Marshall University requires that you request any academic accommodations you may want in the classroom and/or for course assignments, etc. The purpose of this page is to tell you how to make your requests. The following policies and procedures are intended as a guide for your convenience.
Register for Services
In order to receive any academic accommodations, you must meet with the director of the Office of Disability Services and provide documentation of your disability. You will meet with the coordinator and together determine the services needed. The director will explain how they will be provided. You should call and make an appointment so that the director will have time to meet with you and get your information and requests processed in a timely manner.
Request Services
Once you are registered with the Office of Disability Services you can make a request for services. Your request for services should be made well before the beginning of each semester so that accommodations can be confirmed and in place before the first day of class. You should download the Request for Accommodations form, submit it to the ODS Office and schedule an appointment to meet with the Director.
If you’d like to request textbooks in an alternate format, please review our procedure on this process.
Medical Housing Request
If you are requesting a Medical Housing Release or a Medical Single Room you will be required complete and submit the Housing Request Form (link below) to wyant2@marshall.edu. You will also need to provide documentation prepared by an appropriate professional, such as a medical doctor, psychologist, or other qualified diagnostician. The required documentation should include:
- a diagnosis of your current disability, as well as supporting information, such as the date of the diagnosis, how that diagnosis was reached, and the credentials of the diagnosing professional
- information on how your disability affects a major life activity
- information on how the disability affects your academic performance
- the documentation should provide enough information to justify your request as a reasonable accommodation
https://webcontent.marshall.edu/sites/housingweb/Public/ReleaseRequestMedical.pdf
Interpreter Request Procedures
Once you are registered with the Office of Disability Services you can make a request for services. Your request for services should be made well before the beginning of each semester so that accommodations can be confirmed and in place before the first day of class. See this link for the procedures for requesting an interpreter.Interpreter Procedures
Notify Instructors
Once you have finalized your schedule for the semester and determined you will need academic accommodations (e.g. need to sit near the front of the class, need a notetaker in class, need an interpreter, need to extend test time) you should make an appointment to see the ODS Director. At your request, for each course you designate, the ODS Director will notify the instructor(s), by letter or e-mail of the specific accommodation(s) you are requesting for his/her class.
It is strongly recommended that you have the ODS Office send a letter to your instructor listing the accommodation(s) you are requesting rather than you telling the instructor you have a disability. A letter from the ODS Office verifies that you have a disability and are eligible for accommodations. This ensures that your right to confidentiality is maintained and you will receive the appropriate reasonable accommodation(s).
Testing Accommodations
The Office of Disability Services will:
- At your request, send a letter or e-mail to your instructors to request test accommodations. This notice should be sent during the first or second week of classes. You should meet with your instructor to determine how the accommodations will be provided and by whom, the instructor or the ODS Office.
- Provide a space for testing – We have several offices in Prichard Hall that can be used to proctor your exam, or the exam can be proctored in the instructor’s office or an empty classroom.
- Provide a test proctor – We hire and schedule students to proctor exams. We ask that you not ask other students or your tutor to proctor your exam. The test proctor will pick up the exam, if needed, provide any services, such as reading, writing your responses, and return the exam to the instructor.
Many instructors prefer to handle the entire testing procedure themselves, without assistance from our office. In that case, the instructor will work with you to determine a time and place for you to take the test.
If the instructor prefers that ODS proctor your test you need to:
- Come to the ODS Office to fill out a Test Reservation Form
or
Call the ODS Office at 304-696-2271 as soon as you know the date and time of the test so that we can assign a test proctor. This should be done at least three days in advance. - Inform ODS where and when the test can be picked up by the test proctor. We prefer that you take the test at the same time as the rest of the class so that we can pick up the exam at the classroom. However, if you need to take the test at a later time, the instructor and the ODS Coordinator will work out a time to pick up and schedule a test.
- The test proctor will administer the test in Prichard Hall or a space designated by the instructor and deliver the test back to the instructor or a designated location.
The security of the examination and the trust which instructors place in our service must be maintained!
Handicap Parking Permit
All parking on the Marshall University campus is handled by the Parking Office located on 18th Street and 5th Avenue. Please contact the Parking Office if you have specific questions or concerns about parking spaces and permits. They can be reached at 304-696-6406.
Financial Assistance
The Financial Aid Office (Old Main 120) assists all Marshall University Students with their financial needs. ODS cannot offer other financial assistance to students with disabilities. Funds in this office are used to provide academic assistance for students in the classroom.
Find your Advisor
Each student is assigned an academic advisor in his/her college to assist in the selection of classes and assure students select and complete the required courses of a specific major. We will help you find your advisor, if you are not sure who or where he/she might be located and we strongly suggest that each student meet with her/his advisor on a regular basis so that the advisor can get to know the student better and help you stay on track to get the classes you need to complete your degree or help you with the selection of another major if needed.
Tutoring Assistance
Tutoring Services in Communications Building Room 211 offers FREE tutoring to all Marshall University students two hours per week. You will need to fill out an application to request a tutor and someone will be assigned to you, if available. your request should be made as soon as you realize you are experiencing some difficulty. If you need more tutoring time to master a particularly difficult subject please do not hesitate to see the ODS Coordinator for assistance.
Course Substitutions
Students experiencing difficulty completing math and foreign language requirements should see the ODS Director.