Syllabus Statement

In continuing to provide a welcoming campus environment, while promoting equal access for students enrolled at The University of Akron, the Office of Accessibility recommends all faculty include a standard syllabus statement for academic accommodations in each course they instruct.

There are several reasons why a standard syllabus statement is critical:

  1. It normalizes the accommodation process and helps to create a positive and welcoming environment for students with disabilities.
  2. It creates a collaborative vehicle for making legally mandated accommodations.
  3. It serves to educate students who need accommodations that arrangements can be made through the Office of Accessibility.
  4. For students who are registered with the Office of Accessibility, it serves as a reminder to request their accommodations.

The Office of Accessibility recommends the following syllabus statement:

Standard Syllabus Statement

Pursuant to University policy #3359-38-01, The University of Akron recognizes its responsibility for creating an institutional atmosphere in which students with disabilities have the opportunity to be successful. Any student who feels they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the Office of Accessibility at 330-972-7928 or access@uakron.edu. The office is located in Simmons Hall Room 105. 
 
After the student’s eligibility for services is determined, their instructors will be provided a letter which will outline the student’s accommodations. 

Implementing a universal standard syllabus statement ensures that the statement is written in non-discriminatory language and provides all of the necessary information for a student to contact the Office of Accessibility to discuss the process for receiving accommodations.

Experiential Learning and/or Supplemental Learning Statement

The Office of Accessibility recommends that courses which have out of classroom experiences such as internship, Co-op, and clinical settings utilize the Experiential Learning and/or Supplemental Learning Statement in conjunction with the Standard Syllabus Statement. This statement should be used to address the uniqueness of these settings.

The Office of Accessibility recommends the following Experiential Learning and/or Supplemental Learning Statement:

The information contained in accommodation letters is limited to classroom accommodations only. Internship, co-ops, clinicals and other out of classroom learning experiences are often very different than a typical classroom format.  As a result, the University recognizes the types of academic accommodations reasonable for these experiences will often differ from those used in the classroom setting. Any student who feels he/she may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the Office of Accessibility at 330-972-7928 (v), 330-972-5764 (tdd) or access@uakron.edu. The office is located in Simmons Hall Room 105.