OAS FAQs

No. OAS does not automatically assume that students want the same accommodations for each class. Students must log in to the Accommodate Portal to request accommodations each semester.

No, students with disabilities have equal access to classes and as such must register the way other students do. In other words, a student who has a disability does not have priority status for entrance if the class is full. We encourage you to use the waitlist option that is available to all students.

An individual with a disability who uses a service animal is not required to register the animal with university authorities prior to bringing the animal on campus. However, students are strongly encouraged to register with Disability Services so that the presence of the animal on campus is documented as part of an approved accommodation. Information about service animals can also be added to your accommodation letter. 

The ADA defines a service animal as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities, including physical sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or mental disability.

For an individual to qualify to have a service animal on campus:

1. They  must have a disability as defined by the ADA.
2. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person's disability.

The owner of the service animal is responsible:

1. To be in full control of the service animal at all times.
2. For all costs of the care and feeding of the service animal.
3. For removal of the animal's waste.
4. For compliance with local dog control and licensing regulations and laws, including vaccinations and wearing of tags.

More information on ADA guidelines and service animals can be found below:

• Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA
• ADA Requirements: Services Animals

The decision to seek accommodations is entirely up to you. Many students have said that they wish they would have taken advantage of accommodations earlier in their college careers. Once you are approved for accommodations, you can choose whether to request them each semester or not. Accommodations are not retroactive.

OAS does not provide parking permits. The NY State disabled parking placard, plate, decal or tab are necessary to park in the disability parking spaces on campus. Temporary state permits are also available by completing the MV-664.1 form on the DMV website and submitting it to the Potsdam Town Clerk.

• Campus Parking Map with Accessible Parking Locations

A prompt evacuation of persons with disabilities requires knowledge of individuals location and specific physical restrictions. Students with disabilities can best prepare by informing faculty and or staff members of preferred methods of assistance end of physical restrictions that might limit their ability to evacuate a building. Students should also identify in advance a suitable rescue location in each building in the event they are unable to exit independently. Employees and visitors with disabilities should inform supervisors, building administrators, or seminar leaders. At all times, persons with disabilities should be aware of the evacuation plan for each building they enter and the location of phones and should notify a responsible party of their expected location in the event of an emergency.

Responsibilities

Accommodative Services will provide University Police a current list of names room numbers and students specified physical restrictions of identified students with physical disabilities for identification to rescue personnel. Student should report any changes in schedule or housing to University Police or Accommodative Services.      

Emergency Evacuation Procedures

When fire alarms sound and/or flash:

• Exit the building immediately using the most direct route possible.
• In case of fire — do not use elevators — use a stairway.

Individuals who need assistance:

* Lifting a person with a mobility impairment may cause injury; attempts to carry are discouraged. Assistance by anyone other than trained rescue professionals should only provide it if it does not place any person in danger.

1. Ask for assistance to the nearest exit if possible or to a room near a stairway with a window and a phone, if not available in your current location.
2. Note the room number of the location where you are. Ask someone leaving the building to notify emergency personnel of your location and further assistance will be provided.
3. If a phone is available, call 2222. State your location to the dispatcher. A University Police Dispatcher will verify your location and dispatch emergency personnel to your location.

These procedures should be routinely followed during drills as well as actual emergencies.

SUNY Potsdam’s Career Services has compiled a list of selected resources that can help support you as you work with a disability; either your own or that of a coworker, family member or friend. The list contains information for both American and Canadian Citizens in Ontario. Please visit the working with a disability resources webpage for more information.  

Colleges don't have to provide the same level of support and services a student might have received in high school.

A student's history of accommodations is discussed during the intake meeting and is considered when applying accommodations to the academic environment. Colleges are not required to provide accommodations that fundamentally alter the nature of a class or that will pose an undue administrative or financial burden on the institution. In addition, accommodations provided may not be the same at different post-secondary institutions.

No. Colleges don’t fall under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), so there are no IEPs. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 still protects students from discrimination when they get to college. However, students won’t get a 504 plan like they had in high school.

The goal of Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act is to ensure equal access for people with disabilities and protect them against discrimination. For more information about the differences from High School to College visit our “transitioning to college accommodations” information

When your student was in high school, parents were legally entitled to be part of the process. It’s the exact opposite when your student is in college. The law protects your student’s privacy. So, if you want to talk to Disability Services staff or anyone else involved with your child’s accommodations, you’ll need permission from your student. A signed release allows the school to share information with you, but it does not authorize you to act on your student’s behalf. Students must participate in the intake meeting.