Vision and Operations
SUNY Polytechnic Institute welcomes individuals with diverse abilities. The University values diversity and provides an inclusive learning community through the Office of Student Accessibility Services (SAS). Student Accessibility Services ensures students with disabling conditions have equal access to the complete college experience (i.e., equal access to all programs, services, and activities offered by the University). Students with a permanent or temporary disability are encouraged to contact Student Accessibility Services to discuss the resources and services available to accommodate their individual needs.
Disclosure of a disability and providing documentation supportive of the disabling condition is the student’s sole responsibility. The exact nature of one’s disability is kept confidential and, although the necessary paperwork is processed by Student Accessibility Services, the student must disseminate their own accommodation plan to instructors and other necessary personnel. Many students find disclosure useful in pursuit of their academic, social, and/or personal goals at SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Individuals may also grant permission to Student Accessibility Services to discuss the nature of their disability with others in pursuit of these goals.
Students seeking accommodations and services must register through Student Accessibility Services. Depending on the nature of their condition, students are asked to provide sufficient and complete documentation from their medical provider, psychologist, former academic institution, and/or other appropriate professionals. Documentation must clearly identify the individual’s disability, how said disability impacts the academic environment provided by SUNY Polytechnic Institute, and recommendations for appropriate and reasonable accommodations. Once the documentation has been reviewed by Student Accessibility Services, an appointment will be scheduled to discuss the request for accommodations. Accommodations are not retroactive, so timely requests are encouraged. Reasonable and appropriate accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis upon on review of relevant documentation, the interactive process with the individual student, and with consideration of the courses in which the student is enrolled.
Student Services
Student Accessibility Services offers disability-specific accommodations, academic counseling, and advocacy services relevant to the needs of individuals with disabilities. Student Accessibility Services also serves as a National Voter Registration site.
Services include, but are not limited to:
- Academic accommodations
- Help in organizing study hall periods and tutoring sessions in the Learning Center.
- Supportive counseling related to an individual’s academic needs and goals
- Access to and training for relevant assistive technology and software
- Referrals to additional resources both on-campus and off-campus
- Accessible housing with relevant room features
- Service animal and Emotional Support Animal (ESA) requests and processing
Rights and Responsibilities
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) prohibits discrimination against students with disabling conditions. Postsecondary institutions must comply with these nondiscrimination laws, and it is essential that students understand their rights as protected by this legislation. An excellent resource for students with diverse abilities entitled, Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities can be found online via the U.S. Department of Education (http://www.ed.gov/ocr/transition.html).
To request copies of this publication, please utilize the student’s preferred format listed below.
Standard Mail:
ED Pubs Education Publications Center
U.S. Department of Education
P.O. Box 22207
Alexandria, VA 22304
Facsimile:
(703) 605-6794
E-Mail:
edpubs@inet.ed.gov
Telephone:
(877) 433-7827 (toll-free)
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or
a teletypewriter (TTY) should dial (877) 576-7734.
Contact Information
For general information regarding the services offered to students with disabilities, please contact Student Accessibility Services via e-mail at sas@sunypoly.edu, by telephone at (315) 792-7170, or online (https://sunypoly.edu/student-life/diversity-equity-inclusion/disability-services-office.html)
Student Accessibility Services
100 Seymour Road
Utica, NY 13502
Peter J. Cayan Library, L112