To help us get to know you, work toward equal access, and protect your rights under the law, please connect with our office by filling out the New Student Accessibility Request form. This video offers instructions on filling out the request form. We suggest new students fill out this form after they put down a deposit to attend SUNY Cortland. Documentation from a school or provider is not necessary to get started with us, but can help us better understand a request and act more quickly on it. We want to work with students as soon as possible, so please do not wait to get documentation to connect with us! After we receive your request, we may contact you to set up a welcome meeting or we may be able to approve your request without a meeting. If you are a new student filling out the form well in advance, we will contact you in the month before the start of your first semester.
If you are still deciding on what university to attend and have questions, please feel free to email disability.resources@cortland.edu or call 607-753-2967. You may also find more information for students on the pages in the menu.
Universal Design
In the ideal world, students with disabilities would not have to identify to our office to request accommodations. An institution would be designed free of barriers, allowing everyone to have equal access to facilities, technology, courses, and programs from the start. We strive toward this goal by collaborating with faculty and other offices on campus to encourage the use of universal design principles.
We place student voice at the center of this work by hiring undergraduate student ambassadors to assist in improving the disability climate on campus, including students on our Disability Resources Advisory Committee, and collaborating with Students for Access and Ability, an officially-recognized student organization for students with disabilities and their allies.
Access Plans
While we work toward universal design, we recognize that accommodations are a necessary tool to help many students get equal access to their programs. We will work with you to determine where barriers might exist at SUNY Cortland and which accommodations will best "level the playing field." We customize an access plan of approved accommodations for each student that may be shared with faculty or other appropriate university officials. Accommodations may not fundamentally alter essential program requirements. Some of the most common examples include:
- Extended time for testing
- Testing in an alternate, minimally distracting location
- Textbooks and other course readings provided in an electronic format that can be accessed with text-to-speech, screen reader, or screen magnification software
- Technology that can allow students to have equal access to lectures while taking notes independently
- Use of word processing applications for exams
- Use of calculator
Many others may be assigned to allow students gain equal access to courses.
AccessCortland
Current students may log into the AccessCortland Student Portal to schedule appointments with us, release their access plans to faculty, and download past access plans to submit to standardized testing companies or other institutions.
A Note About Language
Our office tends to use person-first language. We find that most students prefer it and New York State law requires us to do so in our publications. That said, we recognize that many in the disability community, especially the Deaf and autistic communities, prefer to use identity-first language. Please let us know what language you use to identify yourself. We want to respect your preference.
NVRA Voter Registration
The Disability Resources Office is a National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) voter registration site. Voter registration forms are available in our office for individuals who would like to register to vote or need assistance filling out the form. For more information visit the New York State Board of Elections website.