Registering with ODS

1. Submit documentation that supports your accommodation request(s).
2. Meet with a staff member in ODS during an intake appointment to discuss your accommodation request(s).
3. Develop an accommodation plan with your ODS service provider, and review steps for implementation.

• Documentation should include the most relevant diagnostic and/or accommodation record that supports your request for accommodations.
• General information:
  • Students are encouraged to submit any prior assessments and/or evaluative reports conducted by evaluators, physicians, medical professionals, etc., which may assist in determining appropriate accommodations. Documentation should be current and relevant to the requested accommodations.
  • While an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and/or 504 Plan provide helpful information, these documents alone may not, in some cases, provide sufficient information to determine appropriate accommodations in the postsecondary environment. Your ODS staff member will inform you if more documentation is needed.
  • Reasonable accommodations are determined based on the nature of the condition(s) and resulting impact in the postsecondary environment. A student’s program of study and the courses a student is enrolled in will also inform the types of accommodations that are appropriate.
  • Prior receipt of accommodations (e.g., in high school or in another University setting) will inform the process of determining appropriate accommodations at Suffolk; however, they do not guarantee receipt of the same accommodations.
  • While the law requires that priority consideration be given to the specific methods requested, it does not imply that a particular accommodation must be granted if it is deemed not reasonable or other suitable methods are available.
  • Professionals (e.g., care providers, evaluators, or other qualified professionals) conducting assessment, rendering diagnoses of specific conditions and making recommendations for appropriate accommodations must be qualified to do so. Diagnoses, histories, and recommendations for the postsecondary environment must be made on professional letterhead, dated and signed.
• Specific information from a diagnostic provider may include:
  • Existing Condition(s) - Information regarding the student’s current condition(s) including any relevant history.
  • Presenting Concerns - Information regarding the student’s presenting concerns (ongoing difficulties and behaviors) that substantially impact functioning in a postsecondary setting.
  • Background History - Information regarding the student’s history of any prior accommodations received (e.g., high school, another University setting, etc.) (if applicable).
  • Recommendations and Evaluator Qualifications - Specific recommendations regarding academic and/or residential accommodations, auxiliary aids and/or services based on the impact of the condition(s) in the postsecondary environment.

To Submit Documentation:

You may email us

Fax it to: (617) 994-4251

Or mail it to:
Andrew Cioffi
Office of Disability Services
73 Tremont St. 9th Floor
Boston, MA 02108

Or, you may bring a copy of your documentation with you to your intake appointment.

During the intake appointment, the student will provide a “self-report” that is part of the initial disclosure of a disability to the University. We will engage in an interactive process to review how a disclosed condition affects a student with relation to all programs and opportunities at Suffolk.

To schedule an intake appointment, please give us a call at 617-573-8034.

The primary goals of the intake appointment are as follows:

• To determine if a student’s reported condition(s) qualify as a disability.
• To determine eligibility for each requested accommodation.
• To determine an accommodation plan.
• To determine an implementation plan.

During the intake appointment, we will also review:

• How we approach the interactive process for supporting a student’s accommodations.
• Rights and responsibilities related to the accommodation process.
• Privacy of information.
• Additional campus resources.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has a three-part definition of disability. Under the ADA, an individual with a disability is a person who: (1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more life activities; or (2) has a record of such impairment; or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment.

A physical disability is defined by ADA as "any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological, musculoskeletal, special sense organs, respiratory (including speech organs), cardiovascular, reproductive, digestive, genitourinary, hemic, and lymphatic, skin and endocrine."

Neither ADA nor the regulations that implement it list all of the diseases, conditions, or mental health diagnoses covered, because it would be impossible to provide a comprehensive list, given the variety of possible conditions.

If a student had an IEP or 504 plan in high school, has a disability that did not require these, has a temporary disability or injury, or thinks they have a disability, they should contact ODS for more information on the services that they may qualify for.