodation—such as an oral exam instead of a written one, or extended time on assignments. If you feel uncomfortable having a conversation with your professors but feel they need to know more about you or your disability in order to meet your needs, we will work with you to write a letter to them.
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