Center for Student Accessibility
The Center for Student Accessibility partners with students to empower them to take ownership of their college journey. By modeling problem-solving strategies, our staff helps to promote self-determination and self-advocacy skills in order to enhance students' abilities to use their own strengths to address challenges. These are skills students will carry with them beyond their years at Manhattanville.
In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Manhattanville University strives to ensure that “no otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program administered by the University.” As per federal law:
An individual is defined as having a disability if they are an individual who (1) has a physical or psychological impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities; or (2) has a record of such impairment; or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment.
Self-Identification and Accommodations
To request accommodations, please refer to the following procedure:
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Log in to the Student Health Portal using your Manhattanville University username and password.
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Hover over the “Accommodations” tab in the sidebar and then select “Application” from the drop down menu
- Proceed to complete the application as listed on Page 1
- Upload any supporting documentation that you have on Page 2 (please note – you can submit the application without uploading documentation, but it will be incomplete until you either upload it at a later time, or deliver it to a Center for Student Accessibility staff member).
- Fill out the Valiant Learning Support Program and Pathways and Connections Program Application on Page 3
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Submit your application.
- Schedule an intake interview with a staff member at CSA by calling 914-323-1434 or 914-323-7127. Please note that your application is incomplete until this intake interview is completed.
Please do not delay your meeting or your application for accommodations out of concern for not having documentation readily available. It can be submitted at a later date for review while a CSA staff works with you on temporary or provisional accommodations.
Documentation
Students diagnosed with a disability that request services or reasonable accommodations may be asked to provide appropriate and current documentation. In the case of multiple disabilities, students may be asked to provide documentation for each disability for which accommodations are requested. Prior documentation such as an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a history of receiving accommodations from a former school does not necessarily validate the need for services or continuation of accommodations at the college level. This history can, however, be attached to the current documentation as part of a comprehensive assessment battery. The determination of reasonable accommodations on campus is based on satisfying the documentation guidelines outlined below and a clear demonstration of the functional limitations on the student’s performance in an academic setting. These guidelines apply to all disability types recognized by the ADA.
Documentation should meet the following guidelines:
- A qualified professional should conduct the evaluation and provide name, title, professional credentials.
- The evaluation should include the diagnosis and be signed and dated.
- The evaluation must be current. Disabilities may change in severity over time and documentation should support current accommodation needs.
- Recommendations and rationale for accommodations and/or assistive technology must be based on the analysis of the functional impact of the diagnosis.
Fee-Based Programs
Valiant Learning Support Program
The Valiant Learning Support Program (VLSP) is a fee-based program designed to assist college-ready students to navigate the academic challenges of the college curriculum. This program offers students customized learning strategy sessions with highly trained, professional Learning Specialists.
Learning Specialists provide each student enrolled in the program with 3 hours of 1:1 academic support on a weekly basis which may include working with the students on writing skills, reading comprehension skills, executive functioning skills such as time management and prioritization, and study skills.
Learning Specialists use the student's own coursework to support students in their efforts to take ownership of their own learning and partner with students to promote self-advocacy and self-determination.
Please note that this program is not content driven.
PAC Program
The Pathways and Connections Program is an innovative and comprehensive fee-based program designed to assist college-ready students on the Autism Spectrum. The program focuses on executive functioning skills in the social realm and supports students with transitional skills and integration into the campus community.
The PAC Program components include the following:
- Individual, Customized Meetings with PAC Coordinator
- Weekly Group Sessions
- Peer Mentoring
- Social Events: On- and Off-Campus
Students may apply to VLSP and/or PAC after they have been accepted by the University and have made a deposit.
**Please note that there is a separate application process to be considered for these programs. Please see link above. The student must be enrolled at Manhattanville University and deposited before being eligible to apply.
Contact Information
Center for Student Accessibility
Library, Room 134
(914) 323-1434