[VPAAEtal] Student Disability Resources and Services-Important Information for the Fall Semester

[Academic Affairs]

Dear Faculty or Instructor,

 

Welcome back to the start of another exciting school year!  As Director
of Student Disability Resources and Services (SDRS), one of my roles is
to keep faculty/instructors updated and informed on how to comply with
ADA laws and assist in meeting the needs of our disabled students.
Below I have briefly summarized pertinent topics, but if further
clarification or more information is needed, please do not hesitate to
contact me.

 

First and foremost, all syllabi are required by law to have a disability
statement to inform students regarding the proper procedure for
acquiring accommodations.  For your convenience, I have attached the
required syllabus statement to this email.  Please make sure that it is
included on your class syllabi.

 

Next, please be aware that it is the student's responsibility to provide
the professor/instructor with his/her letter of accommodations from the
SDRS office.  This is the only way for the professor/instructor to
verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. All
instructor accommodation letters will have a place at the bottom for the
professor/instructor to sign.  The professor/instructor should make a
copy of the letter, and return the original letter to the SDRS office.  

 

In addition, I have attached the Testing Agreement Form that all
students must sign and agree to before they can test in the Student
Disability Resources and Services testing area.  Of course, this
agreement and testing option only applies to students that are approved
for the accommodation of testing in the SDRS office, but I thought it
might be beneficial for faculty/instructors to be aware of the
procedures for testing in the SDRS office.

 

Also, I have attached the Instructor Testing Checklist that needs to be
completed each time a professor/instructor submits a test to the SDRS
office. 

 

Lastly, I have provided the link to the Texas A&M System webpage for the
Disability Training Network that offers online modules to keep you
informed on such topics as universal design, accommodations, and rights
and responsibilities.  Below this link, I have provided the link to
Student Disability Resources and Services at Texas A&M-Commerce.

 

Disability Training Network- http://dtn.tamu.edu/training/index.htm 

 

Student Disability Resources and Services- 
http://web.tamu-commerce.edu/studentLife/campusServices/studentDisabilit
yResourcesAndServices/default.aspx     

 

The goal of the Student Disability Resources and Services is to provide
disabled students with educational opportunities equal to those of their
nondisabled peers.  I welcome input from both faculty and staff as to
how I can better serve both students and faculty/staff members in
achieving this goal.  

 

Once again, please to do not hesitate to contact me with questions,
concerns, or suggestions.

 

I hope you have a great school year!

 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Rebecca Tuerk, B.S.W., M.Ed.

Director of Student Disability Resources and Services

Texas A&M University-Commerce

P0 Box 3011

Commerce, TX 75429

903-886-5835

Fax: 903-468-8148

 

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