Accommodations and Accessibility

University of the Cumberlands is committed to serving students

University of the Cumberlands is committed to serving students, faculty, staff, and visitors with disabilities. UC strives for excellence in creating a campus environment of inclusion and accessibility that ensures compliance with federal and state regulations.
The Office of Accommodations and Accessibility supports this commitment by partnering with students and other members of the campus community to determine accessibility needs and provide appropriate accommodations to ensure equal access and experience for all individuals at UC.
Please review the information below for additional information about Disability Services, the accommodations process, and other accessibility resources.

Student Handbook Accommodations Request Form

The Accommodations Process

Federal law and the university define a “disability” as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits or restricts the condition, manner, or duration under which an average person in the population can perform a major life activity, such as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, or taking care of oneself.
An impairment or diagnosis, in and of itself, does not necessarily constitute a disability: it must “substantially limit” these activities. Disabilities do not necessarily impair the individual’s performance, but may require the individual to seek alternate methods of carrying out a given task.
The University is required by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to provide effective auxiliary aids and services for qualified students with documented disabilities if such aids are needed to provide equitable access to the university’s programs and services. “Qualified Disabled Student” means a disabled person who meets the academic and technical standards for admission and participation in UC’s educational programs.

Document the disability and a care professional’s recommendation for reasonable accommodations.

All students must meet submit current clinical documentation before any accommodation can be granted. To ensure complete documentation, we suggest printing the guidelines and giving a copy to clinicians for use in writing letters documenting need for accommodations. Students are also advised to keep a copy of any documentation materials they provide to UC. Last-minute submission of documentation may result in delays in consideration of requested services. Documentation can be provided by email to accommodations [at] ucumberlands.edu (accommodations[at]ucumberlands[dot]edu) or uploaded into the accommodations request portal. Some clinicians may prefer to fax documentation. Faxed documentation can be sent to 606-539-4136. Students may be asked to periodically provide comprehensive information if their condition may change over time and/or previous documentation doesn’t include sufficient relevant information.

Coordinate with the Director of Student Accommodations for implementation of reasonable accommodations.

All students must coordinate with the Office of Student Accommodations either in person, by phone, or email before any accommodation can be provided. Collaborating with the Director of Student Accommodations ensures students receive personalized, reasonable accommodations in the manner that best supports the fundamental nature of University programs.
Students are always encouraged to contact the Office of Student Accommodations whenever they have questions or concerns regarding their existing accommodations.

Contact Director of Student Accommodations

Cumberlands has a designated professional to coordinate its efforts to comply with laws which prohibit discrimination against students or applicants on the basis of a disability. If you have questions or concerns, please contact them for assistance.

Shirley Stephens
Director of Student Accommodations
Gatliff Administration Building
606.539.4214
shirley.stephens [at] ucumberlands.edu (shirley[dot]stephens[at]ucumberlands[dot]edu)

Additional Resources & Information

Academic Accommodations

Academic accommodations are the most common accommodations provided. Common academic accommodations include, but are not limited to, extended time for tests and quizzes, distraction reduced test environments, digital content remediation, and assistive technology.

Accessibility Accommodations

Accessibility accommodations serve students with physical or other impairments that limit access to University facilities or online content. The Director of Student Accommodations collaborates with students and administrative offices to ensure accessibility needs are met through parking accommodations, classroom location accommodations, accessibility of online content, and other accessibility accommodations as needed.

Dining Accommodations

Students may have different dietary needs due to medical conditions. When special dietary needs are documented, Student Accommodations can provide support in navigating University dining options in the way that ensures equal access to University dining programs. Services range from educating on how food is prepared to consulting with dining staff for dietary specific arrangements.

Housing Accommodations

The Director of Student Accommodations collaborates with the Housing Office to provide reasonable accommodations for student housing assignments based on the availability of housing and the recommendations of professionals based on disability needs.

Temporary Accommodations

Although students with temporary illness or injury are not considered disabled by the law, they often need services or accommodations similar to those provided to students with permanent disabilities in order to maintain their academic program with minimal interruption. Students with extenuating medical circumstances are encouraged to consult with the Director of Student Accommodations as soon as possible. Students requesting services must present current clinical documentation before accommodations can be considered.

Other Services

The Director of Student Accommodations helps coordinate a number of other services and resources as needed to support students with disabilities. Resources can include:

Accommodations notice to applicable faculty or staff, outlining approved accommodations (only with student authorization)
Academic coaching to navigate college transition (as needed)
Coordination with academic and administrative departments
Liaison for Career Services: role-play interviewing focusing on questions of when and how to disclose disability when applying to graduate schools and/or seeking employment
Information about alternative testing arrangements and documentation for GMAT, GRE, LSAT, etc.
Additional support and accommodations for military students with disabilities.
Referral to state or federal resources such as National AHEAD, KY AHEAD, or the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.