If you are experiencing difficulties that are getting in the way of you performing at the level at which you would otherwise be capable, you may qualify for accommodations. Accommodations are measures the university will officially document and around which you will receive support to create equitable conditions for you here at CNU. While the type of accommodations that most commonly come to mind are academic (such as extra time on tests or testing in a distraction-reduced environment), CNU may also be able to provide accommodations in other areas of your student experience. To find out if you qualify for accommodations in any area, the most important things are to:
1) establish contact with the Office of Disability Support Services (read below for more information),
2) clearly communicate what problems you are dealing with, and
3) provide documentation from a healthcare provider or disability assessment professional that provides an explanation of how these problems adversely impact your academics and/or wellbeing and states specific accommodations that will mitigate their impact.
If you don't have official documentation yet, you still want to get in touch with the Office of Disability Support Services to get the information you need to start that process, and to determine what we can do to help you in the meantime. Don't wait, make contact as soon as possible and before the issues you are experiencing cause further problems for you.
To determine if you may be eligible for accommodations, contact our Disability Support Specialist, currently Jacquelyn Barnes. You can email here or call 757-594-8852 to set up an appointment. Ms. Barnes can provide you with information about how to file for official accommodations, as well as help you develop a plan to manage the issues that are impacting you until those accommodations are in place.
If you are already familiar with the process of requesting accommodations and have already recent documentation from a healthcare provider or disability assessment professional, you can submit your documentation to Student Affairs in person at office 3127 in the DSU or by email at dosa@cnu.edu, and you can find answers to FAQs about accommodations at CNU here.
Temporary Accommodations
Did you know that you may be eligible for temporary accommodations? While accommodations are typically thought of as measures of support you will need on an ongoing basis, they can also be issued for a limited period of time in response to conditions you are experiencing temporarily. To determine if this applies to your situation, contact our Disability Support Specialist directly using the contact information provided above.
Why Would I Seek Official Accommodations?
If you are experiencing issues-- either temporary or ongoing-- that impact your ability to perform at the level at which you would otherwise be capable, accommodations are official support where the university is agreeing to provide certain conditions for you in order to mitigate the adverse impact of those issues on your academics and/or student experience. This is a much more efficient use of your time, and likely more effective, than asking individual professors or others on campus for exceptions to their standard policies. Without official university approval, you are not guaranteed to receive the accommodations you think would be of help-- professors have the right to decline your requests. However, official university approval guarantees that faculty and staff at CNU will make reasonable accommodations for you in the ways that are outlined in your accommodations packet.