This information is part of the Graduate Coordinator handbook.
Students who use accommodations typically have a smoother graduate school career, especially when they arrange those accommodations early on in their studies. Depending on the student’s preference, disability accommodations can be worked out directly with faculty, or he or she can be referred to UA Little Rock’s Disability Resource Center (DRC). The ultimate goal of the DRC is to create a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible environment at UA Little Rock. The DRC staff collaborates with students, faculty, and staff to identify and remove barriers when possible. However, sometimes removing barriers cannot happen right away. In such cases, the DRC works with students to determine what accommodations might bridge that gap.
The DRC also assists students who become sick or injured during the semester and must miss class or cannot continue with the semester. The DRC will work with the student and his doctor to take appropriate action in the student’s best interest.
Please make sure that all graduate faculty in your program include this mandatory statement in all of their syllabi:
Students with Disabilities: Your success in this class is important to me, and it is the policy and practice of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to create inclusive learning environments consistent with federal and state law. If you have a documented disability (or need to have a disability documented), and need an accommodation, please contact me privately as soon as possible, so that we can discuss with Disability Resource Center (DRC) how to meet your specific needs and the requirements of the course. The DRC offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process among you, your instructor(s), and the DRC. Thus, if you have a disability, please contact me and/or the DRC, at 501-569-3143 (V/TTY) or 501-683-7629 (VP). For more information, please visit the DRC website.
The Disability Resource Center is also available as a resource to you, the faculty. If you have questions about making your class more accessible, the DRC is happy to work with you. The better designed a course is, the less often individual accommodation is necessary, which makes life easier for both students and faculty. To learn more, contact the DRC and 501-569-3143 or visit the DRC website.
