Accommodations and Support

Requesting Accommodations

All students with disabilities are encouraged to work with the Director of Student Accessibility Services to request reasonable accommodations. The disclosure of a disability and a request for accommodations is an individual choice and one that the College can encourage but not require. Therefore, students wishing to apply for accommodations for documented disabilities, whether permanent or temporary, must take the lead in completing the Request For Disability Accommodations under the appropriate sections in StarRez. Please use the appropriate form for academic, housing and dining accommodations within the StarRez student portal. (Please note: students must use their Bennington email address to log in.) Requests for accommodation must be as specific as possible and must be accompanied by the Documentation of Disability form, which will be provided via StarRez.

Students are expected to work cooperatively and communicate effectively with the Director of Student Accessibility Services to determine reasonable and appropriate accommodations. All requests for reasonable accommodations are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Reasonable accommodations do not negate requirements for successful completion of a program, course, service and/or activity; adherence to College policies and procedures; or adherence to the College’s community and student conduct standards. Accommodations are considered unreasonable if they (1) fundamentally alter the nature or operation of the College’s programs, services, or activities, (2) cause undue burden to the College, or (3) pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others.

Requests for accommodations can be made at any time; however, in order for accommodations to be approved prior to the start of the term, completed forms and documentation must be submitted by June 1 for fall term and January 7 for spring term (these dates vary for Master of Arts programs). Requests made after the deadlines or during the term will be reviewed and determined as quickly as possible. Housing assignments are made for the full academic year; therefore, housing requests from new students made after the June 1 deadline may be more difficult to fulfill. Current and returning students should see the housing accommodations section in StarRez for applicable housing request deadlines.

Accommodations are not retroactive; accommodation requests granted after the beginning of a term will not apply to previous work in courses for that term or previous terms. If students require attendant care services, they must make arrangements to provide for their own. The College does not assume the coordination or financial responsibilities for attendant care services.

Once accommodations have been approved, students will receive confirmation in writing and are responsible for communicating with faculty and staff about approved accommodations and working with them to make arrangements for accommodations with support from the Director of Student Accessibility Services. 

Academic Accommodations

Students are expected to work cooperatively with the Director of Student Accessibility Services to determine appropriate accommodations, which are reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis.

Some of the most common academic accommodations include (but are not limited to):

• Extended time on exams, tests, and assignments
• Separate setting with limited distractions for tests/ exams
• Use of computer for tests, in-class assignments, or note taking
• Notetaker (peer), note taking software, or audio recording of classes
• Print materials in accessible, electronic format
• Priority registration
• Moving of classrooms to accessible locations
• Reduced course load
• Technology to support literacy and/or sensory access

The Director of Student Accessibility Services will work with students, faculty, and staff to arrange for approved accommodations and assess the efficacy of the accommodations provided.

All students can make an appointment with their individual Academic Services counselor to work on executive function skills (time management, organization, scheduling & reminders) in addition to other academic support services. The Academic Services contact is found in the student section of Populi, and is separate from the faculty advisor.

Housing and Meal Accommodations

Bennington College was founded on the principle that intellectual development cannot and should not be isolated from the development of the whole person. The College seeks to educate that whole person as a member of a community—a community with a particular ethos. The sustenance of the Bennington College ethos, so eloquently described in the traditional commencement statement, is the result of our collective choices and behaviors. In its commitment to the development and success of the whole person as a member of a community, Bennington College requires all students enrolled in classes full time to live on campus in College housing and subscribe to the College’s full meal plan.

Students seeking housing or dining accommodations must qualify in keeping with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008 and similar state laws. In order to determine housing and/or meal accommodations, students must complete the Accommodation Application form found on StarRez (newly admitted students must use their Bennington email address).  Students are expected to work cooperatively with the Director of Student Accessibility Services to determine reasonable and appropriate accommodations. The Director works with students and staff to determine, provide, and arrange for reasonable accommodations, which are reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis.

Dining and Meal Plan Accommodations

Dining services provides a variety of options and the staff work closely with all students to meet their dining needs. Because of this, students should first speak with the Director of Dining Services to explore how their needs can be met within the existing meal plan. If after speaking and working with dining services, a student with a disability believes an accommodation, modification, or exemption may be necessary, the student must complete the Meal Plan Accommodation Application form found on StarRez (newly admitted students must use their Bennington email address). It may be necessary for the Director of Student Accessibility Services to consult with the Director of Dining Services to make decisions on appropriate reasonable accommodations

Housing Accommodations

All students are encouraged to utilize the resources available to manage their lives in a residential setting that is focused on the development of the whole person as a member of a community. These resources include house chairs, roommate agreements, quiet and study spaces throughout campus, and peer mediation. If a student with a disability believes an accommodation, modification, or exemption may be necessary, the student must complete the Housing accommodation form in StarRez. 

• New students: Housing assignments are made for the full academic year; therefore, housing requests from new students made after the June 1 deadline may be more difficult to fulfill. Requests made after the start of the school year will be considered for the following term and, if approved, granted sooner if possible and space permits.
• Current and returning students: To be considered for housing accommodations, students must complete the Housing accommodations request from on StarRez. Housing assignments are for the full academic year and are determined through the housing selection process in the spring term for the next academic year. In order to maximize the College’s ability to grant housing accommodations, students with disabilities must complete the Housing accommodations request form on StarRez by March 15, for the next academic year.

Students found not eligible for housing accommodations must apply for housing through the standard housing process. Specific room or house requests are not part of the application process. Requests made after the deadline or housing selection in the spring term will still be considered, and if approved, will be fulfilled if space permits. Any requests made after the start of an academic year will be considered for the following term and, if approved, granted sooner if possible and/or space permits.

Service and Emotional Support Animals

The College recognizes the importance of service animals, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), and the broader category of Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) under the Fair Housing Act. An ESA is not a pet. It is an animal that provides physical and/or emotional support to individuals with disabilities. 

The College allows individuals with disabilities the use of a service animal on campus to facilitate their access to and participation in the College’s programs and activities. 

The College also permits [approved] emotional support animals (ESAs) for students who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major activities. An ESA is prescribed by a  mental health professional and an integral part of a student’s treatment. The ESA must demonstrate excellent temperament and reliable, predictable behavior.

ESA’s do not perform specific tasks. Instead, it is the presence of the animal that relieves the symptoms associated with a person’s serious mental health condition. For a person to qualify to have an emotional support animal (ESA), the owner must be considered to have a qualifying mental health or psychiatric disability by a licensed mental health professional (e.g., therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, etc.), which is documented by a properly formatted prescription letter. The difference between a legitimate ESA and a pet is the letter from your licensed mental health professional.

The College has established strict policies regarding the presence of pets and animals on campus. Pets are not allowed, and will be removed.
 
The College will, however, consider a request by an individual with a disability for reasonable accommodation from the no pet/animal policy to allow an ESA that is necessary and reasonable because of a disability. A request for an ESA may be denied as unreasonable if the presence of the animal: (1) imposes an undue financial and/or administrative burden; (2) fundamentally alters College housing policies; and/or (3) poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others or would cause substantial property damage to the property of others, including College property. 

Individuals wishing to request such an accommodation should schedule a meeting with the Director of Student Accessibility Services and refer to the Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Policy in the Student Handbook for more information regarding assistance animals on campus.

Class Attendance

Critical to Bennington’s educational philosophy is the principle of active learning. Attendance and engagement in the classroom, under the guidance of Bennington faculty, are therefore essential components of the learning that takes place at the College. Consistent and attentive class attendance is simply required for the successful completion of coursework here. Missing classes, for whatever reason, fundamentally alters the nature of courses at Bennington. Course instructors set their own attendance policies (i.e., how many absences are possible) within the general policy that attendance in class is mandatory. The policies are reflective of the importance of being present in class as a participant in discussion, in hands-on experiences and interactive content, which cannot be duplicated outside of the classroom. In the event that a student must miss a class, the student should notify the instructor in advance. Notification of absences does not mean that absences are excused.

Attendance Accommodations

Students with disabilities that affect attendance on a regular basis can request an attendance accommodation. Attendance accommodations are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Director of Academic Services and individual faculty using guidelines provided by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). Students should be aware that faculty are not required to fundamentally alter their classes and excessive absences may mean a fundamental alteration. In cases where it is not possible for a student with a disability to attend enough class meetings to successfully complete the course, a withdrawal from the course can be considered as an alternate accommodation.

Grievance and Appeals Processes

Students who think they have been denied equal access to the College’s academic programs, resources, or other services because of a disability may file a detailed written grievance with the Provost’s Office as soon as possible after the alleged discrimination occurred, but in no event more than 60 days thereafter. In order to establish the basis for such a grievance, students must have filed a Disability Accommodation Request Form and supporting documentation with Academic Services (for academic accommodations) or Student Life (for housing and dining accommodations) and discussed their request with the Director of Academic Services or the Assistant Director of Residence Life-Housing Operations. The College encourages students to speak first with the Director of Academic Services or Assistant Director of Residence Life-Housing Operations in order to resolve their complaints informally. If informal steps do not satisfactorily address the complaints or there is a complaint about the Director of Academic Services or Assistant Director of Residence Life-Housing Operations, students may file the written grievance described above to the Dean of the College, who serves as the College’s Section 504 Coordinator. The Dean of the College will investigate the complaint and issue a report, normally within 30 days. The Dean of the College's contact information is Brian Michael Murphy, Dean of the College, 802-440-4400.

Appeals process: Students who are not satisfied with the Dean of the College's decision may file an appeal by contacting the Provost. Appeals must be submitted within seven business days of when the student receives notice of the Dean of the College's decision. The Provost may affirm or modify previous decisions made and/or may send the matter back for reconsideration by the Dean of the College. The Provost will communicate a final decision to the student in writing. The Provost’s contact information is Maurice Hall, Provost, 802-440-4400.

Transitioning to College

Because colleges fall under different laws than high schools, students and families will encounter many differences. Please refer to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) letter to better understand your rights and responsibilities.

Faculty Resources

• Faculty FAQs

Student Resources

• Academic Accommodations Resource Document
• Campus Accessibility Map