Faculty & Departmental Resources

Under both the Americans with Disabilities Act, as recently amended, and Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, a reasonable accommodation is considered to be a modification or adjustment to a course, program, service, or facility, which ensures that a qualified student with a disability is not excluded, segregated, or otherwise treated differently.

• Reasonable accommodations are tailored adjustments that level the playing field.
• Reasonable accommodations must not compromise essential functions of the course or program.
• Reasonable accommodations are individually determined after review of medical documentation and an interactive needs assessment between an RCPD Access Specialist and the student.

An accommodation would not be considered reasonable if it:

• Fundamentally alters the essential nature of the course, curriculum or program
• Constitutes services of a personal nature (such as private tutoring)
• Results in an undue administrative or financial burden for the institution
• Results in posing a direct threat to the health or safety of self or others

If an instructor believes an accommodation is unreasonable, they can follow the dispute process.  

"RCPD Disability & Accommodation Training" is a self-enroll D2L course for MSU’s instructional staff (or any employees who may be interested). The primary purpose of the course is to help instructors become more informed about the experiences of disabled students and improve their effectiveness with facilitating accommodations.Using text, videos, and resources from various disability scholars and activists, the course covers three main areas:

• Disability Education: A brief introduction into law, history, models, study, and language about disability in US culture today.
• RCPD and Accommodation Implementation: An introduction to our office as well as information on common accommodations, including student and instructor responsibilities and resources.
• Accessibility: Best practice suggestions for creating a learning environment that is accessible to all learners, regardless of disability status.

MSU Web Accessibility

As instructional spaces and programmatic offerings are increasingly online experiences, it is vital that these offerings are designed in ways that facilitate full inclusion by people who use assistive technologies. Disabilities affect online information access in varying ways. MSU has adopted policies, resources, and guidance that help ensure accessibility. 

MSU Inclusive Guide: Disability

How the university communicates about people with disabilities, including accessibility practices, can create a more inclusive campus experience for many Spartans.

Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) Statement on Language

There are two prevalent ways that we identify with disability in language: person-first and identity-first. Both options have implications for how we think about disability.

Statement for Course Syllabi

Michigan State University is committed to providing access and inclusion in all programs, services and activities. Disabled persons should contact the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities at 517-884-RCPD or by visiting RCPD’s website to request accommodations. Additional communication between the student, instructor, and RCPD specialist may be necessary to ensure an accessible classroom experience.

Please send your Accommodation Letter to me as soon as possible so I can ensure proper facilitation of accommodations. Letters for this class should be submitted by [email, Dropbox, upload on D2L, etc.]. Accommodations are not required to be provided prior to me receiving the letter.

*Note for instructors: Disability related barriers can arise at any time, so students should not be required to submit Accommodation Letters by a specific deadline. However, instructors need advance notice to implement accommodations. The timing for this may vary by course (please contact RCPD if you have questions).

Statement for Program and Event Announcements

Michigan State University is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities. Accommodations for persons with disabilities may be requested by contacting [Name, Affiliation, and Contact info] by [date]. Requests received after this date will be honored whenever possible.

Statement for Creating a Scent Controlled Environment

At least one person in this setting reports chemical or scent sensitivity that may adversely impact their participation. We therefore request your cooperation in making this a scent-controlled environment by refraining from the use of scented products whenever possible.

Testing Accommodations: A Message From our Vice Provosts and RCPD Director

Course instructors, in collaboration with the appropriate administrative unit (College/Department/Program), are responsible for providing testing accommodations in accordance with the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) Verified Individualized Services and Accommodations Letters and in consultation with students and RCPD specialists. Vice Provosts and RCPD Director provide guidance on testing accommodations in this letter. 

RCPD Alternative Testing Guidelines

In alignment with the University's expectations for accommodated testing, RCPD provides guidance for faculty and students.

RCPD staff cannot implement grief absences or medical leaves. Students and instructors should access the following resources: 

• Grief Absence Policy (Office of the Registrar)
• Medical Leave & Return Policy (Office of Student Support and Accountability - OSSA)

More information coming soon!

Disability Dynamics: Theory, Accessibility, and Practice at MSU

This community will explore topics related to disability in society, including language, models of disability, and accessible practices. Facilitators will lead discussion on important topics in the field as they relate to teaching, research, outreach and relationships on campus. Monthly meetings will be influenced by member interest and practical needs.

Contact facilitators Jessica Lutz (lutzjes1@msu.edu) or Hannah Huey-Jones (hueyjon1@msu.edu) if you have questions.

Team RCPD immensely appreciates the work our MSU community does to ensure equitable experiences for disabled Spartans. We often receive concerns from instructors and departments regarding the sheer volume of accommodation requests. We hear you. The number of MSU students is continuously increasing. This means increased pressures for instructors and student support offices. Student accommodation requests are also increasing, which will continue as our student body grows and disability and requesting accommodations become less stigmatized.  

RCPD does not have the authority to determine class sizes, demographics, the number of students admitted to a course or degree program, or the staff/resources allotted. RCPD and MSU have an ethical and legal duty to provide disability accommodations. Accessibility and inclusion are the communal endeavor and responsibility of MSU as a whole —while RCPD is responsible for determining most disability accommodations at MSU, providing access does not fall to one office or individual on campus. 

We, too, have been raising the alarm to administration: we agree wholeheartedly that more resources are needed in academic units to support growing class sizes and increasing needs. Departments  and units in need of additional funding because of increased accommodation needs should request funds through their usual channels up through chairs, deans, and the provost as they would any other funding request. Additionally,  RCPD advises departments and units to account for this in their annual planning budget requests and in their ongoing budgetary conversations. We will continue to advocate for this campus-wide support from our administration and welcome your advocacy too. 

Some resources that may be helpful:  

• RCPD & ADA Coordinator Guidance for Accommodations
• Disability and Reasonable Accommodations  Policy: explains roles and responsibilities around accommodations. You can find this policy on th e Office for Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance  website and on MSU’s new  University Policy  page
• Web Access guidelines
• Accommodation Letter: roles and responsibilities
• How to implement accommodations:
  • Classroom
  • Testing