The mission of the Center for Accessibility Resources at Saint Xavier University is to ensure that qualified individuals with disabilities are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the programs, services, academic resources, and activities of the University. This will be enacted through the identification of reasonable modifications to institutional policies, procedures, and educational services and the provision of effective auxiliary aids and services.
In accordance with the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), Saint Xavier University determines and provides reasonable accommodations on a case-by-case basis for qualified students who have demonstrated a need for these services. All accommodation requests are the responsibility of the student. If you suspect that a student has a disability or discloses a disability to you without presenting an official accommodation plan, please discuss your concern with the student and have him or her contact the staff in the Center for Accessibility Resources as soon as possible.
Reasonable accommodations are individualized and based on the nature of the documented disability and the requirements of specific courses. Accommodations are designed to meet the needs of students without fundamentally altering the nature of the University's instructional programs.
The accommodations process is an interactive partnership between students, faculty, and the Center for Accessibility Resources. All accommodation requests must be submitted in a timely manner. The student is ultimately responsible for being a self-advocate and discussing accommodation requests with instructors. Students who wish to disclose their disabilities may receive various academic accommodations, which are coordinated through the Center for Accessibility Resources in L-108. Some accommodations available to students include (but are not limited to):
- Extended time for tests
- A distraction-reduced testing environment
- Preferential classroom seating
- Priority Registration
- Books in an alternative format
- Readers and scribes
- Permission to record class lectures to supplement note-taking
- Note-takers
- Use of word-processors for tests
- Use of assistive technology
Testing accommodations for students with disabilities must be the sole responsibility of each student and be arranged in accordance with the faculty member and the staff in the Center for Accessibility Resources prior to the testing date. The student must present each faculty member with a testing accommodation form at least three, preferably five days in advance of the scheduled exam. The instructor should return the completed form (along with the test to be completed and any specific instructions) to the Center for Accessibility Resources in L-108 at least two days prior to the exam. The Center for Accessibility Resources is not a general testing center and does not proctor tests except for students with documented disabilities.
In collaboration with faculty and staff, the Center for Accessibility Resources' primary goal is to engage the University community to empower students, enhance equity, and to respect and value the diversity of our students by being inclusive of their needs.
For additional assistance regarding the Center for Accessibility Resources or for students with disabilities who wish to request accommodations, please contact the director of this department, Margaret Rose McDonnell, at 773-298-3308 or by email at mcdonnell@sxu.edu. Belicia Espinal, coordinator for the Center for Accessibility Resources, may also be reached at 773-298-3956 or by email at espinal@sxu.edu for further help. The Center for Accessibility Resources is located in L-108 (of the Warde Academic Center).