Information for Students and Families
New/ Incoming Students
- Please note that the requested date for receiving accommodation requests is May 1st. While requests may be submitted later, early submission facilitates the possibility for accommodations at the start of the semester and is particularly true for any requests related to housing accommodations, including an Emotional Support Animal (ESA). Housing cannot guarantee the ability to make accommodations after May 1st.
- All housing assignments for incoming students takes place in May/June. Please complete housing application as communicated by Residence Life
- All accommodation requests will be reviewed promptly upon receipt and communication will be done via Mines email address.
Eligibility
- In order to receive consideration for accommodations under the ADA Amendments Act (2008) and Federal Rehabilitation Act, documentation should demonstrate a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits at least one major life activity.
- “Substantially limits” refers to an impairment that prevents an individual from performing a major life activity or significantly restricts the condition, manner, or duration under which the average person in the general population can perform the same major life activity.
- Note: Accommodations received in high school or at another university do not guarantee eligibility or like accommodations at the Colorado School of Mines. All requests will undergo the DSS review process.
Reasonable Accommodations
- A “reasonable accommodation” modifies the environment or a task in order to provide equitable access to a program or activity in the most feasible manner available.
- Reasonable accommodations are both disability and person-dependent. Hence, they may vary from person to person for the same “type” of disability. The term “reasonable” refers to the match of the accommodation, including professional justification, to the limitation caused by a particular disability to a specific student.
- Also, “reasonable” includes the resources required to provide an accommodation. A request for accommodation is deemed reasonable if it:
- Is based on appropriate individual documentation
- Allows the most integrated educational experience possible without compromising essential requirements of a course or program
- Is not of a personal nature (e.g., personal care attendants)
- Does not impose an undue burden on the University
- Does not pose a threat to personal or public safety
Making the Transition From High School to College
- The objective of accommodations at the post-secondary level is to provide “access.” This may differ from the approach experienced in K-12 education, which may focus more on “success.”
- See this chart highlighting the differences in applicable laws
- Preparing for Post Secondary Education
- COVID-19_OpenLettertoParents