Students Seeking to Register with Accessible Education
Requesting Accommodations
How do I begin?
OAE will need information about how your disability is likely to impact you here at Loyola. Any information/documentation students can readily share during or prior to their first meeting is helpful and can save the need for follow up meetings with OAE. Please submit the appropriate Accommodation Request Form found below (or separately submit the requested information on the forms) to OAE by:
- bringing it to the Student Success Center's front desk on the second floor of Monroe Library
- emailing it to oae@loyno.edu
- faxing it to 504-865-3543
- mailing it to: Office for Accessible Education, 6363 St. Charles Avenue, P.O. Box 40, New Orleans, LA 70118
Learn more about documentation guidelines by going to this link OAE Documentation Guidelines
When should I start this process?
If you are a freshmen student beginning classes in a Fall Semester, we recommend applying for accommodations over the summer, unless you are requesting housing accommodations, in which case we recommend beginning that process as soon as you have committed to attending Loyola and have paid your deposit.
Students transitioning from high school should review the information on this page. This contains some helpful information for students' parents as well.
If you are requesting accommodations for Housing, please refer to this page for deadlines and find additional information toward the bottom of this page (just scroll on down!)
Transfer students or continuing students should apply as soon as they can preferably at the start of a semester.
Due to timelines needed to notify faculty of approved accommodations and/or scheduling of tests/exams with accommodations, accommodations should be requested well before the start of final exams. No matter when you apply for accommodations, do keep in mind that accommodations, if approved, do NOT apply retroactively.
If you already have accommodations and wish to modify your request, schedule to meet with your designated Coordinator. Please know that you may need to submit additional documentation in support of the requested accommodation(s.)
Steps to Take:
Review the Accommodation Request Forms (found below) and the guidelines for documentation. (Note: We will gladly review various types of documentation; however, some specific forms have been made available as an option for providing updated information or if other types of documentation are not available or do not fully address a need for accommodations.)
Submit your Accommodation Request Form (or the student part of the form and other approved documentation to OAE.) Please note that documentation is not automatically forwarded from your previous high school or college. Documentation submitted to the University's Health Services, Counseling Services, Athletic Department, or other campus departments is not shared with the OAE.
Contact the Office for Accessible Education for registration information and to set up a meeting.
- Students with last names A-K AND students in the College of Law should schedule a meeting with Amy King
- Students with last names L-Z should schedule a meeting with Amanda Zapp
(Dial 7-1-1 to use Hamilton Relay in Louisiana or call one of the toll-free numbers.)
Participate in a meeting with an OAE Team Member to discuss reasonable academic accommodations that, if implemented, would provide equal access to a university-sponsored course, program, or activity.
Below please see additional information specific to different accommodations requests. While we will review various types of documentation; a form has been made available as an option for providing documentation specific to each type of request or if other types of documentation are not available or does not fully address the information needed to fully determine the need for accommodations.)
Below are some examples of academic accommodations:
Classroom Accommodations
- Closed Captioning
- Sign Language Interpreting
- Alternate formats for course texts and other course materials
- Note-taking assistance
- Preferential seating
Testing Accommodations
- Extended time for tests and quizzes
- Distraction-reduced testing environment
- Assistance with the transfer of answers to scantrons
- Transcription/Scribe support
- Computer/technology use for testing
Accommodation Request Form for ESAs (PDF) (the Housing Accommodation Request Form must also be submitted.)
Evaluation Of Housing Accommodation Requests
Loyola believes community is formed through shared experiences and is essential to a holistic academic journey. As a result, we have a three-year residency requirement.
To accurately and equitably evaluate requests based on medical, psychological, or other disability-related conditions, OAE will need sufficient information to understand how the requested housing assignment relates to the current impact of the condition. For those with medical conditions, such documentation generally consists of an evaluation by an appropriate professional providing treatment for the condition. The presence of a diagnosed medical condition alone does not necessarily qualify a student for a particular accommodation. Not all diagnoses rise to the level of a disability. When determining reasonable housing accommodations, the OAE considers major life activities that can only be done in the residential environment, such as basic access to a space, sleeping, caring for one's self, showering, toileting, etc. If there are substantial limitations to those activities due to the disability, the OAE will move forward with determining reasonable housing accommodations based on those barriers.
Accommodations are about providing accessibility and removing barriers to the use of on-campus housing and are not:
- based on preference or finances;
- prescriptions;
- treatment for a condition;
- designed to be part of a treatment plan;
- designed to ameliorate a disability.
Recommendations made by clinicians will be considered; however final decisions will be determined by the
University.
Please find additional information and deadlines on this page, Inclusive and Themed Living Options
OAE and Residential Life consider not only the outside supporting documentation the student shares, but also all of the following:
SEVERITY OF THE DISABILITY
Is there a negative health impact that may be permanent if the request is not met?
Is the impact of the condition life threatening if the request is not met?
Does the request center on room adaptations necessary for safe and independent occupancy
in the residence hall?
What is the likely impact on academic performance if the request is not met?
TIMING OF THE REQUEST
Was the request made along with the initial housing request?
Was the request made before the deadline for housing requests for the semester in question?
Was the request made as soon as possible after identifying the need. (Based on date of
diagnosis, receipt of housing assignment, change in status, etc.)
FEASIBILITY & AVAILABILITY
Is space available that meets the student’s needs?
Can space be readily adapted to provide the requested configuration without creating a safety
hazard (electrical load, emergency egress, etc.)?
Are there other effective accommodations or housing configurations that would achieve similar
benefits as the requested accommodation?
How does meeting this request impact housing commitments to other students?
Please read the information below prior to submitting the Dining Accommodation Request Form.
Requesting Dining/Meal Plan Accommodations
Loyola believes community is formed through shared experiences and is essential to a holistic academic journey. As a result, we require all students to have a meal plan. All current students living in on-campus housing are required to participate in the Loyola Dining Program. Commuter students are required to carry a minimum in Wolf Bucks each semester. More information can be found here: Student Meal Plans
Students with medical conditions that substantially impact their ability to eat (or be exposed to) certain foods (including, but not limited to, severe allergies) may request dining accommodations. Before making a request for dining accommodations through OAE, the student must meet with the campus dietician (abbey.leboeuf@sodexo.com) to discuss all available options. Meeting with the dietician is an integral first step in our interactive process as part of determining accommodations.
Loyola Dining Services has an array of options to meet the needs of most diners, even those with allergies and food intolerances. Loyola's dietitian and the Executive Chefs can discuss the student's needs and explore all of the options available. For example, the Simple Servings Station in the Orleans Room (OR) is a dedicated dining hall station that offers flavor-forward meals prepared without eight of the nine most common allergens, which account for 90% of all food allergic reactions. Dishes at Simple Servings are prepared without milk, eggs, wheat, soy, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, and gluten. In the OR, students can also find the Simple Zone, which is our campus dining “pantry” where food items needed by students with Celiac disease or food allergies are housed with precautions against cross-contact. It gives students the ability to be involved in their own allergen-safe meal preparation. There are a variety of items made without gluten, peanuts, tree-nuts (and in option 2, dairy) such as cereals, breads, bagels, and more each day.
The OR’s online menus feature a Nutrition Calculator, which reflects calories, fats, sugars, carbs and other nutritional facts about menu items which may be essential for some students.
Individually prepared meals, disposable flatware, access to gluten-free options, reduced meal plans, or access to a kitchen are examples of some reasonable accommodations that may be considered for students most significantly impacted by their medical condition(s).
If determined eligible for accommodations, students must:
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For academic accommodations – Identify the specific courses for which implementation will be necessary and notify all relevant instructors, each semester, of your accommodations via the Accommodate (found in your apps using single sign on.) (Except students in the College of Law.)
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For non-academic accommodations (housing, meal plan, or other accommodation request) –Collaborate with an OAE Accessibility Coordinator to properly notify relevant staff, and/or schedule any necessary meetings.
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Continue to engage in an interactive process with OAE and the course instructor to discuss specific implementation and ongoing effectiveness of the accommodation.