Confidentiality & Disclosure
All students who request disability accommodations and services must submit disability documentation to the Office of Accommodative Services to support these requests. The Office of Accommodative Services recognizes the student’s right to determine who receives disability-related information and the right to confidentiality of this information.
Disclosure to appropriate faculty and staff of one’s status as a registered student with the Office of Accommodative Services is a necessary procedure to coordinate and administer requested accommodations. The degree of information that is required by university constituents regarding a student’s disability is directly related to the nature of the accommodations and services required.
When a student registers and formulates an accommodation plan with the Director of Accommodative Services, the student signs an agreement regarding accommodations and permission for Accommodative Services to discuss information related to the student’s educational and/or functional needs for the purpose of securing reasonable accommodations and academic access at Clarkson University.
The accommodation process requires disclosure of the disability status of the student to faculty and staff in order to adapt courses, equipment or facilities to ensure equal access. The procedure for classroom accommodation requests involves the student presenting a Schedule & Accommodations Report to faculty and discussing the recommended accommodations outlined on the form. This form verifies that the student is registered with the Office of Accommodative Services, thereby disclosing the presence of a disability, but it does not provide any specific information regarding the condition.
In certain situations, disclosure of specific information about the condition and how it affects the student in a course or program may be required to fulfill accommodation requests or help a professor understand the connection between the disability and an accommodation. Such disclosures would be agreed upon by the student and the Director of Accommodative Services.
Disability documentation is maintained in locked cabinets in the Office of Accommodative Services. Documentation is protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and will be released from your file in the following circumstances only:
- A court order
- Your written permission
- Within the Office of Accommodative Services for a legitimate educational reason
Office of Accommodative Services Confidentiality and Release of Information Form (PDF File)
In accordance with Clarkson University policy and FERPA and HIPAA regulations, Accommodative Services files are shredded ten years after graduation or date of last attendance.