Current Students

• The documentation must be from an individual who is qualified by education and experience to diagnose the specific disability.
• It is not appropriate for professionals to evaluate members of their own families for the purpose of documentation of a disability.
• All reports should be typed or legibly written on letterhead. They must be dated and signed. License number is preferred.
• The documentation must include the instruments and standards used to evaluate the student, the official diagnosis DSM-V code, and a description of how the student is substantially limited in one or more major life activities.
• The documentation should be current and relevant to the condition, preferably within five (5) years for learning disabilities, and within one to three (1-3) years for most other disabilities. There is more leniency when it comes to permanent medical conditions or physical disabilities, but you may want to be aware of documentation guidelines for graduate exams and other assessments.
• The report can list recommended accommodations; however, the staff in the ARC/DSS determine whether an accommodation is appropriate and reasonable.

The following documents list the specific documentation recommendations for different disability categories.

• Learning Disability
• Physical Disability
• Psychological Disability
• AD/HD

We do not want this process to feel like a barrier; if you are running into obstacles, please talk with our DSS staff!

Under the ADA, a person with a disability "is a person who: (1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; OR (2) has a record of such an impairment; OR (3) is regarded as having such an impairment." Not all disabilities require accommodations.

An individual must demonstrate that their condition meets the definition of a disability under the Rehabilitation Act, 1973, and/or the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), 1990. The ADA defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

Substantially limits under ADA refers to significant restrictions as to the condition, manner, or duration under which an individual can perform a particular major life activity as compared to most people. Whether a condition is substantially limiting to support an accommodation request is a decision made by qualified professional(s) based upon multiple sources of information.

A clinical diagnosis is not synonymous with a disability. Evidence that these symptoms are associated with substantial impairment in a major life activity is required for provision of accommodations. A detailed description of current substantial limitations in the academic and living environment is essential to identify appropriate accommodations, auxiliary aids, and services. Specific requests for accommodations need to be linked to the student's current functional limitations, and the rationale for each recommendation clearly stated.

In other words, Disability Support Services needs to understand the current impact of the condition and identify a connection between the disability and the requested accommodation using the documentation, and the information provided by the student in an individual intake meeting.

For more information, visit:

https://www.ada.gov/law-and-regs/ada/
https://www.washington.edu/doit/what-qualified-student-disability

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Whitman College will not exclude otherwise qualified applicants or students with disabilities from participation in, or access to, its academic, housing, or extracurricular programs. "Otherwise qualified" refers to students who without consideration of disability are admissible to the College. Program participation will not be denied to a student with a disability when that person, with reasonable accommodations, can perform the essential functions required of that program.

Students requesting new accommodations: Please go to the Initial DSS application.

Students who have existing accommodations and wish to revise or add to their approved accommodations: Log in to your Accommodate account and go to <Supplemental>.

Once a student has submitted documentation and it has been reviewed, they should schedule a meeting with an ARC Disability Support Services specialist. To request a meeting, log into Accommodate and click on <Appointments> on the left-hand side.

In the meeting, we will discuss which accommodations will most appropriately address the effects of that student's disability or disabilities. It is important to keep the following guidelines in mind, and students will review this information during their intake meeting:

• Accommodation requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. They must be requested before they are provided. Adjustments that are not requested in advance will not be made retroactively. For example, it would not be appropriate to change a student’s grade because that student explains that the failure was due to a previously undiagnosed disability.
• Students with disabilities may be provided with their first choice of accommodation or an alternate, effective accommodation determined by the College. Whitman College will not provide accommodations or adjustments that would substantially alter an essential element of the curriculum.
• Accommodations are determined by the staff in the ARC, in consultation with the student and with input from the faculty or staff as needed. The college is not required to provide services of a personal nature such as personal care attendants, or transportation to and from class. A student or their family may arrange for those services.
• Students are not required to accept accommodations. For example, an extended time accommodation may not be necessary for every course or assessment.
• Students with disabilities are held to the same academic and behavioral standards as other students. Workload and academic expectations should not be lowered in the process of accommodation.

For information and resources on our Emotional Support Animal Policy visit our Assistive Animals page. 

Read through our Housing Accommodations document, learn about our effort to respond to student requests, and how to submit a housing accommodation request.

• Extended time for timed assessments (exams/quizzes/etc.)
• Permission for examinations to be individually proctored, read orally, or printed in an alternate format
• Permission for the use of computers, digital recorders, or other technology to assist in test-taking and study skills
• Provision of Braille books, audio books, or other alternative formats
• Provision of a note-taker, digital recorders, or permission to use a personal device to aid in note-taking
• Removal of architectural barriers or changing the location of a class or function to accommodate students with a disability or injury that effects mobility
• Other reasonable accommodations as necessary based on the effects of a student's disability or health status

Whitman College has a long history of supporting students with disabilities. We are committed to making our campus accessible to the whole community. However, it is only through voluntary disclosure of disability and request for accommodation that Whitman College can make adjustments to meet the specific needs of an individual. Students with disabilities who want academic adjustments in order to achieve access to college programs and activities must contact ARC's Disability Support Services must begin by completing the online application to best understand and explain how a disability affects a student. If you have any questions, please email DSS@whitman.edu.

Students should keep in mind that accommodations are intended to provide equal access; they do not always result in equal outcomes. Students with disabilities should design their class schedules and workloads with the understanding that, even with accommodations, they might spend more time and effort than other students spend in order to achieve the same level of success.

Requesting Services

• Students with disabilities, who wish to receive accommodations or services other than those offered to all students, must (1) disclose the disability, (2) provide documentation showing a need for an accommodation, and (3) make a personal request for accommodations to the Assistant Director of Academic Resources: Disability Support.
• Students are not required to divulge the nature of their disabilities or provide copies of their documentation to faculty or staff.
• A disclosure of disability or a request for accommodation made to faculty or staff other than the Assistant Director of Academic Resources will not be treated as a request for accommodation.
• Once a staff member from the Academic Resource Center (ARC) has approved the accommodation, students are responsible for working directly with the faculty member, staff member, or outside agency to ensure that it is implemented.
• Requests for adjustments to specific classes should be made prior to the start of each semester or very early in the semester to allow enough time to review documentation and make proper arrangements.
• Students are encouraged to meet with the staff in the ARC to discuss the effectiveness of the accommodations. The staff in the ARC should be notified as soon as possible if the accommodation is not being provided.
• Requests for accommodations must be renewed each semester through the Academic Resource Center.
• In addition to academic accommodations, requests for adjustments in residence halls, dining halls, campus buildings, or college policies, must be submitted to the staff in the ARC and/or appropriate Residence Life staff.

Students who have approved accommodations for proctored testing in the ARC's alternative testing environment have the responsibility of adhering to the Standards for Use of ARC Testing Space.

Standards for Use of ARC Testing Space

For a list of adaptive technology solutions to which the Academic Resource Center provides access, please follow this link.

To the greatest extent possible, all campus services, classes, and programs will be offered in accessible locations. Students and others who wish to use the College’s facilities and services currently located in "inaccessible" areas should contact the office involved. The office personnel or service provider will arrange to meet in another alternative, accessible location. Students should also consult with the department head involved or with the Academic Resource Center if they have questions about access to campus facilities such as the fitness center, swimming pools or to nonacademic programs. The College will make every effort to ensure that qualified students will be able to participate in all of the College’s programs.

Title V of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is regarded as the first civil rights legislation for people with disabilities. Section 504 of the Act prohibits discrimination based on disability in any program or activity offered by an institution receiving federal funds. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 is a federal civil rights statute designed to remove barriers that prevent qualified individuals with disabilities from enjoying the same opportunities available to others. Washington State Law (28B.10 RCW) outlines core services and reasonable accommodations that colleges and universities must provide to students with disabilities. It also requires that we provide a grievance procedure for students who believe discrimination has occurred.

Whitman College strives to provide prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging action prohibited by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 1.6 in the Grievance Policy details the College's commitment to nondiscrimination related to disability and provides contact information for the College’s Equity and Compliance Office for questions anyone may have.

The Policy recommends that inpiduals with grievances first attempt to "resolve their differences with each other" (section 1.1). If a student disagrees with the decisions made about their accommodations, or feels that they have been denied access to the College’s programs or activities because of a disability, they should engage the Director of Academic Support Services prior to making a formal complaint of academic-related disability discrimination. If resolution is not achieved through that initial step, then the Director of Equity and Compliance / Title IX Coordinator should be contacted. Depending on the nature of the allegation, the Director of Equity and Compliance / Title IX Coordinator may collaborate with the Provost’s office to determine an appropriate resolution. If differences cannot be resolved through procedures at the institutional level, the student may contact the Department of Justice or the Washington State Human Rights Commission.

Office of Civil Rights/ADA
U.S. Department of Justice
800-514-0301 (voice) / 800-514-0383 (TTY)

Washington State Human Rights Commission 
800-233-3247

Any information regarding a student’s disability obtained for documentation purposes shall be considered part of the student’s education record and subject to protection under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Without written consent from the student, these records shall not be disclosed to anyone other than college officials who have a legitimate need to know. In other words, faculty members do not need to have access to information regarding the diagnosis of a student’s disability, only the accommodation that is necessary to provide access to their classes. The Academic Resource Center keeps all disability information in a secure file. It is not part of the student’s official transcript.

Student may request copies of their own documentation during their time at Whitman or within 7 years of graduation. However, most documentation guidelines for higher education institutions and graduate exams require more recent documentation (3-5 years), so please be thoughtful about keeping records up to date.