Students with Disabilities
Students who have physical, learning, or psychological disabilities should contact Laura Snowdon, Assistant Dean for Student Services, and the GSD’s Disability Coordinator, in the Office of Student Services, Gund 422 (lsnowdon@gsd.harvard.edu, 617. 496. 1236).
Students are encouraged to contact Laura Snowdon as early as possible to allow for any preparation that must take place before the semester begins.
Documentation should include a clinical assessment of your disability as well as any recommendations that would be helpful in determining accommodations at the GSD. (In the event that the documentation is not adequate, you will be asked for further documentation or testing.)
With clinical documentation you can work together with Ms. Snowdon, and with your instructors to identify how the GSD can provide reasonable accommodations, and to learn of additional resources at the university. If you suspect that a previously undiagnosed disability exists or is developing, you should contact Ms. Snowdon. She can refer you to resources at Harvard, such as University Health Services, and/or outside resources for necessary followup.
It is best to make contact as soon as possible, even if you feel that your studies are not yet being compromised. Students who, because of a documented disability, are unable to take an examination at the scheduled time should contact the disability coordinator (Ms. Snowdon) as soon as the need is apparent to discuss makeup examination accommodations and procedures.
If a student is injured or recovering from surgery and needs temporary transportation to and from the GSD, he or she should contact Ms. Snowdon so that she can begin to make arrangements. As disability coordinator, she is also the GSD’s liaison with Harvard’s Transportation Office, which oversees the Accessible Van Service. She will, however, require documentation from a physician about the nature of your physical impairment and an estimate of your recovery time before she can arrange transportation for you.