A Guide For Using Accommodations

A student can request accommodations at any point in the semester, however, accommodations are not retroactive (meaning you cannot go back and apply accommodations to circumstances before the date you are approved for accommodations). While students are never forced to  register with the office, they are encouraged to do so even if they aren’t entirely sure if they will need them; it is always better to have accommodations available to use than to get too far in the semester when the accommodations are no longer as useful.

Some of us can find communicating with professors or university staff to be intimidating, but it is the key to being successful at the university and ultimately in the future workforce. All employees here at Valpo want to see our students succeed, but the first step is you asking for help. All students who use accommodations with the AARC are required to communicate with their instructors in regards to how accommodations will work in each individual course. Additionally, students are expected to let the AARC staff know if they need adjustments to their accommodations or require additional assistance.

Students looking to use approved test accommodations on an exam need to fill out the Exam Accommodation Request Form  at least 5 days before the scheduled test date, regardless if they plan to take an exam at the AARC Testing Center or have made an alternate arrangement with their professor. Due to limited spacing, we are not able to accommodate late or last minute requests. For more information on accommodated testing, please visit our Testing Procedures page.

When a student’s scheduled testing time starts, the clock starts. Studying before entering the testing center as well as late arrival, eating and bathroom breaks (unless previously approved) will count against the student’s testing time

Accommodations are not applicable if they alter fundamental objectives of a course. Speak with each individual instructor about how your accommodations will work in their course and if you or the instructor have concerns about appropriateness of an accommodation in a course, please contact the AARC!

Some students, due to medical reasons, may be approved for flexibility with class attendance or assignment extensions. Assignment extensions are approved by each professor on a case by case basis and may not be applicable in all circumstances.

Students utilizing flexibility with attendance understand that they will email the AARC and CC their instructor within 48 hours of the absence and are responsible for communicating with their instructor on how to receive notes for the absent day, make up in-class assignments, and turn in material. If a student is missing so much of the class that it is affecting overall experience of the course, they may need to consider withdrawing from the course.