Diverse Abilities and Accommodations

About this office

The office of Diverse Abilities and Accommodations at Vincennes University offers resources to all students with disabilities. Staff in the office of Diverse Abilities and Accommodations is committed to creating a “safe place” where students with disabilities feel respected and valued, and where they find meaningful support from caring professionals who encourage them to be independent and successful, as well as vital, contributing members of our community.

Our Mission

Help students with diverse abilities participate more fully in educational programming, benefit from an accessible environment and achieve greater academic and personal success. The promotion of student independence and self-advocacy is instrumental to our mission and remains a major tenet of our philosophy for working with all our students.

ACCOMMODATIONS

HIGH SCHOOL VS. COLLEGE

If you are a recent high school graduate, you may be confused by the changes with which you are faced and unsure what to expect as you prepare for college.

ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS

Staff in the Diverse Abilities and Accommodations office at Vincennes University is happy to help all qualified students with diverse abilities obtain reasonable accommodations from their professors.

ACCUPLACER TESTING WITH ACCOMMODATIONS

If you have a documented disability and require additional accommodations for your Accuplacer (placement) tests, including tests taken at approved off-campus testing sites, we can help.  

ACCESSIBLE HOUSING, SAFETY AND PARKING

Students who require accessible residence hall rooms or unique accommodations in their housing assignments due to a diverse ability or chronic health condition may request an adjustment to their residence hall assignments as an accommodation.

SERVICE & ASSISTANCE ANIMALS

It is the policy of Vincennes University that service animals assisting students and other individuals with diverse abilities are generally permitted in all VU facilities and programs that are open to the general public.

EARLY COLLEGE/PROJECT EXCEL DUAL CREDIT

The laws that apply to colleges and universities are not the same laws that apply to your K through 12 school system when it comes to early college credit.

DIVERSE ABILITIES AND ACCOMMODATIONS AND THE ARMED FORCES

Active duty personnel, reservists, guard members and veterans with disabilities of any kind may request academic accommodations through the office of Diverse Abilities and Accommodations for Vincennes University courses.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Vincennes University offers many scholarship opportunities for students with diverse abilities and accommodations.

UNIVERSITY RESOURCES

Student Support Services (SSS) offers inclusive services to promote retention, graduation, and transfer to four-year institutions through BLAZERS ACHIEVE and EXPERIENCE VU.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Vocational Rehabilitation is a governmental agency, which provides services to assist people with disabilities in preparing for, obtaining or retaining employment.

FACULTY RESOURCES

All members of the Vincennes University community share in the University's responsibility of accommodating students, faculty, staff and visitors with disabilities and should prepare for the possibility of being approached by individuals who have accommodation requests.

DISABILITY LAW AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

All colleges and universities are required by the law to publish grievance procedures for students to use if they feel they are the victims of discrimination, of any type.

Helpful Information

Resources

The resources offered through the office of Diverse Abilities and Accommodations help students overcome or compensate for obstacles related to a physical, emotional, learning or other disability. This includes:
  • Endorsement of reasonable classroom accommodations with faculty
  • Assistance in obtaining alternative format textbooks (e-text) and assistive technology
  • Arrangements for sign language interpreter and captioning services
  • Referral to community agencies. Services are designed to assist all students with diverse abilities in navigating the accommodation process and learning self-advocacy skills for the college environment
Staff also assists faculty by distributing information through group educational presentations and individual consultations, and by coordinating with them to ensure that the most appropriate accommodations are provided to students with diverse abilities.

Under the law, professors are responsible for ensuring students with disabilities receive reasonable and appropriate accommodations in their classes; however, as a student with a diverse ability you are responsible for initiating and maintaining communication with each of your professors and for following through with your assigned responsibilities in the process.

The office of Diverse Abilities and Accommodations role is to assist the University in determining your eligibility for the specific college-level accommodations you are requesting, to advocate on your behalf with your professors, to assist you and your professors in setting up reasonable academic accommodations, and to locate the resources you need to be more successful in the college environment.

The University never charges any additional costs to a qualified student for the provision of reasonable and appropriate accommodations for a diverse ability.

Registration

All currently enrolled Vincennes University students with disabilities, on any Vincennes University campus, are invited to register with the office of Diverse Abilities and Accommodations in order to receive the most appropriate accommodations in their classes.

Please complete registration with the office of Diverse Abilities and Accommodations at the earliest date possible since reasonable accommodations that necessitate additional staff or funding, contractual arrangements through an outside vendor, or structural modification or purchase (such as adaptive or assistive technology) may require longer than sixty (60) days to be arranged.

In rare instances, accommodation requests that are not made in a timely fashion may be delayed. Please be prepared to provide professional documentation/evidence of a disability and the need for specific accommodations.

Staff/Hours/Locations

Jill Steele, MPA
Director of Diverse Abilities and Accommodations

Laura Pease, AS
Secretary

Parker Timberman
Student Representative

Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:30 pm
SHAKE LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER (LRC) 135

Phone: 812-888-4501
Fax: 812-888-2087
Email: DISABILITYSERVICES@VINU.EDU

Ready to Begin?