Common Forms
Request for an American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter – Students, employees, and guests of TCNJ should complete this form to request services for classes or other college-sponsored events and activities. Please submit the form at least two weeks in advance to assist in ensuring adequate time for fulfillment of requests. Submitting a request does not guarantee service provision. Securing interpreters is subject to availability.
Request for Note-Taker – Students approved for note takers should use this form to request a note taker in their class. This form must be completed for each class in which they need a note taker.
Report an Access Barrier – If you experience an access barrier, whether physical or digital, while using TCNJ’s services, please report that barrier to ARC by completing the form. TCNJ students and employees are also asked to submit a Facilities Work Order for physical barriers or an IT Help Desk Ticket for digital barriers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get connected with Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) at The College of New Jersey?
To get connected with ARC, you should fill out the Accommodations Request form. In completing this form, you are notifying The College that you want to access reasonable accommodations as a TCNJ student. The affiliation form serves as a starting point for formulating an accommodation plan. View the accommodation process page.
Do I need to provide documentation of disability to receive reasonable accommodations at TCNJ?
Yes, we ask for documentation as part of the ARC request process. You can view documentation guidelines. If you have questions about documentation, contact us.
I have never been evaluated on the basis of disability, but I have always noticed that I struggle with certain subject areas. Does ARC provide evaluations?
ARC does not provide disability-related evaluation. Check with your insurance carrier to see if this expense is covered and for a list of providers.
What happens after I register with ARC and upload documentation?
After you submit your registration form and upload documentation, this information will be reviewed by an Accessibility Specialist. After the review, you will be contacted about the next steps in the accommodation process. This usually involves a meeting between you and your Specialist to collaborate on and finalize accommodations for the upcoming semester. For more detail, see our accommodation process webpage.
I received accommodations in high school. Will these same accommodations be available to me as a TCNJ student?
Not necessarily, but many do remain generally the same. It is important to consider the differences between the K-12 educational environment and the college environment. An Accessibility Specialist will work with you (and your faculty) to develop an accommodation plan that provides collegiate-appropriate educational access.
How will my professors know that I am affiliated with ARC?
Every semester you will complete a semester request on the Accommodate portal for ARC to send an “accommodation memo” to your faculty. As part of the process, it is expected that you will keep the lines of communication open with your faculty throughout the semester in regard to use of your accommodations.
If I have accommodations for testing, can I take my exams in the ARC offices?
Yes. However, our time and space are limited, particularly during mid-terms and final exams, when there is a high demand for assistance. There may be other proctoring options. You and your instructor should first agree together whether ARC or another proctoring option will be implemented, and then agree on a date and time for the proctoring within the posted availability of ARC proctoring. Please see the Test Proctoring page for more information for how to schedule an exam with ARC.
Frequently Asked Questions from Faculty and Staff
It is the beginning of the semester, and I received an email from ARC asking me to sign an Accommodation Memo. What is this?
An “Accommodation Memo” is an official document used to facilitate communication between Accessibility Resource Center (ARC), students, and faculty. Specifically, a student enrolled with ARC will request to have a memo sent from Accommodate that officially indicates that a student is registered with ARC and delineates the academic accommodations in detail. The Memo is intended to initiate conversation between the professor and student. However, the student is responsible for reaching out to their instructor to schedule a meeting time to discuss how accommodations will be implemented in your classroom. The accommodations will not begin until the student has a discussion with their professors about their memo, and acknowledgement of that conversation is received in the form of a signature on the memo through the Accommodate portal.
If you have any questions regarding the accommodations outlined in the Memo, please let us know (arc@tcnj.edu). We are glad to be a resource for you and your student to facilitate a resolution to questions and concerns.
A student is requesting an accommodation that I believe is not feasible in the course I am instructing. Am I allowed to refuse such a request?
If ARC has determined that a student is entitled to specific accommodations according to the evidence of documentation of the disability (or disabilities), the law holds you responsible as a faculty member to adhere to those accommodations.
However, if you feel that the requested accommodation is either: unreasonable, ineffective, fundamentally alters the course curriculum, or causes an undue hardship on the faculty/classmates, please confer with the ARC accessibility specialist who is listed on your student’s accommodation memo. We are here to be a resource for you, too, as well as the student, and we are glad to work with you both to find a way to meet the student’s needs.
How do I provide testing accommodations that do not fit into the usual testing environment?
Students may receive a variety of accommodations for testing, such as extra time or a reduced distraction environment. Sometimes it is not possible for the student to take the exam with the rest of the class and still have their accommodations provided. Some alternatives to consider:
- Allow the student to begin the test earlier than the rest of the class, or stay later to complete it.
- Arrange for the student to take the test in your departmental office. A member of the office staff can serve as a proctor.
- Permit the student to take the exam in the instructor’s office, if time and space are available.
To maintain academic integrity, ARC does not advocate that any student take a test “alone” or “in a private room”. There should always be someone else present throughout the testing process to serve as a proctor.
Can ARC staff proctor the exam for me?
ARC is happy to assist with proctoring exams, with the understanding that we have limited staff, office hours, and space available. Please keep the following in mind for tests that you would like us to proctor:
- Refer to the Test Proctoring page for specific information and processes.
I have a student in my class who I believe would benefit from support services; however, they are not registered with your office. What is the best manner to refer this student?
We encourage faculty members speak to the student in private to discuss a referral to ARC. Registering with ARC is voluntary on the part of the student. Please refer to the Accommodation Process page, and encouraging them to contact the ARC office for more information (arc@tcnj.edu). We are glad to be a resource for them and you throughout the semester.
Does ARC offer any training services to better prepare me in providing an inclusive classroom for all of my students?
Faculty is encouraged to browse the ARC website for more in-depth disability classroom support information. Any specific details relevant to your course can be discussed with the ARC specialists. Departmental trainings are available upon request.
If a student discloses a disability to you:
Ask if they have connected with ARC. If not, please share with them the information above on referring a student, and assure them that this is the most appropriate and comprehensive way to secure accommodations. If they have already registered with ARC, invite them to share their accommodation memo from ARC with you. This will describe the accommodations to be provided. Discuss with your student what you can do to facilitate learning.
If a student thinks they have a disability?
Refer the student to ARC at arc@tcnj.edu or to visit us at Roscoe West, Suite 202, or to call us at 609-771-3199.
If a student who is receiving accommodations is not doing well in class?
Treat the student as you would any other student apart from their accommodations. We do welcome and encourage you to contact the student’s accessibility specialist (the signer of their accommodation memo) to discuss your concerns and brainstorm other ways to support the student. We appreciate your partnership.
If a student wants to file a grievance?
Refer student to the TCNJ faculty/student/staff handbook and the ADA policies and procedures.