Guidelines for documentation

Students requesting accommodations or other support services from Lafayette College are required to submit documentation to verify eligibility for protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1992 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The provision of reasonable accommodations and services is based upon assessment of the current impact of the student’s disorder on a major life activity, such as learning. Therefore, documentation must reflect the findings of a comprehensive assessment done within the past three years. The diagnostic report must have been written by a professional qualified to evaluate the documented disability.

Prior history of any particular accommodation does not, in and of itself, warrant its continued provision. An Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 Plan is not sufficient documentation of a disability. Submission of documentation does not constitute a request for services or accommodations. The student must initiate such requests by contacting Disability Services on the third floor of  Scott Hall, (610) 330-5098.

Please note that depending on the nature of the disability, different College professionals may be asked to review the documentation in order to make a proper assessment of eligibility.  For those students requesting accommodations for Psychological Disorders, members of the counseling staff from The Counseling Center will be asked to review documentation.  Similarly, for students requiring accommodations for Physical Disabilities, members of the medical staff from Bailey Health Center will review physicians’ diagnoses and make recommendations for appropriate accommodations.

For incoming first year students, it is recommended that they forward all pertinent documentation regarding their disability to Disability Services prior to July 1.  All documentation received prior to July 1 will be reviewed during the summer and the student will be notified of their eligibility and subsequent accommodations before the beginning of the school year.  Documentation received past July 1 may result in delayed review by the College professional staff thereby delaying the start of academic accommodations.

All documentation is kept strictly confidential.