Disability Access: Leveling the Playing Field

Disability Access exists to determine accommodation for students with various medical conditions that significantly impact their academic success or overall experience at GU. Think of accommodations in college as “leveling the playing field” for your student. This means that any accommodations determined for your student creates equal access, not an unfair advantage. Our office provides accommodations for individuals with both temporary and permanent conditions. If your student has a diagnosis that affects, or could affect, their ability to function- socially, academically, or otherwise, please encourage your student to contact us. 

Examples of conditions we have provided accommodations for:

Chronic Health Conditions: Lupus, Diabetes, Fibromyalgia, Crohn’s, IBS

Mental Health Diagnoses: Bipolar, Generalized Anxiety, Major Depressive Disorder

Learning Disabilities: Specific Learning Disorder, ADHD, Autism

Physical Impairments: Vision, Hearing, Mobility

Temporary Disabilities: broken bones, surgeries, hospitalizations, concussions

Disability Access is an advocate of being proactive and talking with students about accommodations and resources before they are necessary. It is best to arrange for accommodations in advance so that these adjustments are available when needed. It is much more difficult for a student to recover if accommodations are arranged after their academics have suffered.

Disability Access is available for consultation at any time. Our Website offers helpful information about accommodations in higher education, our process for determining accommodations, as well as the online accommodation request form. If you are concerned about how your student’s physical or mental health will affect them at Gonzaga, please encourage your student to contact us at 509-313-4134 or disability@gonzaga.edu.