Chapter 32 - Mid-Year Updates and Addendums

Chapter 2 - Applying with DAS

Applying to DAS and Requesting Academic Accommodations at OSU

It is the policy of Oregon State University to comply with Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, and other applicable federal and state regulations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability.

Under these laws, students with a documented disability have a right to receive reasonable accommodations.

To receive accommodations, the following must be completed:

1. Apply to Oregon State University (and be accepted)

2. Complete the DAS application process

1. APPLY TO OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY (and be accepted)

Disclosing your disability during the application process is not required. Applying for academic accommodations is a separate and confidential process through the DAS office.

See Going-to-College.org's tips on writing the application essay for students with disabilities.

2. Complete the DAS application process (which may include)
   1. Providing self-report information
   2. Providing third-party documentation
      1. Disability Documentation Guidelines and the  Documentation Information Form.
      2. Having a discussion with DAS Adviser(s)
      3. Responding to requests for information from DAS

**Occasionally, DAS may need more information from you or your medical/mental health provider to determine your eligibility for accommodations. A prompt response will ensure that DAS can evaluate your application and determine your eligibility for accommodations as soon as possible. 

In order to ensure you have academic accommodations in place when you begin classes, please allow 2-4 weeks for the DAS application review process from the time of submission.

**Please Note: Applications received between September and mid-June for the next academic year will be reviewed in mid-June (Example: student applying for Fall term 2025 submits a DAS application in October 2024. This application will be reviewed in mid-June 2025.)**

DAS will send an email regarding next steps to your OSU email

• Once you receive the DAS eligibility email:
• Step 1: Register for classes
• Step 2: Complete a DAS orientation.
• **If you receive a denial, please refer to Chapter 27 DAS Grievance Procedures that detail your options moving forward.

• Please note: You will not be able to use or request your approved academic accommodations until you have completed all parts of the orientation process.
• Corvallis and Ecampus students, please schedule your orientation by calling the DAS front desk at 541-737-4098 or by e-mail at [email protected].
• If you are a Cascades campus student, please email [email protected].

3. COMPLETE A DAS ORIENTATION:

• Once you have registered for classes (Step 1), you will need to schedule a mandatory orientation meeting (Step 2) with a DAS Adviser. All students will need access to a computer with internet in order to complete the orientation. In our experience, completing the orientation on a laptop or desktop computer is most effective.

During your orientation, you will:

• Review and request your academic accommodations,
• Discuss your impacts in a learning environment,
• Learn about DAS policies and procedures,
• Explore relevant resources

3. REQUEST ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS EACH TERM

In subsequent terms, you will register for courses through OSU and then request your accommodations for the term through DAS Student Portal It is advised that you request your accommodations soon after you register for your classes each term according to the timeline in Chapter 4 of the DAS Student Handbook.

4. FOLLOW THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OUTLINED IN THE  DAS STUDENT HANDBOOK

Submitting Documentation after the Current Academic Term Begins

DAS accepts applications and documentation throughout the year. If you submit an application and/or provide new documentation of your disability after the start of a term, and you wish to receive accommodations for that term, all steps above need to be followed, and the 2–4-week review timeline will still apply. DAS makes a good faith effort to accommodate students as quickly as possible, but requests are generally provided according to the timeline in Chapter 4 of the DAS Student Handbook.

For students applying to DAS for the first time, applications with documentation received after Week 8 of the term will be considered for the following term.

For Requesting On-Campus Housing Accommodations please see Chapter 24.

 

Chapter 21- Flexibility with Attendance/Assignments 

Student engagement and academic success are closely correlated with regular attendance, classroom participation, and collaborative learning between instructors and students.  The University acknowledges, however, that there may be times when students cannot attend class or meet assignment deadlines due to circumstances related to their disabilities, particularly those of a chronic or an episodic nature (i.e., gastrointestinal disorders, autoimmune diseases, mental health disorders, etc.) and may request reasonable accommodation with attendance and due dates.   Students should not request flexibility accommodation for a practicum, internship, field placement, etc.  Please refer to Chapter 28. 

Instructors are responsible for establishing attendance requirements for their classes and communicating those requirements clearly in the syllabus at the beginning of each term.  All students, regardless of disability or medical condition, must fulfill the essential requirements of the applicable course, program, or degree.  Instructors should closely examine essential course requirements and should not waive, compromise, or lower any academic standards, educational experiences or learning outcomes.   

 

Student Responsibilities 

1. Request accommodations each term in the DAS Student Portal. 

2. Review the agreement and contact your DAS Adviser if there are any concerns. 

3. Students are responsible for notifying the instructor of the need to use the Flex Plan based on the information provided in the Flex Plan.  Instructors are not expected to assume that the missed class or late work is due to disability. 

4. The number of allowable absences depends on the interactive or participatory nature of a course, or is based on department, college, or accrediting agency requirements.  In general, the flex plan allows for 50% additional absences without penalty and is based on the number of absences allowed for the course. 

5. Absences that are not related to the effects/impacts of a disability should not be included in this accommodation (e.g., absences due to a common illness, COVID, car trouble, childcare, etc.) and should be addressed according to the attendance/absence policy stated in the syllabus. 

6. Students with flexibility accommodations are responsible for obtaining lecture notes for any missed classes and completing all coursework in a timely manner or per the Flex Plan. 

7. If a student believes the [Red: Default Flex Plan] may not support their access, students should notify their DAS Adviser.  The DAS staff/adviser and instructor will engage in an interactive process to determine what flexibility may be reasonable and appropriate. 

8. Students should be aware that if the student is not able to meet the course learning outcomes, the instructor may recommend an incomplete or withdrawal from the class. 

 

Instructor Responsibility 

1. The accommodation for Attendance/Deadline Flexibility should always be considered on an individual course basis, allowing for a diligent and critical analysis of how attendance and extended due dates are essential to the course learning objectives and pedagogical components.  A rubric is available for instructors to guide their decision-making process regarding attendance and assignment flexibility.   

2. While an attendance policy may already be incorporated into the grading rubric and syllabus, and its value is inherent to student success and learning, this accommodation is intended to provide the maximum amount of flexibility possible without compromising the integrity of the course.    

3. Read the eligibility email DAS sends to the instructors which contains a link to the  Instructor DAS Portal.  Instructors should select this link to access their course information and to complete the Flex Plan to provide information about attendance/assignment requirements.  

4. The agreement should identify the number of late assignments and the maximum number of days of extensions permitted before docking points or not accepting the assignment. 

5. Instructors do not have to provide additional flexibility beyond what is in the agreement.  If questions or concerns arise regarding the use of this accommodation, instructors should communicate directly with the DAS adviser. 

6. Flexibility with attendance and deadline accommodations should be provided unless the accommodation significantly compromises the integrity of the course or is a fundamental alteration to the course.  If the instructor believes additional absences beyond the stated policy or extended deadlines would result in an unreasonable accommodation, then instructors should consult with the DAS adviser. 

7. Instructors are not required to provide retroactive accommodation even when a student receives this accommodation later in the term.  Instructors are still responsible for this accommodation even if they delay in responding to DAS.  DO NOT WAIT! 

8. Instructor completed Flexibility Plan – Things to Consider. 

1. What is identified in the syllabus as the course attendance policy?  

2. Is attendance, late work, and missed exam policies applied consistently?  Are there exceptions to a policy made for extenuating circumstances, such as athletic travel or a religious observance?  

3. Do students’ contributions constitute a significant component of the learning process?  How much interaction is there between the instructor and students, and among students and their peers?  

4. Does the design of the course rely on student participation (e.g., attendance and/or assignment/project contributions) as a significant method for learning?  Is the content only offered during class?  To what degree does a student’s failure to attend class or complete an assignment on time compromise the educational experience of other students in the course? 

5. What method is used to calculate the student's final grade (e.g., attendance, assignments, discussion board posts, exams, etc.)?   

6. Based on learning outcomes, it may not be possible to provide an extension for every course component. 

9. If a student has excessive absences, even with a Flex Plan in place, the instructor should contact DAS and consider submitting a referral to the Student Care Team.  In these circumstances, the student may need to explore options such as a reduced course load, or withdrawal from the course.  As permitted by applicable University policies and procedures, the instructor may also consider granting students an incomplete grade to allow the student an opportunity to fulfill course requirements, such as through independent study or by attending class lectures the following term.  

DAS Responsibilities 

1. DAS determines if Flexibility with Attendance/Assignments is a reasonable accommodation.  

2. During a meeting with their DAS Adviser, students are reminded that this accommodation is not intended to be used every week, for every assignment, or every exam.  Students are still responsible for completing coursework in a timely manner.  

3. DAS will send an email notification of this accommodation and the final completed Flex Plan to the instructor and student.  If either the instructor or student has questions, the student's DAS adviser should be contacted.   

4. If a Flex Plan has not been completed after [Red: one week] from the start of the term or after one week from receiving the DAS Notification email, DAS will move forward the Default Flex Plan. 

5. The finalized flexibility agreement will be considered active as of the day the student requested the accommodation for the course with DAS, or the first day of the term (whichever is later).