Faculty and Staff Resources

Accommodate

Accommodate is the DRC's platform for student accommodation requests, letters, and supporting documentation.

Accommodate Login

Faculty and Staff FAQs

Q: What if an accommodation does not apply to my course?

A: Accommodations are determined by disability impacts per individual students and not based on courses. If an accommodation does not apply to your course, feel free to contact the DRC with any questions about applicability.

Q: What if I do not know how to implement an accommodation in my class?

A: The DRC has many type of technologies that we use, and we are happy to collaborate through the process. If you do not know what an accommodation is or how to implement it, please contact the DRC either by phone or email.

Q: What if I feel that an accommodation would fundamentally alter my course or assignment?

A: We have an alternative accommodation process in place for this. In this situation, you would contact the DRC to discuss your concern. We would set up a time to bring the department head, other faculty that understand the content. The DRC will bring other disability resource professionals to discuss disability impacts. During this meeting we will decide together whether the requested accommodation is reasonable or unreasonable and decide on an alternative, more reasonable accommodation. If we cannot come to an agreement at this meeting, we can bring the conversation to our ADA coordinator to assist with these efforts.

Q: How do I know if an animal is supposed to be in my classroom or lab?

A: The only animals that should be in your classroom are service animals. You can ask the following questions to determine if the animal is a service animal.

Is the animal with you due to the impact of a disability?
What task is the dog trained to perform?
- The task must active, but if you need help determining the answer, please feel free to contact the DRC to assist.

Q: How could I get involved in the DRC?

A: We would welcome partnerships in any format. We have partnered with grants, research, as well as article and book chapter writing. In addition, instructors have served as professional mentors, tutors, and coaches with students. If you have any questions about the ADA-AA or the accommodation process, please feel free to contact the DRC.

Q: How do I add time to exams in Canvas to support accommodations?

A: Please refer to the guide from UTC's Walker Center here.

Q: What if I am en employee seeking accommodations?

A: Faculty and staff seeking accommodations should contact the Office of Equity and Inclusion, 423-425-5760, or submit the Employee Disclosure Form directly to Rosite Delgado.

Suggested Syllabus Statement

UTC is committed to providing an inclusive experience, accessible learning environment, and equal opportunity to individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act As Amended and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Individuals needing reasonable accommodations should contact the DRC ([email protected] or 423-425-4006 or University Center 352)

More Collaborative Accommodations

Limited Adjustment to the Attendance Policy (LAAP): If the impact of a disability impacts consistent attendance, instructors will be contacted to determine the reasonable number of absences outside of the number stated in the attendance policy.
Memory Aids: If the impact of a disability is seen in short term memory loss, instructors will be contacted to determine if this accommodation would fundamentally alter exam or quiz, if they would like to create the memory aid, or determine what can be used.
Use of a calculator: If the impact is math-based, the instructor will be contacted to determine if the use of the calculator would fundamentally alter the nature of the exam or assignment.
Remote participation: This accommodation is rare, and instructors will be contacted to determine if this accommodation is reasonable in their course.
Voluntary Notetaker: If a student's impacts merit such, a volunteer notetaker may be utilized. The student's instructor may be contacted to help identify a notetaker from the current course roster. If instructors are unable to identify a notetaker, please contact the DRC.

Retrieving Accommodation Letters

Once a student has met with a DRC professional and accommodations are determined based on the impact of the disability, instructors will receive an emailed link to the accommodation letter in Accommodate.

Campus Guest Resources

UTC is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodations in its services, programs and activities. UTC makes every effort to honor disability accommodation requests. Requests can be responded to most effectively if received as far in advance of the event as possible. Call the Disability Resource Center at 423-425-4006 as soon as you can so we may effectively provide a reasonable accommodation.
When you contact us, please provide the following pieces of information with your request:
- Your name, contact information, and date of the request
- What type of accommodation you are requesting
- Date and start time for accommodation provision
- Location (building and room)
- Details of assignment (including the title of the event if any, the nature of the event, e.g. lecture, presentation, meeting, concert, staff retreat, training)
- For general disability accommodation request, contact the DRC at 423-425-4006, or email the executive director Michelle Rigler.

Definitions

Accessible: Accessible means that individuals with disabilities are able to independently acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services within the same timeframe as individuals without disabilities, with substantially equivalent ease of use.
Disability: With respect to an individual seeking reasonable accommodations or adjustments in programs, services, a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities, or a record of such impairment, or being regarded as having such an impact.
Fundamental Alteration: Fundamental alteration is a change so significant that it alters the essential nature of the services, programs, or activities.
Emotional Support Animal: Emotional Support Animals are defined as animals that alleviate one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person's disability. This animal provides the necessary support to an individual with a psychiatric disability and alleviates one or more identified symptoms of an individual's disability. Further, there must be an established relationship, or nexus, between the individual's disability and the assistance the animal provides. It allows the student with a disability to receive full benefit or enjoyment of the residential faculty on campus. Emotional Support Animals may not be brought into university housing without expressed approval from the Disability Resource Center and Director of Residence Life. The presence of Emotional Support Animals is approved for the university housing only and will not be permitted in other campus buildings (e.g. libraries, academic buildings, classrooms, labs, and student center). It is important to note that animals needed to alleviate the psychological impact of disabilities maybe referred by various names. For example, companion animals, therapy animals, comfort animals, etc. At UTC, we refer to these animals as Emotional Support Animals.
Qualified Individual with a Disability: A qualified individual is an individual with a disability who satisfies the requisite skills, experience, education, and other program-related requirements, and can perform, with or without reasonable accommodations or adjustments, the essential requirements of such program.
Reasonable Accommodation: This is making existing facilities readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, acquiring or modifying equipment or devices, adjusting examination schedules, student course schedule, providing qualified readers, interpreters, or scribes, course substitutions, and other similar accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Accommodations may include auxiliary aids and other arrangements or coordinated services. Reasonable accommodations or adjustments must not create a fundamental alteration of a course/program, service or activity, or cause undue financial burden to the university, undue administrative burden.
Connected with the DRC: Connected with the DRC means that documentation and completion of the DRC connection form were submitted. Following this is a meeting with a DRC professional to discuss requested accommodations in an interactive format. If further documentation is needed to support the request, the DRC professional will discuss this at that time.
Semester Review: Semester reviews are a review of current schedule and initiating the accommodation process.
Service Animal: A service animal is a dog that is trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. A service animal has access to any area on campus the handler has access to. If you have concerns about the safety of the handler or animal, please contact the Disability Resource Center with your concerns.
Student: A UTC student who has connected and met with a DRC professional for an initial access appointment and continues to engage in a semester review in order to request reasonable accommodations.
Undue Burden: Undue Burden is a set of facts that renders the accommodation unreasonable. Factors to be considered include cost, financial resources of the state, health and safety considerations, or any other factors supported by law.

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