Scenario
Exploring Accommodation: Instructors Manage Equitable Scheduling and Accommodation
Imagine…
Happy first week, instructors! In your course, you will be reviewing the syllabus on the first day of classes. After going over the expectations and schedule with your new students, the first unit is introduced because, as your students just learned, the first quiz is rapidly approaching at the end of week one. After class, a student approaches you and introduces themselves as Christine. Christine explains that she is a first-year student and was surprised to learn about possible accommodations offered by Student Disability Services. While she does not offer up any information on her disability, she does explain that she will be exploring her options for possible accommodations for your course. You know that it will likely be over one week before Christine can get the medical verification and the accommodation letter needed to best succeed in your course. With the first quiz at the end of the first week and no formal letter of accommodation, what can you do?
Pause and Reflect
Tip: Although you may be tempted to accommodate a student however they request, the University of Iowa’s Student Disability Services (SDS) does NOT recommend doing so without a formal letter of accommodation (LOA) from their office. SDS offers several locations around campus where students can have any questions about receiving accommodations answered.