Chapter 1 - Rights and Responsibilities

Oregon State University (OSU) is committed to following Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) as amended in 2008 (ADAAA), and other applicable federal and state regulations, and university policies that prohibit discrimination based on disability. Under these laws, qualified students with a documented disability have the right to reasonable accommodations for equitable access and equal opportunity. Disabled students are expected to fulfill their responsibilities same as any student at the University.

Student Rights and Responsibilities 

Disabled students have the right to the following: 

  1. An equal opportunity to learn. Students have a right to reasonable accommodations when the building location, academic course materials, or instructional methodology poses barriers to access, participation, or the ability to benefit. The accommodation(s) may not fundamentally alter the nature of the program or activity, lower academic standards, present an undue financial or administrative burden on the university, or pose a direct threat to health or safety. For accommodations to be approved, there must be a direct nexus between disability-related impacts /barriers and the need for accommodations.
  2. An equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the academic community. This includes access to services, extra-curricular activities, housing, and transportation at a comparable level as provided to any student. 
  3. Students seeking accommodations are responsible for the following: 
    1. Completing the DAS Application process. 
    2. Completing a DAS orientation meeting or connecting via other means with a DAS access adviser to set up accommodations.
  4. Requesting accommodations through the DAS Student Portal each academic term in a timely manner. Please review the timeline in Chapter 4 of the DAS Student Handbook for requesting accommodations be implemented in courses. 
  5. Notifying DAS of any issues, concerns, or delays in accommodations being provided in a timely manner. 
  6. Meeting and maintaining the University's fundamental academic and technical standards. 

PERSONAL SERVICES 

Colleges and universities are not required to provide personal services to students with disabilities, per applicable laws. Below are some examples of common personal services: 

  1. Private tutoring. 
  2. Personal care attendant (PCA). 
  3. Personally prescribed medical devices (e.g., eyeglasses, wheelchairs, hearing aids, etc.). 
  4. Personal transportation (getting to school, getting to class, getting to internships, etc.). 
  5. Transporting books or other personal items. 

Students can contact DAS for referrals to resources that are available to all students, or available within the community (e.g., campus tutoring resources, university shuttle, Dial-A-Bus, etc.). 

Accommodations can be used as needed or as applicable depending on environment and tasks. 

Page updated: 1/2026