A: The mission of the Learning Services office is to ensure that students with disabilities have an equal educational opportunity with other students. The Learning Services office provides advisement, advocacy, and academic support to students who identify themselves as having a disability and to students who are experiencing academic difficulties.

The office has two professional staff members: the Director of Learning Services and the Learning Specialist.

Our philosophy is one that promotes self-awareness, self-determination, and self-advocacy for our students with disabilities. The Learning Services office is also committed to promoting access and awareness as a resource to all members of the Utica College community.

A: Utica College is in compliance with Federal and State laws regarding the provision of reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified students with documented disabilities. Accommodation decisions are made on a case-by-case, course-by-course basis. The following are examples of services and accommodations currently being provided to students, not a guarantee of services and accommodations.

Services:

• priority registration
• learning and study strategy development
• referrals for diagnostic evaluation
• time management strategies
• professional tutoring in the areas of English language arts and mathematics
• priority registration

Accommodations:

• use of a tape recorder
• time extensions for tests and/or alternative testing methods
• note-takers
• separate location for tests
• alternative response methods on tests
  

The Director of Learning Services will make the determination of whether appropriate and reasonable accommodations are warranted and can be provided to the student. An accommodation letter is generated for each student stating what accommodations are appropriate in each individual case. It is the student’s responsibility to meet with his or her instructors to discuss the disability and the accommodations.

A: To request accommodations, students should:

• Self-disclose their disability
  
• Refer themselves, by personal contact, to the Director of Learning Services
  
• Request accommodations
  
• Submit appropriate documentation to verify eligibility under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Protection under these civil rights statutes is determined on a case-by-case basis and is based upon documentation of a disability that currently substantially limits some major life activity. Documentation guidelines should be requested from the Learning Services office.

A: Students are not obliged to disclose a disability during the admissions process. Utica College does not have an alternate admissions process for students with disabilities, nor does it offer special courses or programs for students with disabilities. Students with disabilities are admitted under the same highly selective criteria as other students -- admissions requirements are not waived or altered based upon a disabling condition. If you have questions about the admissions process, please contact our Admissions Office.

Once admitted, students with disabilities are strongly advised to contact the Director of Learning Services as soon as they decide to attend Utica College so that they can submit required documentation in a timely fashion if they plan to request accommodations. This contact will also allow the Director to answer any questions that the student might have.

A: The Learning Services office is located in the Academic Support Services Center, Hubbard Hall Room 109. Office hours are from 8:30 – 5:00 during the academic calendar year.

Kateri Teresa Henkel is the Director of Learning Services.

To contact the Learning Services office:

• Telephone: 315-792-3032
  
• E-mail: Kateri Henkel at khenkel@utica.edu
  
• Fax: 315-223-2504
  
• Regular Mail:
  
  Utica College Learning Services
  109 Hubbard Hall
  1600 Burrstone Road
  Utica, N.Y. 13502