Disability Services

ODS offers a wide variety of legally required services/accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Accommodations are provided to meet the requirements of the Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 ), as amended by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, and other applicable federal and state regulations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability and to equalize the opportunity for success by minimizing the impact of the disability.

Accommodations provided are as varied as the many different ways people experience their disability. Individuals should also note that accommodations must be reasonable and not every request will be filled.

Tutoring services are never considered an academic “accommodation”. However, students with a documented qualifying disability may take advantage of tutoring services that are provided to all students at TU.

In addition, the University is not required to provide items that are considered personal that could be needed in accomplishing daily activities both at school and elsewhere, such as a wheelchair, hearing aid, etc.

The most common services/reasonable accommodations provided include (but are not limited to):

• Alternative Testing Accommodations
• Note-Taking Accommodations
• Assistive Technology
• Alternative Media
• Sign Language/Interpreting/Transcribing Services
• Counseling and Advocacy Services
• Deaf/Hard of Hearing Services
• Blind/Low Vision Services
• Housing Accommodations
• Service Animals
• Assistance Animals (in accordance with HUD)

Individuals with qualifying disabilities who are interested in obtaining an accommodation from the University begins with registration with ODS. However, individuals with disabilities are not requiredto register or to identify themselves in any way unless they wish to receive services.

Eligibility for services/accommodations from the ODS is a separate process from University Admissions / Enrollment. Registering for services through ODS has no impact on admissions decisions, financial aid, or your eligibility to enroll in courses or for other student services.

In order to ensure you have accommodations in place before the semester begins, we recommend that you submit an application and documentation to ODS immediately after you are admitted to the university.

Reasonable accommodations are approved throughout the semester, but are not retroactive, thus, for example, course grades may not be changed, and tests need not be re-administered, based on approval of an accommodation at a later date. Students are required to renew accommodations each semester they desire to have services.

Submit an ODS registration form and disability documentation

If you are unable to upload documentation using our online registration form, you can submit documentation through mail, email, or fax.

• Fax: 419-443-5030 Attn: Office for Disability Services
• Email: disabilityservices@tiffin.edu
• Mailing Address: Tiffin University
  • Attn: Office for Disability Services
  • 155 Miami Street
  • Tiffin, Ohio 44883

All documentation will be verified by ODS staff for authenticity when received.

Accommodations are provided only to individuals who have appropriate clinical documentation of their qualifying disability on file with ODS. The medical documentation will need to be provided by a licensed medical professional that is capable of making a diagnosis. This would include the primary care physician, specialty physician, psychiatrist, or psychologist that diagnosed your disability, or that has been working with you continuously and is personally familiar with your medical history.

To be effective, your medical professional’s letter should include at a minimum the following information:

A statement giving your medical professional’s name, contact information (address, telephone, e-mail, etc.), and describing her/his credentials, area of specialty and information about any special qualifications that she or he has for helping people with your specific type of disability, including any experience working with other students who have similar impairments.

A description of any tests, assessments and evaluations that your medical professional performed on your behalf, which identifies any records or other materials reviewed as part of the testing process;

A description of your disability-related impairments, as they relate to your ability to learn and participate in your educational program;

A description of your disability and identification of your specific diagnoses, including how you meet diagnostic criteria, and the facts and observations upon which your medical professional based the diagnosis; and

A list of accommodations that your medical professional recommends allowing you to participate fully and equally in your educational program. This section should describe how your medical professional decided on these accommodations, and how the medical professional expects that they will help you.

A previous IEP or 504 Plan aid in the process of determining what accommodations are appropriate. However, they alone are not enough documentation to support the request in the higher education setting. If you have an IEP or 504 Plan from your high school, you can submit them along with your medical documentation.

After your registration form and documentation are reviewed, you will receive an email instructing you to schedule a mandatory Orientation/Inquiry Meeting. The email will provide instructions for how to provide additional documentation if needed. A prompt response will ensure that ODS can evaluate your documentation and determine your eligibility for accommodations as soon as possible.

During this orientation, the Coordinator for the ODS will discuss with you the documentation you submitted, reasonable accommodations that would work best for you, how to request accommodations each semester/term using ODS Online Services, learn about ODS policies and procedures, and have an opportunity to have your questions answered.

In subsequent terms, you will follow the same registration process to request reasonable accommodations for the next semester/term.

Submit an ODS registration form and disability documentation

It is advised that you make your requests for your reasonable accommodations immediately upon registration for courses and/or housing.

ODS will accept and consider requests for reasonable accommodations at any time, however, if the request is made fewer than 60 days before the individuals intend to move into University housing or before the beginning of the semester/term, the University cannot guarantee the ability to meet the individual accommodation needed during said semester/term.

If the need for the accommodation arises when the individual already resides in University Housing or during the semester/term, the same process above applies.