What We Do

Purpose

Since 1977, the Student Disability Center has helped facilitate the educational pursuits of students who have disabilities and/or other chronic conditions by coordinating a variety of accommodations and services. These services support the unique academic needs of permanently and temporarily disabled students or students with chronic health conditions, including mental health.  As one of the Student Diversity Programs and Services offices on campus, SDC also works to ensure policies, procedures, and practices within the university environment do not discriminate against students because they have a disability. 

The SDC has the authority to verify and confirm the eligibility of students with disabilities and/or health conditions for the majority of accommodations on campus. While some accommodations may be provided by other departments, a student is not automatically eligible for those accommodations unless their disability or health condition can be verified and the need for the accommodation confirmed, either through the SDC or through acceptable means defined by the particular department (e.g. Parking and Transportation Services). Faculty and staff may consult with SDC whenever there is doubt as to the appropriateness of an accommodative request by a student with a disability.

The goal of the SDC is to normalize disability, including chronic health conditions, as part of the culture of diversity on campus.  The characteristic of having a disability or chronic health condition simply provides the basis of the support that is available to students. The goal is to ensure students with disabilities or chronic health conditions have the opportunity to be as successful as they have the capability to be.

For Whom?

Accommodations and support are offered to students with functional limitations due to visual, hearing, learning, or mobility disabilities as well as to students who have specific physical or mental health conditions due to epilepsy, diabetes, asthma, AIDS, psychiatric diagnoses, etc. Students who are temporarily disabled are also eligible for support and assistance.

Any student who is enrolled at Colorado State University and who self-identifies with SDC as having a disability or chronic health condition is eligible for support from SDC. Specific accommodations are determined individually for each student and must be supported by appropriate documentation and/or evaluation of needs consistent with a particular type of disability or health condition. SDC reserves the right to ask for any appropriate documentation of disability in order to determine a student’s eligibility for accommodations as well as in support for specific accommodations requests. The accommodations process begins once a student meets with an SDC accommodations specialist.

What Do We Offer?

Support services fall into three categories: accommodations, awareness, and advocacy. These three services areas relate to and complement one another to help lessen the negative effects that limitations or disabilities may have on students in an academic environment. Accommodations are designed to give students access to the programs offered by Colorado State University. Awareness activities are related to improving the climate on campus for students with disabilities. Advocacy efforts are to ensure the needs of students with disabilities or chronic health conditions are addressed both in individual situations as well as in policies and procedures of the university.

For more detailed information about specific accommodations and services, please go to the accommodations process