The CUNY SPH Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) coordinates and provides reasonable accommodations and support services to students with disabilities.
The reasonable accommodation process is student-driven and self-advocacy focused. The Office of Accessibility Services works in collaboration with students, instructors, and CUNY SPH staff to ensure that students with disabilities are provided with equal access (a ‘level playing field’) to CUNY SPH’s academic and non-academic programs and activities.
All correspondence with the Office of Accessibility Services is confidential. For accommodation implementation, instructors and applicable CUNY SPH staff may be informed of the granted accommodation(s), but not the disability or disabling medical condition of students.
For more, see the CUNY Reasonable Accommodations and Academic Adjustments policy and the CUNY Procedures for Implementing Reasonable Accommodations and Academic Adjustments.
What is a disability?
A disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities that is permanent or temporary. This includes disabling conditions because of pregnancy and pregnancy recovery and what are commonly referred to as ‘invisible disabilities,’ for example:
- Learning disabilities
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or ADD
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Major Depressive Disorder/clinical depression (MDD)
- Bipolar disorder
- Physical conditions, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) and chronic pain disorders
How to register with the Office of Accessibility Services
There are two ways to start the process of registering with the Office of Accessibility Services. You may:
- Obtain a letter from your provider that:
- Is on letterhead and includes the provider’s license number;
- Includes the disability and/or disabling medical condition; and
this should include the functional limitations because of the disability or disabling medical condition.
- Details the specific accommodation request related to the disability and/or disabling medical condition.
Documentation must include explanations as to why the accommodation(s) will be useful. Individual Education Programs (IEPs); a psychological/educational report; or medical documentation can also be provided.
- Submit the registration form
To access the registration form, log into SharePoint using your SPH login (sph\_______) credentials.
If you need assistance with SharePoint, reach out to the HelpDesk@sph.cuny.edu or fill out the PDF version of the form and email it and the letter from your provider and any other applicable documentation to accessibility@sph.cuny.edu.
– OR –
Before the start of every semester
After you have registered with the Office of Accessibility Services and before the start of every semester that you wish to have your granted accommodation(s) implemented, you will need to email the Office of Accessibility Services the:
CUNY-wide, most accommodations are implemented by instructors. Students and instructors are encouraged to work together to discuss the accommodations as early as possible in the semester.
Appeals
Students may submit appeals regarding accommodation determinations, academic adjustments, or implementation by sending a written complaint via email to Sahana Gupta CUNY SPH Chief Diversity Officer, Title IX Coordinator, and ADA-504 Coordinator sahana.gupta@sph.cuny.edu. For more on the accommodation process, see the CUNY SPH Policy Implementation Workflow.
If you have issues with a course unrelated to accommodations that you feel cannot be resolved directly with your instructor, contact the Chair of the department of the course.