Accommodations Process

Accommodations for Students

The College of New Jersey is committed to ensuring equal opportunity for students with disabilities to access the College’s programs and services. Students who have, or expect they may have, a disability for which they would like to request accommodations can contact the Accessibility Resource Center to discuss their needs at any time. This process is a collaborative effort between the individual student and the College.

Employees looking to request workplace accommodations should visit the Faculty and Staff Accommodations page.

Requesting Accommodations

Students who wish to request reasonable accommodations are expected to self-disclose to the Accessibility Resource Center by completing this Registration Form and providing current documentation. Students can contact the Accessibility Resource Center at any time, though many students do it in their first semester, sending their documentation to the office in advance of their arrival on campus.

For more information, please visit:

Review of Documentation

Accessibility Specialists review each student’s situation individually, assessing the request and relevant documentation. Accommodation requests are considered within the context of the documentation, course requirements, and available resources. If the documentation which has been submitted does not contain sufficient information to determine appropriate accommodations, the student will be contacted. Students are able to meet with Accessibility Specialists to discuss the documentation, and/or can submit additional documentation for review at any time.

Determination of Accommodations

Students who are requesting accommodations are required to meet with the Accessibility Resource Center. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss your disability in the context of your academic and nonacademic plans, review documentation, and at your request, to assist you with arranging appropriate accommodations with your professors and other campus offices, as needed.

Accommodation requests are considered within the context of both submitted documentation and available resources. Each student’s situation is reviewed based on the information shared by the student and the relevant documentation to determine the type of accommodation recommended.

Missing Documentation?

If you don’t have documentation, please email arc@tcnj.edu for next steps.

Accommodation Portal

Enrolled students registered with ARC have a portal in Accommodate. We strongly recommended bookmarking the page for easy future access.

What Happens after Registration?

An accessibility specialist will be assigned to the requesting student permanently for consistency and ease of communication. Students’ information will be reviewed and the student will be contacted by the specialist to discuss next steps. Please note that it can take up to 2 weeks for the request to be processed and the accessibility specialist to be in contact.

Please also note:

The accommodations are NOT CONSIDERED IN EFFECT until the student has an accommodation memo and a discussion with their instructors (for academic accommodations) has taken place to work out the implementation of the accommodations. Students are encouraged to do this as soon as they are able.
The student is expected to keep their specialist informed of their experiences as they move through each semester, so that any emerging concerns can be addressed as quickly as possible.
A week before each semester, students must renew their accommodations for the coming term. Please see the Semester Request document for the process.

Incoming students

Students must receive their PAWS ID and TCNJ email address before registering with the Accessibility Resource Center. For the incoming Fall cohort, these credentials are typically issued around May 1.

Accessibility Specialists will begin reviewing initial accommodation requests for the Fall semester on May 1. Please wait until that date to register if you are an incoming Fall student.

Housing Accommodations

Students approved for housing accommodations will receive a housing selection time prior to the general self-selection process. Students with complex accommodation needs will be placed directly by Housing into a space that meets their approved accommodations and will not participate in self-selection.

Students approved after housing self-selection opens, or who do not submit a request by the deadline, will be placed on Housing’s waitlist for assignment to a space that meets their accommodations, pending availability.

To ensure timely review and eligibility for early selection, students are encouraged to submit housing accommodation requests by June 1.

1. If a student who requests housing accommodations is not deemed eligible prior to self-selection opening, they should proceed through the self-selection process and select a room. If/when they are deemed eligible, they will be moved to a room that meets their accommodation needs, should a room be available.

Rights and Responsibilities

Students

The rights and responsibilities of students with disabilities at The College of New Jersey.

Right to:

Equal access to programs, activities, facilities, and services at TCNJ
Information that is reasonably available in accessible formats
Reasonable and effective accommodations and/or auxiliary aids and services that are determined on an individual basis
Appropriate confidentiality of records and communication relating to disability issues
Appeal decisions regarding the determination or provisions of accommodations and/or auxiliary aids and services (see process below).
Report when a faculty or staff member, or another student has violated their rights

Responsibility to:

Meet the College’s academic and institutional standards
Self-identity to the Accessibility Resource Center when accommodations and/or auxiliary aids and services are needed
Provide supporting documentation, as outlined in the documentation guidelines, if the student is requesting accommodations
Follow the process outlined for requesting reasonable accommodations in a timely manner (meeting any established deadlines)
Adhere to the expectations, policies, and procedures outlined in the TCNJ Policy Manual

The College of New Jersey

The rights and responsibilities of The College of New Jersey when providing support to students with disabilities.

Right to:

Maintain the College’s academic and institutional standards
Request and receive, through the Accessibility Resource Center, documentation to verify the need for reasonable accommodations and/or auxiliary aids and services
Determine effective reasonable accommodations and/or auxiliary aids and services through an interactive process between the individual student and the Accessibility Specialist
Deny a request for reasonable accommodations and/or auxiliary aids and services if the documentation which has been submitted does not contain sufficient information to support the request
Determine that an accommodation and/or auxiliary aid or service is inappropriate or unreasonable when it poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others, constitutes an alteration to an essential element of a course or program, or poses an undue financial or administrative burden on the College
Hold students accountable to College policies and procedures, including any established deadlines

Responsibility to:

Provide information in accessible formats to students with disabilities in a timely manner upon request
Provide or arrange approved reasonable accommodations and/or auxiliary aids and services in a timely manner for students with disabilities
Maintain appropriate confidentiality of records and communication regarding student disability issues, except as permitted/required by law
Practice non-discrimination in accordance with applicable state and federal laws
Inform students with disabilities of the process for filing an appeal or grievance if they feel their rights have been violated

Accommodation Appeals Process

As part of the interactive process, students meeting with their Accessibility Specialist will discuss their requested accommodations and/or potential alternatives. When a student feels that an accommodation and/or auxiliary aid or service is not appropriate, reasonable, or effective, or the student has been denied a request for such, they can choose to report the incident through the following procedures:

Consult with their Accessibility Specialist

Students can discuss their concerns and review the process by which the accommodation request was reviewed. Students are able to submit additional documentation for review at any time.

If the concern persists, or if the complaint is regarding the Accessibility Specialist or accommodation policies or procedures, the student can proceed with the Appeal Process:

Submit the Accommodations Appeal Form:
1. Submit a Letter of Appeal: Provide a written statement with specific information about the request, and brief description of the process by which the accommodation was requested and reviewed. The written statement should also include specific information outlining the part(s) of the process the student wishes to appeal and a desired resolution for the appeal.
2. Provide Additional Documentation: Submit any new documentation that supports their appeal that is to be uploaded to their Accommodate portal.
If further information is required, the student will be contacted by the ADA Coordinator or designee. The student has 10 business days to respond to the request for additional information. Such time may be extended for a reasonable amount of time at the discretion of the ADA Coordinator or designee.
The ADA Coordinator or designee will review the Appeal Request in light of all relevant information and notify the student in writing of the final decision within 10 business days from the time the appeal was received.

Need Additional Help?

We are happy to answer any questions! Reach us through email or phone, arc@tcnj.edu or 609.771.3199.