Faculty Information
FORMS
Student Ethics Agreement for a Single ExamEXAM PROCESS INFORMATION FOR FACULTY
Semester Start:
Students leave their initial Accommodative Services interview with a Schedule & Accommodations Report (Green Sheet) for professors to sign. Students are provided temporary accommodations during the first three weeks of the semester. Students are responsible for making appointments with professors to discuss accommodations and obtain signatures.
To view a sample Schedule & Accommodations Report (Green Sheet), click here.
To view an explanation of the purpose of the Schedule & Accommodations Report, which is printed on the back of each Green Sheet, click here.
Students must produce the professor's signature on the Green Sheet in order to submit an Exam Request Form.
Professors who are giving exams during the first three weeks of the semester should make this announcement to their class:
“Students with documented disabilities who need exam accommodations will need to make an appointment with me to get their Green Sheet signed in order to have accommodations for our first test on ----(date). Three days minimum notice is required for accommodations.”
After the First Three Weeks of the Semester:
After the first three weeks of the semester, students will be required to return their signed Schedule & Accommodations Report in order to continue receiving testing accommodations at our testing facility.
At the end of the first three weeks of the semester, when the majority of the signed Schedule & Accommodations Reports have been received, professors will be sent an official e-mail notice regarding your students who are affiliated with Accommodative Services with an Accommodative Options Report attached for each student containing a more detailed explanation of the student's accommodations.
To view a copy of the e-mail regarding Students Registered with Accommodative Services, click here.
To view a sample Accommodation Options Report, click here.
Exam Process:
NO EXAM IS GIVEN AT ACCOMMODATIVE SERVICES WITHOUT THE STUDENT PROVIDING MAXIMUM 1 WEEK/MINIMUM 3 DAYS NOTICE, unless the service is for a student with a last minute, temporary disability.
FINAL EXAMS REQUIRE ADDITIONAL NOTICE OF APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS. Students are notified by e-mail regarding the date final exam schedules are due. Students who have an exam conflict during finals week will need to obtain your signature on the schedule printed by Accommodative Services. Suggestions for resolving the conflict will be given on the schedule.
To view a sample FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE, click here.
It is understood that there are always exceptions to such policies, so please feel free to contact us with specific concerns.
Students are responsible for resolving exam scheduling conflicts with their professors.
Beginning at 1:00 p.m. each day professors will be sent an e-mail with a list of students taking exams in three days, instructions, and a coversheet attachment to complete. Professors cannot add students to the list at their own discretion; however, please call us with any concerns.
To view a sample Faculty Exam Request e-mail, click here.
Students are responsible for requesting accommodative services. If a student fails to request an exam, or is late in requesting an exam, professors who use our testing facilities and proctors are under no obligation to accommodate the student for that exam. If a professor always provides his/her own testing accommodations, then arrangements regarding prior notification are up to the professor.
Professors are responsible for delivering their exams to Accommodative Services. Morning exams are to be delivered by 3:00 p.m the day before the exam. Afternoon exams are to be delivered by 9:00 a.m. the day of the exam. Evening exams are to be delivered by 3:00 p.m. on the day of the exam.
Courier service is available in the morning and afternoon for exam pick up and delivery. Please call Accommodative Services at extension 7643 to arrange for your exam to be picked up from your Department secretary at 9:00 a.m. or 3:00 p.m.
To view the Exam Delivery Schedule, click here.
If for some reason you cannot get your exams to us ahead of time, please call the office and let us know when we can expect them.
You will be sent only one e-mail exam request with a coversheet attachment three days ahead of the exam date. If you will be off campus during this time, please contact our office ahead of time and we will send you a coversheet and make other exam preparations early.
You may chose to mail your exams, but please leave time allowance for delays in arrival.
EXAMS MAY NOT BE FAXED OR E-MAILED.
The Exam Coversheet provides vital information to our proctors about how the exam is to be administered, how to contact the professor, what materials may be used for the exam, and return instructions.
THE COVERSHEET MUST BE FULLY COMPLETED AND ATTACHED TO THE EXAM ENVELOPE.
Completed daytime exams will be returned by the proctor at 3:00 p.m., unless otherwise specified.
Afternoon and evening exams will be returned at 9:00 a.m. the following morning, unless the professor indicates that it is to be returned that evening.
ACCOMMODATIONS INFORMATION FOR FACULTY
Note Taker Accommodation
Please make this announcement in your class. DO NOT MENTION THE STUDENT'S NAME.
"There is a student in this class who requires the services of a note taker. This is a paid position through the Office of Accommodative Services. If you are interested in performing this service, please meet with me and be prepared to show me your notes."
If there is a student whose notes are satisfactory, please sent the student to our office at the Student Success Center, 110 ERC. If no student steps forward to volunteer, then we will need you to reach out and help us recruit someone. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Accommodative Services.
Recorded Lecture Accommodation
- Students who have a qualifying disability and are registered with Accommodative Services have the right to record class lectures for their personal study use only.
- Lectures recorded for this reason may not be shared with other people without the consent of the lecturer.
- Recording equipment and the manner of the recording must not present a distraction to the instructor or the class.
- Recorded lectures may not be used in any way against the faculty member, other lecturers or students whose classroom comments are recorded as part of the class activity.
- Information contained in the recorded lecture is protected under federal copyright laws and may not be published without the consent of the lecturer.
- The student must sign this agreement before lectures can be recorded.
- The instructor will be notified before class begins that a student may be recording the lectures due to his/her disability.
RECORDED LECTURE PLEDGE
I, ________________________, have read and understand the above policy on recorded lectures, and I pledge to abide by the policy with regard to any lectures I record while enrolled in ____________________________.
________________________________________________________________________
Signature and Date
For a printable version of this form, click here.
Overviews Accommodation
If you should see the following on a student's Accommodation Options Report, "Student would benefit from overviews of new subject presentations," this means that the student has a disability that makes it difficult for him/her to filter out important information from lecture material or newly presented information. This also may be accompanied by general note taking difficulties due to another specific learning disability.
Because it is not in the student's best interest to over-accommodate a disability, note takers should be used only as needed. Therefore, if you provide overviews of new or particularly complex subject matter in one of the following ways, that would fulfill the need for accommodations in a satisfactory way for most students in this category.
- Post information on Blackboard outlining information to be covered so that students may access it prior to the lecture.
- Provide students with PowerPoint handouts of lectures either before class (preferable) or at the beginning of class.
- Provide a handout at the beginning of class that outlines the major points to be discussed.
Should you have any questions about providing this accommodations, or if you would like additional information, please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Accommodative Services.
Flexible Attendance Accommodation
Attendance Guidelines for Faculty
Policies identifying the number of allowable absences before they impact grades may be designed to motivate attendance; reflect the interactive or participatory nature of a course or be based on department, college or accrediting agency rules.
When a student has a chronic condition with random or cyclical acute episodes modifications to attendance policies may be appropriate. While the attendance accommodation may be CONSIDERED for each course for these students, it cannot be GUARANTEED because some of the essential elements of a course may necessitate attending in order to satisfy the core course components. This is especially true for a lab course.
The instructor and the Department Chair with the Director of Accommodative Services will determine the reasonableness of accommodations pertaining to attendance. There are cases, if the student is not in class, where it may very well be reasonable to fully deny participation points and where an alternative assignment in lieu of attendance may not be reasonable.
When it comes to participation points, one must first consider why the points are in place. What purpose does attending the course serve?
These questions from a prior Office of Civil Rights case may be used as a guide in determining the reasonableness of an attendance accommodation:
- Is there a classroom/lab interaction between the instructor and students or among the students themselves?
- Do student contributions/experiences in class/lab constitute a significant component of the learning process?
- Does the fundamental nature of the course rely upon student participation as an essential method of learning?
- To what degree does a student's failure to attend class/lab constitute a significant loss of the educational experience of other students in the class?
- What does the course description and syllabus say regarding attendance?
- Is the attendance policy consistently applied to all students?
- What is the method by which the final course grade is calculated?
- Is there a legitimate alternative accommodation that can be implemented instead?
The attendance accommodation is in place to support the occasional miss for medical reasons. The attendance accommodation can often only support a student if the number of classes missed does not exceed 20 - 25% of the course AND is otherwise deemed permissible as evaluated according to the above standards.
A recent diagnosis, onset, or change in condition is comparable to an unexpected illness or injury and may not warrant accommodations in attendance policy. They may warrant a withdrawal or a retroactive medical withdrawal under some circumstances.
"Late Work," "Make Up" & "Pop Quiz" Policies
These policies all tie into attendance and should be included when you discuss attendance. As with the course attendance policy, accommodations may be appropriate depending on the nature of the assignment or quiz and its relationship to the pacing and progression of instruction.
Be sure to discuss:
- Assignments and due dates
- Scheduled tests
- Pop quizzes
- Note takers, Interpreters, Captionists
- Projects - individual and group
"Excuse" Policies
When meeting to discuss the attendance accommodation, it is reasonable for an instructor to expect a student with a chronic condition who has appropriate documentation on file with the Office of Accommodative Services to share that between X and Y absences of between A and B duration can be expected any given semester. It is also reasonable for the instructor to accept the student's statement rather than a signed doctor's note, as long as the frequency and duration fit within the parameters. If they exceed the parameters, then the Office of Accommodative Services may request new documentation or a doctor's note.
Attendance accommodations and any related coursework policies and guidelines should be established IN ADVANCE, not retroactively. After the student meets with the faculty member to get his/her Schedule & Accommodations Report (Green Sheet) signed, the Director of Accommodative Services will meet with the faculty member to assist with writing the flexible attendance agreement. The agreement should be signed by the student and the instructor and a copy should also be kept on file at the Office of Accommodative Services.
Additional Guidelines for the Office of Accommodative Services
Documentation for modifications to attendance policies:
- Is there a disability?
- Is one of the impacts random, cyclical or triggered acute episodes?
- What is the typical frequency of episodes? (2-5 times per month; 1-4 times per year ...)
- What is the typical duration of episodes? (1-3 hours; 1-2 days ...)
- Describe any known triggers or cycles.
- Is the individual under a self-care regimen for typical episodes?
Include a Disability Statement in Your Syllabus
Here is a sample, but feel free to write your own:
In compliance with Clarkson University policy and equal access laws, I am available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations that may be required for students with disabilities. Requests for academic accommodations are to be made during the first three weeks of the semester, except for unusual circumstances, so arrangements can be made. Students are encouraged to register with the Office of Accommodative Services, located in the Student Success Center, 110 ERC, to verify their eligibility for appropriate accommodations.
Clearly state policies, due dates and course requirements.Teaching
Employ different modalities of presentation in class. Bloom's Taxonomy is a wonderful resource for coming up with different ways to achieve course objectives and incorporate diversity into your teaching.Speak what you write on the board.
ESL? Students having a difficult time understanding your speech because English is not your native language? Here are some ideas: Write what you speak. Use overviews or outlines. Encourage students to visit you during office hours.Outlines, either on the board, on Blackboard in advance or available during lectures help all students.
Providing charts and diagrams is helpfulOptions to meet objectives, including collaborative learning, allow students to let their strengths shine.
TestingLook at the layout of your exam:
- Have you left enough spacing between questions?
- Are your margins wide enough to keep the page from looking cluttered?
- Is the entire question on the same page?
- Are your answer selections for multiple choice questions listed vertically rather than horizontally?
- If using a blue book or separate paper for recording answers, how much copying of information from one place to another is required?
- Are students with dyslexia making errors because they are not copying information correctly?
Corrections and Supplementary Information:
