Disability Support Services
Equal Access to Education
Concordia University, Nebraska, in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, does not discriminate in the recruitment, admission, or treatment of students. Students with documented disabilities are legally entitled to request reasonable modifications, accommodations, or auxiliary aids that will enable them to participate in and benefit from all postsecondary programs and activities.
Schedule a meeting Request accommodations
Who qualifies?
Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, a person is considered to have a disability if that person:
- has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of that person,
- has a record of such an impairment or
- is regarded as having such an impairment.
Concordia’s Disability Support Services office (DSS) collaborates with students, administrators, faculty and staff to ensure access to reasonable and appropriate student disability accommodations. DSS strives to create a fully accessible, inclusive experience for student learning, campus engagement and residential life. We are committed to equalizing access to accommodations and support for all students.
Accessing Disability Support Services
Concordia is committed to a climate of mutual respect and full participation for all students. In the event you encounter any barrier(s) to full participation in any of the educational programs, activities or services offered by Concordia due to the impact of a disability (e.g., physical, mental, cognitive) and may need accommodations to fully participate, you are encouraged to contact our DSS office.
DSS facilitates this process to establish that (a) a student is a person with a disability; (b) the accommodations requested are logical, reasonable and necessary to facilitate equal access and remove barriers; and (c) the requested accommodation is reasonable within the appropriate context.
Accommodations are not retroactive, nor do they transfer from institution to institution.
A student with a disability who wants to receive accommodations should:
- Contact Sue Showers, DSS Coordinator
- Indicate what accommodations they are seeking (e.g., academic, housing, dietary)
- Submit the relevant Accommodations Request Form and provide proper and sufficient documentation of the disability. Any form of documentation provided should include the diagnosis, functional limitations and recommendations for accommodation(s). A provider’s letter with a diagnosis and a recommendation does not automatically guarantee an accommodation of choice. The letter is not a prescription, nor are disability accommodations in Higher Education an Entitlement Program.
- The student and DDS will then engage in an interactive process to determine and implement an appropriate accommodation plan if needed to facilitate access and participation in any of the educational programs, activities or services offered by Concordia.
Transfer Students
Transfer students should make an appointment to talk with us about how accommodations were managed at their previous institution, so that we can engage in the interactive process to determine and implement an appropriate accommodation plan to facilitate equal access and participation here if needed.
Graduate Students
Graduate students who are seeking accommodations for the first time, or who had previous accommodations during their undergraduate career, should contact us so that we can engage in the interactive process to determine and implement an appropriate accommodation plan to facilitate equal access and participation if needed.
Seeking Accommodations
Every situation warrants its own consideration. Please be aware that completing and submitting forms does not guarantee that a particular accommodation will be approved or implemented. We will work with you throughout your time at Concordia to ensure that you are receiving appropriate and reasonable accommodations. Your approved accommodation plan can be revisited at any time.
Please contact our office even if you do not have documentation but are interested in seeking accommodations. We are committed to working with you to find appropriate and creative ways to support your access at Concordia. We recognize some students may not have access to documentation for a variety of reasons. No student should delay meeting with the DSS office out of concern for not having access to documentation from a provider. Students who do not have documentation may still submit a request form and schedule a meeting.
You are not required to disclose any personal information to staff or faculty outside of the DSS office in order to receive your accommodations. Faculty or staff who have questions or concerns can be directed to speak with our office. We will only communicate information about your accommodations to the necessary staff/faculty who will be implementing them. We disclose personal information about you only with your explicit consent and only if necessary.
Purpose of Accommodations
The purpose of reasonable and appropriate accommodations is to prevent discrimination on the basis of disability. The work of the DSS office is to address the barriers or limitations in the environment to create equitable access and opportunities for disabled students.
Reasonable accommodations, by their nature, are designed to increase inclusion for a student with a disability so that they have access to the same opportunities as their peers.
Reasonable accommodations are not intended to excuse or reduce the responsibilities or expectations the university holds for all students.
Accommodations are not determined to ensure success (as is the law for K-12 institutions). Higher education disability laws ensure equal access to the same educational programs, activities and services as all other students. It gives students with disabilities the opportunity to engage like their non-disabled peers and supply their personal effort. Access plus personal effort is what leads to success.
Housing Accommodations
Requests for housing accommodations are reviewed in light of Concordia’s commitment to fostering student growth and providing the experience of communal living that is so much a part of learning to live in a broader world.
Concordia will accept and consider requests for reasonable accommodation in university housing at any time. The individual making the request for accommodation should complete and provide the request form to the Disability Support Services office as soon as practicably possible before moving into university housing. However, if the request for accommodation is made fewer than 60 days before the individual intends to move into university housing, Concordia cannot guarantee that it will be able to meet the individual’s accommodation needs during the first semester or term of occupancy.
Housing Accommodation Request Policy (PDF)
We provide accommodations for students with disabilities in order to facilitate their full participation in our housing program.
We do not provide accommodations solely on the basis of a diagnosis, nor do we assign accommodations to the standard housing options because of preferences nor general concerns about housing options that students anticipate may be problematic simply because they are new and different from past experience.
Concordia's obligation is to include students on campus and accommodate their needs within university housing whenever possible.
Disability accommodations are deemed “reasonable,” under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, if they are necessary to ensure equal access to the same opportunities as provided to all Concordia students.
Accommodations are not considered reasonable if they are merely to improve chances of success. Disability accommodations are only appropriate when there is a barrier to equal access.
While some mental health needs rise to the level of disability that may require an accommodation, in general, 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. Accommodations are about providing accessibility and are not based on preference or finances. They are not prescriptions, nor a treatment for a condition, nor designed to be part of a treatment plan.
In general, Concordia’s residence hall rooms are double rooms. If you need space to unwind, decompress or process your emotions, there are many solitary places on campus where you can be alone. Here are several ideas:
- Try the Academic Resource Center lounge/study room or testing rooms.
- Find a private nook or one of the individual study rooms in Link Library to read or think.
- Utilize the Wellness Room or the lower-level conference room in Janzow.
- Visit the Counseling Center in Jesse.
- Discover the lounge areas in each residence hall.
- Make use of Weller Chapel (when not in use) or the Outdoor Chapel for prayer, meditation, and contemplation.
- Enjoy solitary walks along the Plum Creek Trail.
- Claim an empty classroom space or try one of the many study spaces in Dunklau.
In typical housing, each student needs to recognize what is in their locus of control in a shared living experience. It is unreasonable to expect to be able to control the entire room. However, it is reasonable to expect to be able to control your own belongings and set boundaries with your roommate accordingly.
You can work with your RA or RC for guidance on conversation starters and boundary communicating. They are skilled at working with roommates in a neutral fashion to help create a healthy living environment for each roommate. (For example, you might come up with a schedule with your roommate so you both can experience solitary time in your room.)
All Concordia students need to learn how to share a space and set boundaries and express them with their roommates. This is an extremely valuable skill living in a residential community, such as Concordia. However, it is a new skill for many students who either have been only children or have never had to share a room with a sibling. Your RA or RC can help you and your roommate navigate challenges that may arise.
The university provides many, many places on campus where you can study alone in peace and quiet. Here are several ideas:
Try the Academic Resource Center lounge/study room or testing rooms.
- Find a private nook or one of the individual study rooms in Link Library to read or think.
- Utilize the lower-level conference room in Janzow.
- Discover the lounge areas in each residence hall.
- Claim an empty classroom space or try one of the many study spaces in Dunklau.
Just about any college alum can recall a less-than-perfect roommate situation. It can happen, and it doesn’t make that past bad experience go away. However, it is possible to move on in a positive way. Taking what you can learn from a bad roommate situation and applying those lessons to a new situation is how to utilize a growth mentality to come through adversity.
Work with the Concordia Counseling Office to talk through your past experiences and determine strategies and receive support for moving into a new roommate relationship.
Students should fill out the Disability-Related Housing Accommodation Request Student Information form and have their physical or mental health provider complete the Disability-Related Housing Accommodation Request Provider Verification form. We recognize some students may not have access to documentation for a variety of reasons. No student should delay meeting with the Disability Support Services Office out of concern for not having access to documentation from a health provider. Students who do not have documentation may still submit a request form and schedule a meeting.
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. Accommodations are about providing accessibility and are not based on preference or finances. They are not prescriptions, nor a treatment for a condition, nor designed to be part of a treatment plan. It is about access to housing accommodations, not ameliorating a disability. Recommendations will be considered; however final decisions will be determined by the University.
We evaluate all requests for need-based (disability-related) housing assignments carefully.Below is a summary of the factors we consider when evaluating housing requests. The answers to any/all of these questions may be important in our decision making. Our goal is to provide access for all students to a safe and supportive living environment as participants in our established residence life program.
SEVERITY OF THE CONDITION
- Is impact of the condition life threatening if the request is not met?
- Is there a negative health impact that may be permanent if the request is not met?
- Does the request center on room adaptations necessary for safe and independent occupancy in the residence hall?
TIMING OF THE REQUEST
- Was the request made with 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 adapted to provide the requested configuration without creating a safety hazard (electrical load, emergency egress, etc.)?
- Are there other effective methods or housing configurations that would achieve similar benefits as the requested configuration?
- How does meeting this request impact housing commitments to other students?
The process takes time and submission of information does not guarantee approval. The University is obligated to provide access to our housing program. The goal of housing accommodations is to accommodate the disability. The responsibility of Disability Support Services, and the University, is to work to find a response within the residence halls to whatever is prompting your request, and we are generally able to accommodate students with serious health conditions and/or disabilities in on-campus housing.
Emotional Support Animals
Concordia enforces a no-pet policy in its residence halls and campus facilities. The university is committed to compliance with state and federal laws as they relate to individuals with disabilities. The use of an emotional support animal (ESA) is determined in accordance with these applicable laws and regulations regarding whether such an animal is a reasonable accommodation for a disability.
Housing Accommodation Request Policy (PDF)
Information and Guidelines for Emotional Support Animals (PDF)
Service Animals
Concordia is committed to full compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the ADA Amendments of 2009. Concordia allows individuals with disabilities to bring service animals to college classes, activities, services and programs. To determine if an animal is a service animal, an institution may pose two inquiries:
- Is the animal required because of a disability?
- What work or tasks is the animal trained to perform for the person with the disability?
Service Animal Guidelines (PDF)
Service Animal Housing Agreement (PDF)
Dietary Accommodations
All students who live in residence at Concordia are required to participate in the meal plan associated with the building in which they reside. A major aspect of living at a residential college is dining with other students and developing the sense of community that arises in this setting.
Occasionally students have special needs based on documented disabilities or serious health conditions, such as those resulting in certain dietary restrictions, which may necessitate accommodations to the meal plan. Meal plan accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis according to documented need and applicable standards for reasonable accommodations.
The dining service at Concordia offers many options and makes every effort to accommodate different dietary needs. This includes student-specific meal preparation for allergies and a wide variety of healthy eating choices.
Students must arrange to meet with the Dining Service director first to discuss all the dining options that are available.
Additional Information
Transition to College for Students with Disabilities
Transition to College for Students with Disabilities – Spanish version
An Open Letter to Parents of Students with Disabilities about to Enter College
The Big Difference: Disability Rights and Responsibilities in High School vs. College
Differences Between High School and College for Students with Disabilities
Do Colleges Have to Follow IEPs or 504 Plans?
Myths About IEPs, 504 Plans and College Accommodations
Myths About Disability Documentation for College Accommodations
Student Responsibilities
As a student with a disability, to be otherwise qualified means you have to meet the same academic requirements and standards as non-disabled students. These requirements and standards must be considered necessary to maintain the integrity of a course, program or college policy. It also means you are required to meet instructors’ expectations for students in regard to class participation, work standards, attendance and ability to demonstrate acquired knowledge.
Disability & the Code of Conduct
Students who identify themselves as having a disability are not exempt from compliance with Concordia’s Student Code of Conduct. The protections offered by disability law do not eliminate or negate the university’s conduct or behavioral code for students.
Student Complaint Procedure
Concordia University believes that all students should be treated with respect and dignity and should receive the best quality of services possible. Additionally, as Christians, we strive to respond to conflict biblically through use of Matthew 18 by encouraging both parties to listen to each other, think about the concerns expressed and be open to resolving the issue. Resources are available for students to submit a concern or complaint regarding the conduct of students, faculty and staff.
Sue Showers
Academic Resource & Disability Support Services Coordinator, Director of Master of Education in Special Education
Concordia's Academic Resource Center
The Academic Resource Center (ARC), provides on-campus academic assistance for Concordia students. All students are invited to visit us for one-on-one help with study skills, time management, test-taking skills, and organization. The ARC is located on the south end of the Link Library.