Accessibility Services

Harvard is committed to the full inclusion of students with disabilities in the life of the University. In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act  (ADAAA), GSD provides accommodations and support to students with documented disabilities on an individual, case-by-case basis.

Harvard University makes changes to, alters, or modifies its policies, practices and/or procedures, when necessary for students to have an equal opportunity to participate in its programs and activities. These changes are commonly referred to as “reasonable accommodations.” An accommodation is not reasonable if it would: lower or substantially modify academic requirements (e.g. a request to change the content of an exam, or a request to be exempt from assigned work); impose an undue administrative burden (e.g. reminders of deadlines); be provided for personal use or study (e.g. hearing aids, personal care attendants, or tutor or coaches); or require a fundamental alteration of the nature of Harvard’s programs or activities. If a requested accommodation would fundamentally alter the nature of a Harvard program or activity, other accommodations will be considered to permit participation in the program or activity to the maximum extent possible.

Initiating the Accommodation Process

To initiate the accommodation process, please submit an Accommodation Request Form along with the necessary supporting documentation. Documentation must be from a health care provider with the expertise to give an opinion about the student’s disability and functional limitations and should outline the current impact of the disability; identify a connection between the disability and the accommodation requested; and substantiate why the requested reasonable accommodation is needed. Documentation should include the following:

• Signed, dated, typed narrative on letterhead: Narrative must be in English (or translated into English by a certified translator).
• Description of Current Disability and History of Diagnosis: The documentation must be accurate and relevant to the student’s current diagnostic profile, regardless of the age of the documentation.
• Current Treatment Plan: If applicable to accommodation planning, provide details of the current treatment plan.
• Functional Impact of Diagnosis: Describe how the diagnosis affects the student’s daily activities, such as learning, concentrating, walking, seeing, etc.
• Recommendations for Mitigating Limitations: Recommended strategies or accommodations that will help mitigate the impact of the described limitations in an academic setting.
• Signature of Qualified Care Provider: The documentation must be signed by a licensed treating physician, therapist, or other qualified care provider who is not related by blood or marriage to the student.  We cannot accept a form or template from another institution.

The GSD has also created a Medical Provider Form that can be used in lieu of the documentation identified in the guidelines.

While there is no age limit on the documentation a student can provide, it must allow us to understand how a student is currently impacted by disability. Documentation must provide substantial and clear evidence that supports the need for higher education accommodations. If Student Life receives documentation that does not provide the information, they need to assess your accommodation request, we will let you know what information is missing and will give you an opportunity to provide additional documentation.

Once received, someone from Student Life will contact you to schedule an appointment.

GSD Disability Resource Guide

No matter where you fall on the spectrum, the GSD Disability Resource Guide was developed to provide you with answers to frequently asked questions, direct you to available supports, and highlight campus and community resources.

Temporary Disabilities and Services

You are not considered disabled if you have a temporary illness or injury; however, you may be in need of services or accommodations similar to those provided to students with permanent disabilities. If you are a student with a documented temporary illness or injury, contact [email protected] to discuss your case.

Disability-Related Housing Requests

Students who wish to live in Harvard University Housing (HUH) must contact the HUH Disability Coordinator as well as register for housing accommodations through GSD Student Life. Housing accommodation requests must be reviewed and approved before housing accommodation requests are coordinated. Admitted GSD students should follow the instructions outlined above for requesting HUH housing accommodations.

Accommodations for Studio Trips 

If you are a student requesting accommodations for a studio trip domestic or abroad, contact [email protected] or 617-495-1166, to discuss accommodations.

Academic Coaching

All students have access to the GSD Academic Coach to develop executive functioning skills, adopting a growth mindset, achieve goals, manage academic anxiety, self-regulation, self-efficacy, time management, and organization. See the GSD Academic Coaching website to learn more.

Student Accessibility Advisory Group (SAAG)

Students across Harvard, who are dedicated to fostering an accessible, welcoming, and inclusive community, with their insights informing the work of the University Accessibility Committee. Want to learn more? Contact [email protected].

Confidentiality 

Harvard GSD works to maintain privacy; however, information may be shared internally for legitimate need to know reasons and to coordinate support and accommodations.

Diagnostic documentation is kept confidential and is not part of the student’s academic transcript. However, staff are mandatory reporters for sexual assault or recent suicidal attempts or plans. This means that any explicit references to these topics in documentation or discussions require us to connect students with confidential support resources on campus. If you have already reached out to these resources or prefer not to disclose certain details, we encourage you to discuss the relevant diagnosis and symptoms/impact without sharing specific events you wish to keep private. If in the future, you would to be referred to the resources available on campus, we can help connect you.

Disability Grievance Process 

If you disagree with the approved accommodation, promptly provide a written statement of your concern, with recent clinical documentation, to the Director of Student Life. All grievances must be filed within 30 days of the alleged act of discrimination. If Student Life cannot resolve the grievance independently and promptly, they will convene a committee to review the matter. The committee will be comprised of the Registrar, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, and, as a nonvoting member, the Director of Student Life. The committee may contact the Associate Director of Student Life, the instructor, program managers, or other appropriate personnel to discuss the requested accommodations, as needed. The committee may also request additional supporting documentation or an independent medical evaluation on the request for accommodation. In cases where timeliness of an accommodation is important, every reasonable effort is made to complete each stage of the process within 10 working days, unless the circumstances require a more rapid response. In some situations, we may provide the requested accommodation on a provisional basis, without obligation to continue the accommodation if it is found to be unreasonable or inappropriate.

If you are dissatisfied with a decision of the committee, you may appeal in writing to University Disability Resources, by e-mail at [email protected]. Call (617) 495-1859 or (617) 495-4801 (TDD) if you have any questions. Read about the University grievance process for more information. In most circumstances, the University disability coordinator will not overturn the decision of the committee unless presented with new information or other grounds that warrant a different outcome.

Questions?

If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment to discuss accommodations, please e-mail [email protected]. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm EST.

Contact
[email protected]
Phone: 617-495-1166
Fax: 617-495-8949

Hours
M-F, 9am-5pm EDT