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Disability Resources

Catherine Samuel, Director
Location: Posner Hall, Student Academic Success Center, 4980 Margaret Morrison St., Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Phone: 412-268-6121
access@andrew.cmu.edu

www.cmu.edu/disability-resources

Office of Disability Resources

The Office of Disability Resources provides responsive and reasonable accommodations to students who self-identify as having a disability, including physical, sensory, cognitive and emotional disabilities. Through our office, the university can provide counsel, support services and accommodations to ensure that all students, regardless of ability, have equal access to the world-class education, campus programs and activities offered by CMU. We work to ensure that qualified individuals receive reasonable accommodations as guaranteed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 

Students are also welcome to discuss concerns about support for disabilities with members of the admission staff, housing office and/or health/psychological services. Upon enrollment, students with disabilities should contact the Office of Disability Resources to discuss their needs and to develop a Student Individual Accommodation Plan. Accommodations are made with the intent to maintain the academic integrity of each course and the academic program as a whole, while also meeting assessed needs.

If you would like to learn more about the services and accommodations provided by our office, we encourage you to explore our website or email us. To discuss your accommodation needs in person, please call us at 412-268-6121 to set up an appointment so that we can answer your questions.

Policy on Student Accommodations 

The Office of Disability Resources is responsible for:

  • Providing reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and auxiliary aids and services (collectively “accommodations”) to students with disabilities, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other applicable federal, state and local laws. The objective is to ensure that the university’s programs and services are accessible to students with disabilities.
  • Ensuring that the university makes final decisions regarding all requests for accommodations, through an interactive process with students. This deliberative and interactive process involves both the student requesting the accommodation and staff members in the Office of Disability Resources, as well as academic advisers, faculty members and outside experts, if and as necessary.
  • Ensuring that decisions regarding student requests for accommodations are sufficiently documented and communicated to students. For each student who submits such a request, the Office of Disability Resources will develop an Accommodation Plan that documents, among other things, each request, whether the request was approved or denied, and the reasons why any request is denied.
  • The right to have accessible courses, programs, services and activities
  • The right to request reasonable accommodations
  • The right to receive accommodations as approved by the Office of Disability Resources  in a timely and effective manner
  • The right to file a grievance
  • Meet the qualifications and maintain essential institutional standards for academic performance and conduct
  • Self-identify with the Office of Disability Resources and request accommodations
  • Provide appropriate documentation of a disability and functional limitations arising from the disability
  • Follow established university procedures for obtaining accommodations
  • Meet with the Office of Disability Resources to review accommodations
  • Notify the Office of Disability Resources of any difficulties in securing reasonable accommodations or other issues related to the quality of accommodations
  • The right to establish essential functions, abilities, skills, knowledge and standards for academic performance and conduct
  • The right to request and receive appropriate documentation that identifies the existence of a disability and the functional limitations arising from the disability
  • The right to determine reasonable accommodations
  • The right to deny an accommodation request that fundamentally alters a course, program or activity or that imposes an undue burden
  • Give notice of available services
  • Engage in an interactive dialogue with the student and other relevant parties when determining reasonable accommodations
  • Provide appropriate reasonable accommodations
  • Respond to student requests in a timely fashion
  • Ensure that courses, programs, services and activities, when viewed in their entirety, are accessible.

For more information, visit the Policies and Guidelines page on the Disability Resources website.

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