Question: Do I Need Accommodations in College?
Applying for accommodations in college is entirely up to the student. Students do not need to have previously had accommodations to work with the Office of Accessibility. Even if a student had an IEP in high school, he/she/they will still need to apply with the Office of Accessibility and submit documentation, if necessary. Individualized Education Plans (also known as IEPs) do not transfer to college environments. For more information on this topic, please review Transition of Students with Disabilities to Postsecondary Education
Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis and are determined through a conversation with the student, as well as appropriate documentation if requested. If a student believes he/she/they may need accommodations, it is the student’s responsibility to inform the Office of Accessibility by applying and submitting documentation, if requested. Informing anyone other than the Office of Accessibility about a suspected disability will not result in formal accommodations.
Students are responsible for providing documentation: In the post-secondary environment, it is the responsibility of the student to provide the appropriate documentation. The Office of Accessibility maintains a list of local providers and counselors who work with students, which we will gladly share upon request. These clinicians are not associated with UNC Asheville, and sharing their contact information does not constitute formal endorsement. While students may submit any documentation that they feel is relevant with their application, it may be helpful to review our guidelines for documentation.
Question: How are Accommodations in College Different than High School?
Accommodations are provided in college under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), as amended, and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, (Title II), which prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. In K-12, there are additional legal structures that support students with disabilities. Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides funds to states to assist in making a free appropriate public education (FAPE) available to eligible children with disabilities. IDEA requirements apply to state education agencies, school districts and other public agencies that serve IDEA-eligible children. Institutions of postsecondary education have no legal obligations under the IDEA. For more information on this topic, please review Transition of Students with Disabilities to Postsecondary Education
Question: I’m a Transfer Student who had Accommodations at Another School. Do I Need to Apply for Accommodations at UNCA?
Yes, the accommodations that you received at a previous school will not automatically follow you to UNCA. To put accommodations into place at UNCA, please submit an online application, and, if necessary, documentation.
Question: I Have Accommodations Through the OAA, but I Want to Request Additional Accommodations. What Can I Do?
If you a student who is already registered with the OAA, but would like to request additional accommodations, please navigate to the Bulldog Access portal and follow the below steps.
- Log into Bulldog Access using your UNCA username and password
- Under the “Home” tab on the left side of the screen, select “Additional Documentation.”
- Select “Submit New Documentation,” and a new application will appear.
- Fill out the new application as it applies to the additional accommodation that you are requesting.
- Submit documentation, if necessary.
- Your new accommodation will not go in effect until approved by the OAA. Your original accommodations will not be affected.
Question: I Submitted my Application and Documentation, but Haven’t Heard from the OAA. What Do I Do?
Our office will contact you about your request for accommodation via your UNC-Asheville email address, even if you listed a personal email on your application. Please be sure to check your UNC-Asheville email account on a regular basis.
We are a small office, but if you haven’t heard from the Office of Accessibility within five business days of submitting your application and documentation, please contact us at academicaccess@unca.edu or 828.232.5050
Question: What is a “Welcome Meeting?”
If you’ve submitted an application and documentation, you may be asked to schedule a Welcome Meeting with the OAA. A Welcome Meeting is a chance for a staff member to meet with you, talk about the barriers that you may be facing, and go over how accommodations work. If you’ve submitted an application and documentation to the OAA and haven’t heard from us, be sure that you are checking your UNC Asheville email account. All of our correspondence with you regarding your application should be via your UNCA account.
Question: I’ve Been Approved for Academic Accommodations. What Do I Do Now?
If you’ve been approved for accommodations, your first step is to send out your Letters of Accommodation (LOAs).
Students may send out Letters of Accommodation through Bulldog Access. Students should log into Bulldog Access by using their UNC Asheville username and password. Once logged in, a student should select each class for which he/she/they would like accommodations and hit the “next” button. The student should then select the specific accommodations that he/she/they would like for each individual course. Finally, hit submit. Letters should be received by faculty members within 48 hours of submission.
Letters of Accommodation may be sent out at any point in the semester. However, students should be aware that accommodations only go into effect once a letter has been received by, and discussed with, a faculty member.
After sending Letters of Accommodations, the second step in the process is to discuss the implementation of those accommodations with each faculty member. Additionally, accommodations are not retroactive, meaning accommodations will not cover past assignments that were completed prior to faculty notification of the need for accommodation.
Question: Is this the Office to Speak to about Single Room or Emotional Support Animal Requests?
Yes. For information on Single Room requests or Emotional Support Animals see our Frequently Asked Questions about Residential Accommodations page.
Question: I’ve Been Approved for Residential Accommodations. What Do I Do Now?
Please see our Frequently Asked Questions about Residential Accommodations page.
Question: I’ve Been Approved for Provisional or Conditional Accommodations. What Does that Mean?
Provisional accommodations typically last for one full semester, and may be provided if the student has submitted some, but not all, of the documentation necessary to fully consider the student’s request for accommodation. For example, if a student is able to share that they had a 504 or IEP in high school, this demonstrates that they were considered a student with a disability for whom specific accommodations were considered reasonable by this institution, even while this documentation does not typically provide sufficient information to approve accommodations at the postsecondary level. The purpose of provisional accommodations is give a student time to gather more information about the barrier faced. Provisional accommodations may not be reasonable in all cases: as with all questions of access, these will be considered on an individual case-by-case basis. If you have questions about the question of provisional accommodations, contact the OAA.
Question: I Don’t Agree with the OAA’s Decision about my Accommodation Request. What Can I Do?
If a student does not agree with the outcome of their request for accommodations, he/she/they may file a grievance.
Question: My Question isn’t Listed Here. May I Speak with a Staff Member?
Yes! Please email academicaccess@unca.edu or call 828.232.5050
If you would like to schedule a video meeting with a staff member, please make an appointment. When scheduling your appointment, select Office of Accessibility and General Information. Appointments may be requested online or in person. If you plan to bring a second person to an appointment, please plan to meet us online, or contact us in advance so that we can locate an alternative meeting location. Due to COVID restrictions, our office space is restricted to only one person at a time.