The McBurney Disability Resource Center recommends the following syllabus statement that was drafted by the Committee on Access and Accommodation in Instruction. This shared governance committee monitors university compliance with state and federal mandates to assure that the mechanisms chosen to implement law be responsive to the needs of students with disabilities, consistent with the overall educational goals of the university, and reasonable and practical in the context of the resources available.
Faculty are strongly encouraged to include this written statement in their syllabus and verbally reference it when presenting the course standards to classes. In addition, faculty should customize the statement with directions about how they prefer students to contact them regarding accommodation requests (e.g., email, office appointment, etc.). Some students whose disability impacts communication abilities (e.g., autism, anxiety) may be more able to initiate communication via email.
The University of Wisconsin–Madison supports the right of all enrolled students to a full and equal educational opportunity. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Wisconsin State Statute (36.12), and UW–Madison policy (Faculty Document 1071) require that students with disabilities be reasonably accommodated in instruction and campus life. Reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities is a shared faculty and student responsibility. Students are expected to inform faculty [I] of their need for instructional accommodations by the end of the third week of the semester, or as soon as possible after a disability has been incurred or recognized. Faculty [I], will work either directly with the student [you] or in coordination with the McBurney Center to identify and provide reasonable instructional accommodations. Disability information, including instructional accommodations as part of a student’s educational record, is confidential and protected under FERPA.