Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I register with your office?
- Where can I find your office?
- What do I do when I receive an official Letter of request for Accommodation?
- How do I file a grievance?
- What statement should I include in my class syllabus/program announcement/flyer to inform students of the process to request accommodations?
How do I register with your office?
You must first drop off a current copy of your documentation (see documentation guidelines) and an ODA application for services in the University Union, 3rd floor, Suite 321. New documentation will be reviewed every Friday. The Documentation Review Committee will determine if you are eligible for academic accommodations. After approval, you will be contacted to arrange anode orientation or to meet with a counselor if more information is required. For more information, see Apply for Services.
Where can I find your office?
Our office is located at the University of North Texas in the University Union, 3rd Floor, Suite 321.
Mailing Address:
University of North Texas
Office of Disability Accommodation
University Union, Suite 321
P.O. Box 310770
Denton, TX 76203-0770
See also the University of North Texas campus map.
What do I do when I receive an official Letter of request for Accommodation?
Students
You will receive a copy for your personal records and copies for all of your classes.
This letter should be given to your course instructor as soon as you wish to begin receiving accommodations. Requests for Accommodation letters are not retroactive. Thus, if you do not provide the instructor with the request, you may not receive accommodations in the learning environment. Until you provide a copy of the request. Or, you may not be allowed to apply accommodations to previous course work.
Notice that the letter does not specify your condition. It only specifies the recommended academic accommodations. When you discuss your condition or accommodations with the instructor, we recommend that you set up an appointment with the instructor during office hours for a private discussion.
Professors
- First, read it carefully. It is a formal notice, signifying that the student has furnished the university with documentation of a disability, which he or she feels will impact the learning situation.
- Second, discuss the request with the student. The letter lists the accommodations which have been recommended by the physician, diagnostician, or counselor as compensation methods. If you do not understand why the specific accommodation was requested, ask the student to talk with you. You may want to call the Office of Disability Accommodation at (940) 565-4323 to request more details. You may want to talk to your department's ADA liaison or other appropriate departmental official.
- Third, regardless of disability, all students must be able to meet the essential competencies for your course. Naturally, if the student cannot meet them without accommodations, he/she must be given an opportunity to meet them with reasonable accommodations.
If you are unable to accommodate the student's request, ask yourself the following questions. Will the student's request affect an "essential competency?" Is there a better way to make the class/requirement accessible? Is the request reasonable? Do I have an alternative suggestion? Discuss the request with the student and try to find a compromise. Tell the student why you cannot meet the original request and what accommodations you can make. But please, never deny accommodations without first discussing the matter with the ODA.
- Fourth, if you cannot work out an alternative that is agreeable to both you and the student, involve your department's ADA liaison or other appropriate department official in the process. If there is still no way that you and your department can reasonably accommodate the student and have him/her meet the essential competencies of the course even after discussing the matter with the ODA, the student should be so informed. Your department should maintain a record of all efforts to provide reasonable accommodations.
How do I file a grievance?
Faculty, staff, students, or members of the public who believe they have been discriminated against under the terms of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 are encouraged to call the matter to the attention of the immediate supervisor of the area in which the problem exists, i.e. the department head or ADA liaison. Failing satisfactory resolution, the issue should be taken to the Division of Equity and Diversity.
Once a written complaint has been filed with the Division of Equity and Diversity, an official investigation will be conducted.
Grievance Procedure [pdf]
What statement should I include in my class syllabus/program announcement/flyer to inform students of the process to request accommodations?
See ADA Taglines for UNT Publications and Syllabus Statements.