If you are a student with a condition or disability looking for accommodations to reduce barriers while attending CSB and SJU, you are in the right place. Requesting academic accommodations from Student Accessibility Services (SAS) is a four-part process:  

Step One: Call 320-363-5245 to Schedule a Welcome Meeting:

The Welcome Meeting is the primary step in interactive process of determining accommodation eligibility, in which a student self-identifies as an individual with a disability. To self-identify means that a student recognizes they have a condition that meets the definition of a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is the responsibility of each student to initiate the process if they have a disability and believe they need accommodation. This is a change from the K-12 process, during which the school was responsible for identifying students with disabilities.  

Our team takes great pride in creating a welcoming space in which students can share additional information regarding the impact of their condition, the barriers encountered – or anticipate they may encounter, and the accommodations they believe will ensure equal access in their time at CSB and SJU. 

This process is designed to be an interactive conversation between the student and the Accessibility Specialist. Each participant will share information that will result in the determination of accommodation eligibility. We welcome questions, as students often attend meetings without being aware of what accommodations and resources might exist to mitigate the barriers they encounter.  

Information shared during the Welcome Meeting as well as any third-party documentation may be used by professional staff to recommend additional accommodations and/or auxiliary aids that may serve to mitigate barriers for the student. This information may also be used to approve an accommodation request, deny an accommodation request or offer an equally effective alternative accommodation.   

Important Welcome Meeting Information: 

• Call 320-363-5245, during business hours (Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) to schedule a Welcome Meeting with a member of our team.  
• It may take a minimum of two weeksto schedule a Welcome Meeting during peak times of the semester. Peak times include (but are not limited to) the three weeks before and after the start of a semester.  
• Retroactive accommodations are never considered. It is essential that CSB and SJU students connect with our office as early as possible, once they are aware of an access-related need.  

Documentation: 

While our team considers a student’s self-report as the primary resource in determining reasonable accommodations, SAS may need third-party documentation (from your practitioner, care team or evaluations completed in the K-12 setting) when considering accommodation requests. Third-party documentation, in addition to consultation with other members of the campus community, may be essential in either establishing that a student has a disability and/or determining whether a requested accommodation is reasonable and necessary to ensure nondiscrimination. Additional information to consider regarding documentation:  

• Please schedule a Welcome Meeting even if you do not have third-party documentation. SAS understands that not everyone will have access to third-party documentation. Our professional staff will discuss the need for documentation (if necessary), and steps you may follow to obtain documentation during the Welcome Meeting. Insufficient documentation may delay the consideration and/or approval of some accommodations. 
• Neuropsychological and/or psychoeducational evaluations are most helpful in helping our team in identifying the functional impacts of a diagnosed disability. For those individuals who were eligible for special education services, the evaluation report (also known as a three-year evaluation in the state of Minnesota) functions as an equivalent to a neuropsychological evaluation. While not as helpful as the abovementioned assessments, IEPs, 504 Plans and letters from doctors and other providers can be helpful.  
• Documentation is beneficial when it (1) confirms the presence of a disability and (2) describes the impact of a disability on common tasks expected by students in a residential academic setting. Common tasks may include communication, concentration, reading, writing, mobility and tasks involved in areas of residential life and dining.  
• When information is provided that includes recommendations that enhance success, or are beyond our scope of ensuring equal access, our team will refer students to other resources (both on and off campus) to address the specific need.  

Step Two: Using Accommodations 

Once accommodation eligibility has been established, each student registered with SAS is responsible for communicating which approved accommodations they intend to use.

Send Your Accommodation Plan

Students, not SAS Staff, are responsible for sending their Accommodation Plans to instructors for classes in which they plan to use their approved accommodations. This process can be completed with the click of a few buttons in our Clockwork Portal. Use this link for a video tutorial on how to use Clockwork to send your plan. 

Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their faculty during office hours, at the start of each semester, to introduce themselves and briefly discuss their plans to utilize accommodations. 

Step Three: Communicate 

Don’t wait – ask for help! We understand that not all barriers can be anticipated, that questions may arise and that you may need help as it relates to your accommodation eligibility. The sooner we are made aware of a barrier, issue or challenge, the greater likelihood we can work to identify a solution. We cannot go back in time to review or consider retroactive requests.