Support for Students with Personal and Academic Difficulties

Support is available within the Faculty and University for students with personal and academic difficulties. Alert the Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs & Services if these difficulties interfere with the student’s academic success or your ability to teach.

If you believe that any student or instructor may be at imminent risk for harming themselves or others, you may also wish to contact the Helping Individuals At Risk office. Their website provides excellent information as to signs of troubling behavior and their office provides support and information in case of any concerns that arise about the behaviours of others.

If you are concerned about a student with personal difficulties who may not be at imminent risk, then fill in the Student of Concern Form. You may want to meet with the student and share several resources they can access on campus:

• Dean of Students: dosdean@ualberta.ca (the email is monitored and inquiries directed to the best-aligned unit for student concerns) or 780-492-4145

• Counselling and Clinical Services: website, physical location at SUB 2-600 or 780-492-5205

• EmpowerMe: website or 1-833-628-5589

• Sexual Assault Centre: website, uasac@ualberta.ca, 780-492-9771 or physical location at 2 - 705 SUB

• Wellness Supports (including social workers): website, wellness@ualberta.ca, 780-492-1619 (social workers)

• First Peoples’ House: website, fph@ualberta.ca, 780-492-5677, physical location at 2-400 Students' Union Building  

The University acknowledges a duty to accommodate students’ special circumstances. This duty stems from (1) the Alberta Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Act, s. 4, and from (2) UA Discrimination Policy and Reasonable Accommodation Policy (GFC Section 44). 

(1) The Alberta Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Act, s. 4 covers services provided by the post-secondary institutions. It states: 

No person shall 

(a) deny to any person or class of persons any goods, services, accommodation or facilities that are customarily available to the public, or 

(b) discriminate against any person or class of persons with respect to any goods, services, accommodation or facilities that are customarily available to the public, because of the race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, physical disability, mental disability, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income or family status of that person or class of persons. 

(2) The Reasonable Accommodation Policy [GFC Section 44.8] states: 

The University of Alberta will take reasonable steps to accommodate individuals who are disadvantaged by employment, tenancy or educational rules, standards, policies or practices because of their race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, physical or mental disability, marital status, age, ancestry, place of origin, family status, source of income, sexual orientation, or political belief, to the extent required by law. 

Physical and mental disabilities include but are not limited to:

• hearing disabilities

• mobility disabilities

• psychological and psychiatric disabilities

• vision disabilities

• learning disabilities

• neurological disabilities

• disabilities related to chronic health problems

• disabilities as a result of serious illness, such as cancer

• developmental disabilities

The duty to accommodate is a shared responsibility. When a student needs accommodation, that individual is responsible for: 

1. Providing reasonable advance notice to his or her instructor of the need for an accommodation, if this is not apparent. 

2. Providing enough relevant documentation including medical reports or other materials as are required to verify the need for accommodation and for identifying his or her specific accommodation needs. 

3. Cooperating in searching for and implementing a reasonable accommodation. 

4. Accepting reasonable accommodation. The individual asking to be accommodated cannot expect a perfect solution. 

The duty to accommodate does not 

1. require that post-secondary institutions lower academic or non-academic standards to accommodate students with disabilities. 

2. relieve the student of the responsibility to develop the essential skills and competencies 

expected of all students.

The Accessibility Resources office provides support services to students with disabilities to enable complete access to University facilities and successful completion of programs. AR will provide exam arrangements, note taking support, adaptive technology and assistive devices. 

The nature and extent of accommodations must be decided by AR. They are not subject to negotiation between the instructor and student. Occasionally, students state that the required accommodations were not fully written on the AR form. If there is any discrepancy, contact the Undergraduate Coordinator for assistance in resolution. 

For further information contact the Accessibility Resources office at 492-3381, arrec@ualberta.ca or Accessibility & Accommodations.

Academic Success Centre provides writing resources, learning resources, and testing services. The Centre teaches students how to function in university so that achievement can be maintained. Learning Resources teaches them how to achieve by utilizing strategies that are taken from research into learning and performance. Some typical workshops offered are: Time Management, Note Taking, Reading Tips, Strategies for Academic Achievement, Memory Skills, and Study Techniques. 

Academic Success Centre also deals with test anxiety and teaches students how to manage it so they can function in an exam situation. If the anxiety is extreme, Academic Success Centre will refer students to physicians or other related professionals. 

Academic Success Centre provides this service by seeing students on an individual appointment basis but also offers students a variety of workshops throughout each term. Students encountering difficulties should contact the Academic Success Centre (previously known as Academic Support Centre) in Room 2-300 Students’ Union Building, Phone: 780-492-2682, Email: success@ualberta.ca or Academic Success Centre.