FAQ for Faculty

Where do I refer a student who has disclosed a disability to me and/or requested a reasonable
accommodation or other services due to a disability?

The student must be referred to the Office of Disability Services (“ODS”) for his or her respective campus. No one, including faculty and staff, is permitted to provide accommodations for students with disabilities. Only the ODS is authorized to process requests for reasonable accommodations and decide which accommodations shall be granted. The ODS advises faculty in a writing referred to as an accommodation memo about the reasonable accommodations or other services granted to a student only with respect to that faculty member’s course.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services follows:

Westchester Campuses (including the Law School and the Graduate Center):

Elisse Geberth, Coordinator for Disability Services
(914) 773-3710
egeberth@pace.edu
Administration Center, 2nd Floor, Pleasantville

New York City Campus:

Jenna Cler, Coordinator for Disability Services
(212) 346-1526
jcler@pace.edu
156 Williams Street, 8th Floor

May I ask a student if he or she has a disability?

No. Even if the disability is visible (e.g., vision impairment, mobility impairment, etc.) faculty are not permitted to ask a student about his or her apparent or actual disability. Some students with disabilities choose not to invoke their right to reasonable accommodations and it is their right to refuse this form of support. If you wish to share your concerns about a student with an apparent disability, you may contact your school or college’s Academic Advisor.

May I provide reasonable accommodations or other services to a student who has an apparent or actual disability but has not registered with the Office of Disability Services?

No. It is understandable to want to help a student who has an apparent or actual disability and is struggling academically or in other ways. Nevertheless, not even the ODS can grant reasonable accommodations or other services unless a student has self-identified and registered with the Office of Disability Services. There is no prohibition, however, against providing such students with the same assistance or support provided to students in the class without apparent or actual disabilities.

What is the procedure for requesting and receiving reasonable accommodations and services based on a disability?

The first step is for the student to self-identify and register with the Office of Disability Services for his or her campus. Generally, the next step is for the student to provide documentation that is acceptable to ODS concerning the disability and identify the requested reasonable accommodation(s). The student and the ODS counselor will meet with and review the information provided by student and his or her health care provider. Next, the ODS counselor will decide which, if any, accommodations will be granted and describe the process for implementing the granted reasonable accommodations. Finally, the student will be given an accommodations memo addressed to each faculty member in which the ODS counselor identifies the accommodations that were granted to the student for that course. The accommodation memo expires at the end of each semester. In order to be granted accommodations in subsequent semesters, students are required to update forms prior to the beginning of each subsequent semester. If the student does not complete and submit the updated forms, no accommodations or other services will be granted. Students are not necessarily required to provide additional documentation or meet with a ODS counselor each semester, but they must complete and submit the updated forms in order to be granted reasonable accommodations or other services.

How does the Office of Disability Services determine whether to grant requests for reasonable
accommodations?

Based on information provided by the student and an appropriate health care provider, the ODS counselor first determines whether the student has an eligible disability. If the student has an eligible disability, accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis after the ODS counselor considers the student’s needs as described in the information provided to the ODS. The process must be an interactive one and result in the granting of a reasonable accommodation which may not be the same as the accommodation requested by the student.

Why do students with disabilities often need testing accommodations?

Testing accommodations are designed to give the student equal access to the assessment and evaluation methods of the course. Testing accommodations do not alter the content of the exam or what the student is required to demonstrate on the exam; rather, testing accommodations alter the administration of the exam. Examples of testing accommodations include large print format, use of a computer to type answers, use of assistive technology for the exam such as Dragon Naturally Speaking, a distraction-free environment, and extended time to complete the exam. The intention of testing accommodations is to remove barriers that the traditional administration of an exam presents to a student because of a disability.

What do I do if I receive a disability accommodations memo from a student mid-semester?

Students are strongly encouraged to register with the ODS well before the beginning of the semester. However, they do not always do so or it sometimes happens they are not diagnosed with a disability until mid-semester. Regardless of the reason why the student did not commence the procedure prior to the beginning of the semester or when the student requests and is granted a reasonable accommodation, the accommodation must be implemented. Nevertheless, accommodations are not provided retroactively, they are applicable going forward. Hence, for example, if the student has already taken exams without an accommodation, he or she will not be permitted to retake exams administered before the grant of accommodations.

If I believe a reasonable accommodation that has been granted is not appropriate for my course, what should I do?

The University is required by federal, state and local laws to provide reasonable accommodations to students with eligible disabilities. The law requires that the procedure for processing requests for reasonable accommodations be interactive and done on a case-by-case basis. The University is not required by law to grant the reasonable accommodation requested; rather, the University is required by law to grant a reasonable accommodation. It is important to contact the Coordinator of Disability Services if you believe an accommodation granted with respect to your course may compromise the essential educational requirements, academic standards, or grading standards of the course. Faculty must not discuss concerns about an accommodation with the student or alter in any manner the accommodation granted.

If I am uncertain how to implement an accommodation, what should I do?

If you have any questions about the process for implementing a particular accommodation, please call the Office of Disability Services for your campus. The Coordinator for Disability Services will discuss the accommodation with you and assist in determining the most appropriate way to provide the accommodation to the student.

Is there an approved statement about disabilities and reasonable accommodations that must appear on every course syllabus?

Yes. The approved statement that must appear on every course syllabus is set forth directly below and, in addition, may be found on the Counseling Services webpage (click on “Resources for Students with Disabilities” and then click on “Syllabus Statement”).

Procedure for Students with Disabilities Who Wish to Obtain Accommodations for a Course

The University's commitment to equal educational opportunities for students with disabilities includes providing reasonable accommodations for the needs of students with disabilities. To request an accommodation for a qualifying disability, a student must self-identify and register with the Coordinator of Disability Services for his or her campus. No one, including faculty, is authorized to evaluate the need for or grant a request for an accommodation except the Coordinator of Disability Services. Moreover, no one, including faculty, is authorized to contact the Coordinator of Disability Services on behalf of a student. For further information, please see Information for Students with Disabilities on the University's web site.

What on-campus resources are available for students with disabilities?

There are several offices that provide support to students with disabilities as well as, in some cases, the entire student population.

Westchester Campuses (including the Law School and the Graduate Center)
Administration Center, 2nd Floor (Coordinator’s office on 1st floor if accessibility is required), Pleasantville
(914) 773-3710

New York City Campus
156 Williams Street, 8th Floor
(212) 346-1526

The Office of Disability Services provides the following services:

• Assistance in arranging reasonable accommodations and services for students with disabilities.
• Support for students in learning how to navigate the transition from high school to college.
• A social skills group for students entitled, “Navigating the Social World” (Westchester campus)
• Advocates for students with disabilities and supports them in learning to advocate for themselves.
• Assistance with extended services (e.g., test taking skills, time management, organizational skills, and coping with test anxiety).

Westchester Campuses (including the Law School and the Graduate Center)
Administration Center, 2nd Floor, Pleasantville
(914) 773-3710

New York City Campus
156 Williams Street, 8th Floor
(212) 346-1526

The Counseling and Personal Development Center provides:

• Personal counseling
• Alcohol and other drug assessments
• Consultation to students, faculty and staff
• Outreach
• Workshops
• Groups

Westchester Campuses (excluding the Law School but including the Graduate Center)
Mortola Library, 3rd Floor, Pleasantville
(914) 773-3434

New York City Campus
2nd Floor, 41 Park Row
(212) 346-1386

The Center for Academic Excellence provides the following services:

• Coordinates accommodated testing granted by the ODS for students with disabilities.
• Maintains the assistive technology computer workstation for students with disabilities.
• Operates the Tutoring Center.
• Manages the Challenge to Achieve at Pace Program.
• Conducts workshops on topics such as time management, organizational skills, and study skills.

Westchester Campuses (excluding the Law School but including the Graduate Center)
Mortola Library, 3rd Floor, Pleasantville
(914) 773-3942

New York City Campus
Birnbaum Library, 2nd Floor
(212) 346-1085

The Writing Center provides tutoring for all aspects of the writing process.

The academic advisors in all of the schools and colleges are extremely useful resources for all students. They provide guidance not only on creating an appropriate schedule for the student, but also in learning how to best utilize the resources available on campus and managing the delicate balance between academic and social life.