CDR Student FAQs

For incoming DSU students:  You can register with the CDR as soon as you have been offered admission to Delaware State University and have officially accepted the University’s offer to attend. As soon as this happens, you are encouraged to fill out the Student Request for Accommodations form through Accommodate where you can also upload your medical documentation. Once received, a CDR representative will be in touch with you.

For current DSU students:  You can register with the CDR as long as you are enrolled in classes or are returning to classes and have already registered for an upcoming semester. As soon as this happens, you are encouraged to fill out the Student Request for Accommodations form through Accommodate where you can also upload your medical documentation. Once received, a CDR representative will be in touch with you.

Once a student with a disability is in college they are covered under the American’s with Disabilities Act as Amended (ADAAA) as opposed to the IDEA. In addition, the learning environment is different at every college or university.  For these reasons, any accommodations listed on a student’s IEP or 504 Plan do not automatically carry over to higher education. However, under the ADA, students absolutely have the right to submit appropriate medical documentation and request reasonable accommodations from the Center for Disability Resources while attending DSU.

Not at all!  Any student with a documented disability who feels they would benefit from reasonable accommodations is encouraged to register with the CDR.  Not having accommodations in elementary, middle, or high school will not prevent a qualified person from receiving accommodations here at DSU.

No! The Center for Disability Resources (CDR) can assist any qualified student in requesting additional accommodations regardless of enrollment status.

No! Your registration with the Center for Disability Resources (CDR) is confidential within our office and does not appear on other academic records. All students that receive accommodations with the Center for Disability Resources (CDR) earn the same degree as all other graduates of Delaware State University.

Absolutely! Your approved accommodations can still be provided in your online courses. Please reach out to your professors to discuss how they will be implemented. Our office is available to support any student and/or instructor to address specific questions or concerns.

Documentation can be submitted through the Accommodate system. It will be helpful to note that we can only accept files in .pdf, .jpeg/jpg, .png, .doc, .docx formats.

Any student at DSU who is approved for reasonable accommodations or Temporary Adjustments will request their Accommodation Letter through the Accommodate system. When submitting their Letter Request, the student will be asked to select which accommodations/adjustments they would like to send to that faculty member.

The letters must be requested each semester to ensure that students receive the most appropriate accommodations.

Anytime!  Students should contact Center for Disability Resources to:

• Request accommodations
• Ask questions about how to use their accommodations
• Renew Accommodation Letters through Accommodate
• Notify the office if they feel an accommodation is not being provided appropriately
• Identify a barrier they feel is preventing them from equal access
• Ask questions about additional resources they may benefit from
• Or to just say “hi!

The Center for Disability Resources has the role of reviewing medical documentation and determining reasonable accommodations. Therefore, the CDR does not provide disability testing. Students interested in being tested for a Learning Disability or ADD/ADHD are encouraged to contact a local mental health provider to schedule an assessment.  A courtesy, non-exhaustive list of local providers is available upon request from the CDR. Students are also encouraged to contact their insurance company to inquire about coverage for LD/ADHD assessment.

Yes!  DSU offers several exceptional resources for tutoring and counseling that are all FREE OF CHARGE for all students – no accommodation required. The Quantitative Reasoning Center (QRC) offers math tutoring for all students. The Tutorial Center offers individual and group tutoring in a variety of subjects for all students. The Writing Studio offers writing and editing support for all undergraduate and graduate students. There are also Supplemental Instruction sessions offered for courses that are historically more challenging. Free 24/7 online tutoring in all subjects is also available through tutor.com and can be accessed through Blackboard.

In addition, DSU has a Counseling Center that offers one-on-one and group counseling to all full-time DSU students.

Absolutely!  Any student who already has accommodations is always welcome to schedule an appointment with the CDR to discuss any changes to their condition or other factors that are currently impacting them. The student is encouraged to schedule an appointment with the CDR via the Accommodate system.

Accommodations are only in effect from the moment you notify your instructor of your approved accommodations; they do not work retroactively. If you have forgotten to notify your instructor of your approved accommodations, you are encouraged to do so as soon as possible so that you can begin using your accommodations from that moment forward.

If a student believes that a specific accommodation, listed on their Accommodation Letter as approved by the Center for Disability Resources (CDR), has not been provided appropriately, the following process should be followed:

• The student should notify the Center for Disability Resources immediately and request an appointment in Accommodate.
• The CDR will investigate the student’s concerns.
• The CDR will report back to the student with their findings within a reasonable amount of time.

If the matter is urgent, the CDR can be reached via email at cdr [at] desu.edu, by phone at 302-857-7042, or in the CDR Office located in the Education & Humanities Building, room 123

If the student disagrees with the findings of the CDR Student Accommodations Coordinator, they should follow the CDR Appeals Process found on the CDR website. This process includes submitting a Letter of Appeal to the ADA/Section 504 Compliance Officer, Dr. Ann Knettler, and provide any additional information they feel is relevant. The ADA/Section 504 Compliance Officer will then perform a separate investigation and report to the student within a reasonable amount of time.  In the event that the Director of the CDR made the original accommodation decision, the appeal would be sent to the University’s General Counsel and Chief Enterprise Risk Officer or their designee.

The Center for Disability Resources (CDR) can provide temporary adjustments to assist you during this time. Please follow our registration process accordingly. Please note that temporary adjustments are suggestions and are not legally mandated under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

If a student is experiencing an injury or impairment, they should register with the CDR through the Accommodate system.