Students

Accommodation Information
Vanguard University is committed to full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as amended (2008), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other applicable federal or state laws and amendments that provide students with disabilities the right to pursue their education free from unlawful discrimination. The ADA defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
- Academic Accommodations
- Housing & Dining Accommodations
- Testing Accommodation Center (TAC)
- Documentation Guidelines
- Accommodation Forms and Documents
- Policy on Service Animals
Academic Accommodations
Students who have a documented, verifiable medical/physical, psychological, and/or learning disability may request reasonable and appropriate academic accommodations. Barriers to academic inclusion are specific to each student and the appropriate accommodations for each individual will be determined in a meeting with Disability Services staff. All accommodations must be approved by the Office of Disability Services. Examples of potential accommodations include (but are not limited to) :
- Extended time on exams (time-and-a-half or double time)
- Minimal distraction testing room (See TAC section.)
- Note-Taking Software
- Copy of Lecture Slides
- Accessible Media
To apply for academic accommodations:
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Email documentation of disability to disabilityservices@vanguard.edu. See the Documentation Guidelines section of this page for details on acceptable documentation.
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Disability Services reviews the documentation and contacts students via email. If documentation does not meet the requirements, the student will be asked to obtain supplemental documentation.
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Upon receipt of documentation, you will receive a link via email to schedule an appointment to meet with a Disability Services staff member. This is a required meeting in which we will discuss the accommodations needed for your individualized plan.
Housing & Dining Accommodations
Housing & Dining Accommodations
Students who have a qualifying disability with sufficient supporting documentation can apply for housing and/or dining accommodations. All accommodations must be approved by the Office of Disability Services. The deadline to apply for housing accommodations for the Fall semester is mid-March for returning students and mid-June for incoming first-year/transfer students.
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Housing: Specific roommate and building assignments are not considered reasonable accommodations. These requests should be directed to Residence Life.
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Dining: Before submitting a Dietary Accommodation Request through Disability Services, you must schedule a meeting with the General Manager of Bon Appetit, Douglas Digiovanni (douglas.digiovanni@cafebonappetit.com), to discuss available items to suit your needs. Alternative dietary options to accommodate food allergies and intolerances are available in the Bruce Lindsay Café and may negate the need for a dietary accommodations request. For more information regarding general housing policies and deadlines please visit Residence Life.
Incoming first-year and transfer students should submit housing accommodation requests as soon as possible after committing to Vanguard and making a housing deposit. Housing accommodation renewal appointments for returning students are held in early February-mid-March for the following academic year. Any new requests from returning students should be submitted by mid-March. Requests for accommodations submitted after established deadlines are subject to availability and may be placed on a waitlist.
To apply for a housing/dining accommodation:
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Email disabilityservices@vanguard.edu to set up an appointment, in-person or via Zoom with a member of Disability Services to discuss accommodation specifics and address questions or concerns.
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Provide documentation of disability in the the completed Housing and Dietary Accommodation Request Form. This form will include a space for you to provide your personal statement outlining your reasons for your request. All information shared is kept strictly private and is restricted to the members of the Housing Accommodation Committee.
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Requests will be reviewed by the Housing Accommodation Committee on a monthly basis. The student will be notified via email if the request is approved/denied, or if additional documentation is needed. Housing will follow up with the student regarding the room assignment.
*Please note that to secure housing, students must adhere to all deadlines set by Housing, including submissions of housing deposits. Visit the Residence Life page for more information.
For more information about housing and dining on campus please visit the links below.
Campus Dining | Residence Life |
Testing Accommodation Center (TAC)
The Testing Accommodation Center (TAC) is available for students who have been approved for testing accommodations by Disability Services. Testing services are only available to students with approved accommodations for courses taken at Vanguard University. Disability Services does not offer proctoring for make-up exams or for courses taken at other institutions.
Exam appointments are available Monday-Thursday from 8:00am-3:00pm and Friday from 8:00am-10:00am during fall and spring semesters. Appointments will be arranged on an as-needed basis during summer sessions. Appointments should be scheduled at least one week in advance. Exams are to be scheduled at the same date and time that the exam is administered to the class whenever possible. Evening courses will be administered during regular proctoring hours and must be arranged in advance with Disability Services on a case-by-case basis.
Documentation Guidelines
General Documentation Guidelines
Below are general requirements for documentation of disability. Please refer to the tabbed items below for additional, more specific requirements by diagnosis type.
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Based on an evaluation by a healthcare or mental health professional currently licensed by the state to diagnose medical, psychological, and/or learning disorders.
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Documentation from student interns or clinicians under supervision must be co-signed by a qualified and appropriately licensed supervisor. The supervisor must list his/her license number.
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The clinician submitting the documentation may not be a family member or relative of the student.
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Is based upon a clinical evaluation thorough enough to objectively establish the need for accommodations and/or services.
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Printed on professional letterhead, dated, and signed by the evaluator; The license number and contact information of the clinician should be included. Notes written on prescription pads are not considered valid.
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A copy of the student's signed release of information form should accompany any reports sent directly from clinicians.
For more information on documentation, see our Academic Accommodation Guidelines.
Medical/Physical
- Provided by a healthcare professional qualified and appropriately licensed to diagnose and treat physical and medical disorders
- Diagnosis of a physical or medical condition consistent with established clinical criteria
- Functional impact that the condition has upon the person in an academic environment (e.g. attendance, stamina, mobility)
- Nature and course of the condition
- Recommendations for accommodations that logically flow from the person’s condition and associated impairments
- Information regarding the need for a reevaluation
- Recency of documentation needed will vary based on the diagnosis
Psychological
- Provided by a clinician who is qualified and appropriately licensed to diagnose and treat psychological disorders (e.g. psychologist, psychiatrist, or marriage and family therapist)
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Evaluative methods used to establish the diagnosis should be indicated
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Test scores from measures of cognitive, neuropsychological, and academic functioning should be provided, if administered
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Clear diagnosis consistent with established clinical criteria including present symptoms and degree of impairment
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Description of how the condition impacts the student in an educational environment, including academic, personal, and interpersonal functioning
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Recommend accommodations that logically relate to the diagnosis and associated symptoms
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Prognosis for improvement and timeline for reevaluation; Due to the often transient nature of psychological conditions, annual reevaluations or evidence of ongoing treatment are generally required by the Office of Disability Services.
Learning
- Any and all recent documentation of the learning disability completed within the last three (3) years
- Based on an evaluation from a professional specialist qualified to diagnose learning disabilities (e.g. licensed physician, psychiatrist, educational psychologist)
- The evaluation must minimally include the administration of a measure of intellectual ability and a measure of academic achievement
- A written evaluation report that states:
- All tests administered
- All test scores including I.Q. scores, factor scores, and subtest scores; Classification ranges associated with the scores should be present (i.e. mild/moderate/severe)
- Diagnosis based upon established clinical criteria
- How the individual’s learning processes are affected
- Addresses the validity of the evaluation and its findings
- Recommendations for accommodations; The test findings should provide a logical rationale for the recommended accommodations.
Accommodation Forms and Documents
Please see below for the appropriate Accommodation Form or Document:
Housing and Dietary Request Form
Academic Accommodations Documentation Guidelines
Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Process Checklist
Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Request Form
Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Request for Information Form
Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Policy
Policy on Service Animals
Policy on Service Animals
Vanguard University is committed to creating and sustaining a successful community of inclusive excellence as we prepare students to live, learn and work among people who experience the world in fundamentally different ways. Within this framework, the University is committed to providing a supportive environment for students with disabilities as well as complying with all applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Fair Housing Act (FHA).
Service Animals (SAs) are animals specifically trained to assist people with disabilities in the activities of daily living. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended, defines a service animal as “an animal that does work or performs tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability (including psychiatric, cognitive and mental).” In other words, a Service Animal is not just a helpful or well-behaved animal; it is trained to perform a task (or tasks) that a disabled individual needs to function safely and effectively. Other than dogs, the only type of animal that can be considered a service animal under the ADA is a miniature horse, though miniature horses may be subject to somewhat greater restrictions than Service Animals. Given the rarity of the use of miniature horses in this role, in the rest of this policy the term “Service Animal” will typically refer to dogs.
Service Animals may accompany the individual with a disability everywhere on campus except in rare situations where safety may be compromised or where SAs may interfere with the fundamental nature of the activities being conducted.
Students with disabilities who require a Service Animal on campus are encouraged to self-identify to the Office of Disability Services as soon as possible after deciding to enroll at the University, or as soon as the SA has been fully trained. If the student is living on campus, this is particularly important because roommates must be informed, as well as Residence Life and Facilities, among other departments. Due to the low occupancy requirement at Vanguard University and the provision of a healthy living environment for both students and the Service Animal, there can be no more than one SA per residence hall room. Disability Services will provide information on expectations for the Service Animal to the student and communicate to specific community members or departments to ease the transition of the student.
The care and supervision of the Service Animal is solely the responsibility of the student owner. SAs may not pose a direct threat to the health and safety of persons on the Vanguard University campus, cause physical damage to property or fundamentally alter the nature of University operations. The Service Animal must be maintained (kept clean, free from fleas or ticks, etc.). Local and state ordinances and laws regarding animals apply, including requirements for immunizations, licensing, noise and restraint.
The Service Animal’s behavior, noise, odor, and waste must not exceed reasonable standards for a well-behaved animal. These factors should not create unreasonable disruptions for other resident students or students in classrooms. If the noise (whining, barking, aggressive behavior, etc.) is excessive as judged by residence life staff, students or professors in classes, or people in eating areas, it is grounds to remove the SA from campus.
The student is responsible for immediately cleaning up and properly disposing of the Service Animal’s waste and is responsible for having the equipment to do so. People who are physically unable to accomplish this task are responsible for arranging for it to be done. The University retains the right to designate a particular area for the SAs to relieve themselves and/or the disposal of their waste.
The student must be in full control of the Service Animal at all times. SAs must be harnessed, leashed or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the Service Animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In the latter case, the individual must maintain control of the Service Animal through voice, signal or other effective controls.
The student—not the University—is responsible for the actions of the Service Animal including bodily injury or property damage. Students with SAs may be charged if additional cleaning or damage occurs as a result of having a Service Animal on campus. The student is expected to pay these costs upon repair or cleaning. In addition, the University retains the right to remove the Service Animal, at the owner’s expense, should the SA become a direct threat to the health and safety of others or violate these requirements in any way.
Service animals in training cannot be in residence in Vanguard University housing, nor can puppies who are being raised/trained in preparation for participating in formal service animal training.