All decisions regarding accommodation requests, including others not listed below,
are made in consultation with the student and the Office for Student Access Services
based on the individual student and their disability.
IMPORTANT: It may take up to four weeks to process and/or review your information or documentation.
Incoming students are strongly encouraged to request accommodations from SAS as early
as possible prior to attending New Mexico Tech. Current students may request accommodations
at any time but are encouraged to make their requests for accommodations as soon as
they become aware of a need for one.
After you complete the CAL request, SAS will prepare a Course Accessibility Letter
for you and send it via email. You will then send it to the Professors for your courses
you wish to utilize your accomodations; your accommodations are not in place until
you have spoken with your instructor and provided them the CAL .
Requesting accommodation changes - Please note if you drop or add classes you must consult with the SAS. Contact the Office for Student Access Services at [email protected] or Schedule your appointment here to discuss changes as part of the introductive process.
Requesting Accommodations for each semester
Accommodations are not automatically provided each semester! The accommodation process is entirely student centered and student driven. The student
has complete control over whether their accommodations are put in place for a given class. Consequently, it is up to the student to decide which, if any, of their accommodations will use
for each course they are taking.
Before a student can use any accommodations in a given class, they first need to complete
their Student Request for Course Accessibility Letter (CAL). The student does this
at the beginning of each semester. SAS will send the CAL to the student, the student then sends the CAL to the professor,
instructor, or TA for each class they will utilize their accommodations for that semester.
The purpose of the letter is to notify faculty that the student has accommodations
for their course.
Student Access Services (SAS) strongly encourages students to meet with professors
during office hours and/or arrange a meeting time so that there is sufficient time
to discuss the accommodation letter and how your accommodation needs will be met in
the class. Most faculty are familiar with the accommodation process and should be
encouraged to call Student Access Services if they have questions. Meeting with faculty
face-to-face is essential to work out logistical details related to specific requests
(e.g., where you will be taking your quizzes if you need extended time and/or a reduced
distraction environment).
In order to use certain accommodations, such as Extended Testing Time, Attendance
Adjustment, and Course Materials in Accessible Electronic Formats, the student will
need to follow the written and verbal instructions that SAS provided when the accommodation
was first put in place.
Hereis a sample Course Accessibility Letter for your reference. Notice that the letter
includes no specific information about the student’s disability; it only gives the
student’s name and a list of their approved accommodations.
How to request accommodation changes
Please note if you drop or add classes, or want to change any of your accommodations, you must
consult with the SAS. Contact the Office for Student Access Services at [email protected], visit our office at Fidel 245, or schedule your appointment here to discuss changes.
Documentation Requirements
Any information/documentation students can readily share during or prior to their
first meeting is helpful and can save time in the accommodations process. Student
Access Services recognizes that barriers exist and can create hardship for students
in regards to having and presenting third party disability documentation.
Please don't delay submitting the self-identification form out of concern for not
having appropriate paperwork. If you have information/documentation, you will be provided
an opportunity to upload it with your self-identification form. You can also submit
it to Student Access Services by:
Mail it to: Student Access Services, 801 Leroy Place, 245 Fidel Center, Socorro, NM
87801
Addressing Student Concerns about Accommodations
Financial Aid Accomodations
Student Access Services (SAS) can certify students with disabilities to take reduced
course loads for the New Mexico Lottery Scholarship, and others that are accepted
by the NMT Financial Aid department. The deadline to submit the paperwork for this
accommodation is always the third Tuesday of the fall and spring semesters. It is recommended that the student, SAS, and Financial
Aid meet to discuss the impact on the student’s financial aid.
Informal Resolution Process
During the interactive dialog between SAS and the student about their accommodation
questions or concerns, various methods for facilitating a workable solution may be
involved. Examples include but are not limited to the following:
Clarifying the student's rights in the situation
Coaching the student on how to best discuss the accommodation further with their instructor
Adding a new accommodation or modifying an existing accommodation
Contacting the faculty member to clarify the issue
SAS and the student may meet with the instructor
The student may also contact the chair or dean for assistance in the situation.
The goal in contacting or meeting with faculty is to discuss the academic barrier
the student is encountering, address any student or faculty concerns about the accommodation,
and to work out a solution that provides equal access to the student while also preserving
the academic integrity of the course.
Formal Resolution Process
If an agreement cannot be reached via the informal resolution processes above, then
the student has several options they can pursue.
If SAS and/or an academic department has determined that an accommodation requested by the student would result in a fundamental alteration of a course or program, the student should follow the NMT SAS Grievance Process
The student has the right to file a formal complaint with the U.S. Dept. of Education's Office of Civil Rights
This process takes longer for resolution, but carries with it greater impact on process
and procedure for the University.
Questions
Students are strongly encouraged to contact Student Access Services with any questions
or concerns about accommodations, such as the following:
Clarifying how to use an accommodation
Exploring additional accommodations or strategies to address a barrier they are encountering
Concerns about an approved accommodation not being provided
SAS and the student will engage in an interactive process to address the concern and
to ensure that the student has equal access. There are various options for informal
and formal resolution processes that can be used, depending on the specifics of the
situation. Please refer to the NMT SAS Grievance Process.
