Disability Services

Exterior of Costello Hall building with St. Thomas Aquinas College logo

Contact Us

Ms. Anne Schlinck
Director, Disability & Access Services
Ms. Maria Coupe
Director, Human Resources

DISABILITY & Access SERVICES

Disability & Access Services recognizes each student as the unique individual that they are and provides opportunities for self-advocacy, academic and personal growth. Disability & Access Services is committed to supporting students and collaborating with the campus community to remove barriers to access, while embracing the College’s commitment to equity and inclusion for all.  

The Office of Disability & Access Services at St. Thomas Aquinas College achieves our mission by: 

  • Providing reasonable accommodations and services that are tailored to meet the needs of individuals based on their specific, appropriately documented disability, while preserving St. Thomas Aquinas College’s academic integrity and high standards of academic performance. 
  • Fostering a sense of independence through the training of students with disabilities to effectively advocate for themselves within the College community.
  • Serving as a liaison and resource for the College’s faculty, staff and administrators to cultivate a greater awareness and appreciation of issues of concern to people with disabilities. 

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, St. Thomas Aquinas College provides reasonable accommodations that ensure equal access to the College’s programs, services, and activities to students who disclose a disability and register for reasonable accommodations through Disability & Access Services.

Request Accommodations

The Office of Disability & Access Services provides reasonable accommodation for students who register with our Office and provide documentation of a disability.

Some examples of the reasonable accommodations we provide for students with disabilities include:

Testing accommodations

  • Extended time for timed testing
  • Reduced distraction testing environment
  • Scribe for testing

Classroom accommodations

  • Supplemental note taking assistance
  • Assistance obtaining accessible format textbooks
  • Permission to use a calculator
  • Preferential seating

Housing/Dining Accommodations

  • Accessible housing
  • Dietary restrictions

Please submit housing accommodation requests and supporting documentation at least 30 days prior to the start of a new semester.

To initiate the disability accommodation request process, the student should complete the Request for Disability Accommodation form.

Please review the Documentation Guidelines.

Accommodations are granted to allow students with disabilities to equally participate in and benefit from St. Thomas Aquinas College’s programs, services, and activities, provided that these accommodations would not:

  • Fundamentally alter the nature of St. Thomas Aquinas College’s academic programs, services, or activities.
  • Cause undue burden to the College.

Employees should become familiar with the College’s policies, procedures, and services regarding the certification and accommodation of disabilities to enable them to advocate for themselves. If you believe you are in need of an accommodation, please follow the below process:

  1. Initiate the support process by completing an Employee Request for Disability Accommodation Formand attaching current and appropriate documentation and information sufficient to enable the College to consider the existence and nature of the disability, the appropriateness and necessity of the requested services or job-related adjustments. Documentation must be on the health care providers official letterhead and include the following information:
  • A diagnosis.
  • The accommodation being requested.
  • A clear explanation of the functional limitation created by the diagnosed disability that supports the necessity of the accommodation.
  1. Submit the completed form with necessary documentation uploaded or email to Anne Schlinck, Director of Disability & Access Services at aschlinc@stac.edu. All personal/medical information is kept confidential.
  2. The Director of Disability & Access Services will review your request and supporting documentation. All accommodation requests are reviewed on a case by case basis.
  3. The employee will be invited to participate in an interactive process with the Director of Disability & Access Services.
  4. The Director of Disability & Access Services may confer with the employees supervisor and the Office of Human Resources to determine the reasonableness of the requested accommodation and make a determination on your request. The request may be approved, not approved or returned for further documentation.
  5. You will receive a letter from the Office of Disability & Access Services outlining their decision.
  6. If your accommodation is approved, it is your responsibility to self-advocate by communicating, as needed, to your supervisor to assist in the implementation of services and/or employment related adjustments that the College has determined should be provided.
  7. Employees who have questions about the employee accommodation request process should contact Anne Schlinck, Director of Disability & Access Services at aschlinc@stac.eduor call 845-398-4087.

FAQ’s For Students

As defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a disability is a mental, physical, or psychological impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities.

Accommodations are adjustments to policy, practice, and programs that “level the playing field” for students with disabilities and ensure equal access to St. Thomas Aquinas College’s programs and activities. This adjustment must be made without altering the fundamental requirements of the course, lowering the standards in the class, or causing an undue administrative or financial burden on the college.

No. IEP’s and 504 Plans expire once the student graduates from or exits high school. Students with disabilities may be eligible for accommodations in college, but they must first register with Disability Services and initiate the accommodation request process. It’s important to note that some of the accommodations that a student received through an IEP or 504 plan may not be appropriate at the college level.

The student should contact Anne Schlinck, Director, Disability & Access Services, via email at aschlinc@stac.edu or by phone at 845-398-4087.

In order to complete the registration process, you must submit appropriate (within the last 3 years), current documentation related to your disability from a qualified professional. Documentation, which must indicate that the individual has an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, must reflect the following:

  • Nature and severity of current impairment
  • A specific diagnosis and treatment prescribed
  • Medical and educational history related to disability
  • Functional limitations resulting from the impairment
  • Recommended academic and nonacademic accommodation

We may review your IEP, but we may need to review the psychological-educational testing reports that were used to create the IEP, or current documentation from a treating medical provider.

As part of the disability accommodation request process, the student will need to participate in an interactive intake meeting with Disability Services staff.

Once the interactive intake meeting occurs, a completed Request for Disability Accommodation form is submitted, and all documentation is provided to Disability Services, the students accommodation file will then be reviewed and reasonable accommodations will be determined. The student will be notified by mail and/or email with further instructions.

No. It is the student’s responsibility to provide verification of a disability and to pay for evaluations of such disability.

Under the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act, the College is prohibited from allowing illegal drugs on campus and therefore cannot honor a student’s request to use marijuana or other illegal drugs as an accommodation even with the requisite legal authorization under state law.

If you are 18 years or older, you are legally recognized as an adult. You will be responsible for your own accommodation requests and disability related decisions. Parents are a wonderful source of support and students are encouraged to have open communication with their parents or other significant family members.

In compliance with Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Disability Services provides reasonable accommodations for qualified students with learning, physical, medical and psychological disabilities. Disability Services is not a program or source of special education services that students may have received during their K-12 years. It’s important to understand that there is no special education in college. Students with disability accommodations are expected to meet the same course requirements as their peers without disability accommodations.

The Pathways Program is a service that provides eligible students with enhanced support such as one-on-one mentoring, personalized academic coaching, and priority registration at an additional fee above the cost of tuition. Please understand that the Pathways Program is not a source of special education, as there is no special education at the college level. Please visit the Pathways Program for more information.

Disability & Access Services is located in Spellman Hall, Room 106. We are open Monday – Thursday from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, and Fridays 9:00 am – 4:00 pm.

Ms. Anne Schlinck
Director, Disability & Access Services
aschlinc@stac.edu
845-398-4087

Ms. Jen Mitru
Disability & Access Services Coordinator
845-398-4230

ADditional Information

The information below details the procedures for the use of service animals by students and employees on the St. Thomas Aquinas College campus. St. Thomas Aquinas College complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in allowing use of service animals for students, staff, and visitors.

DEFINITION

Service Animal: “A service animal as per the ADA is defined as “any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal’s presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.”

QUALIFYING TO HAVE A SERVICE ANIMAL ON CAMPUS

For an individual qualifying to have a service animal on campus:

  • The student must have a disability as defined by the ADA.
  • The animal must be trained to perform specific tasks or work for the qualified individual.
  • The tasks performed by the animal must be directly related to the person’s disability.
  • Students must register with Disability Services, if the service animal will be housed on campus so that housing accommodations can be coordinated.
  • The student must contact Disability Services as early as possible to allow time to gather and review all required documentation.
RESPONSIBILITIES/REQUIREMENTS

Owner:

  • Is responsible for attending to and being in full control of the service animal at all times.  A service animal shall have a harness, leash, or other tether unless a) the owner is unable, because of a disability, to use a harness, leash, or tether, or b) using a harness, leash, or tether will interfere with the animal’s ability to safely and effectively perform its work, in which case the animal must be under the handler’s control (e.g. voice control, signals, or other commands).
  • Is responsible for ensuring that the service animal is wearing a leash or harness that identifies the animal as a service animal when on duty anywhere on campus.
  • Is responsible for ensuring that the service animal is fully trained to perform the work or task required.
  • Is responsible for the costs of care necessary for the service animal’s well-being.  The arrangements and responsibilities with the care of a service animal is the sole responsibility of the owner at all times, including regular bathing and grooming.
  • Is responsible for independently removing or arranging for the removal of the service animal’s waste.  Waste must be disposed of in a sealed bag in the designated trash receptacle as determined by the Housing Office.
  • Is responsible for complying with local and state licensing laws for animal rights and owner responsibilities. Service animals should be current with immunizations and wear a rabies vaccination tag.
  • Is responsible for paying for any damage to College property caused by the animal.
  • Anytime the owner leaves campus overnight and/or during College breaks, the animal must leave, as well.

College Community:

The proper way to determine that an animal is a service animal is to ask the owner if the animal is required because of a disability. If the animal is required due to a disability, only two questions can be asked:

  • Is the service animal required because of a disability?
  • What work or task is the animal trained to perform?

The College community:

  • Must allow service animals to accompany their owners at all times and everywhere on campus where the general public or other students are allowed, except for places where there is a health, environmental, or safety hazard.
  • Must not ask questions about the individual’s disability.
  • Should not pet or feed a service animal.
  • Should not tease a service animal or attempt to separate it from its owner.
  • Must not charge a fee for the service animal to reside in a residence hall, but may charge fees for damages incurred by the service animal.
  • Should report service animals who misbehave or owners (or other individuals) who mistreat their service animals to Campus Safety.

An individual with a disability cannot be asked to remove their service animal from the campus unless:

  • The animal is out of control and the owner does not take effective action to control it.
  • The animal is not housebroken.
  • The animal poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others.
  • The animal’s presence creates a fundamental alteration of the college’s programs, as defined by the ADA.
  • Any other qualifying reason under the ADA.

St. Thomas Aquinas College:

The College may prohibit the use of service animals in certain locations due to health and safety restrictions or places where the animal might be in danger. Restricted areas may include but are not limited to food preparation areas, research laboratories, boiler rooms, and other areas prohibited by law.

Disability Services:

  • Assists owners and the College community when questions or concerns arise relating to Service animals on campus, seeking legal advice when necessary.
  • Is responsible for developing the procedures for the College and facilitating the use of Service animals by individuals on campus.

Students who intend to bring a service animal to campus should contact Anne Schlinck, Director,  Disability Services at aschlinc@stac.edu as soon as possible. Disability Services is located in Spellman Hall, Room 109.

GUIDELINES FOR REQUESTING TO USE AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL (ESA) ON CAMPUS

St. Thomas Aquinas College is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified students with disabilities. Students with disabilities who seek to bring an emotional support animal (ESA) to campus must adhere to the guidelines described in this policy. Students are not permitted to keep emotional support animals in residential buildings without prior approval as a reasonable accommodation of a disability through Disability Services.

DEFINITION

Under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), individuals with a disability may be entitled to keep an emotional support animal (ESA) as a reasonable accommodation of a disability in a campus housing facility. An emotional support animal is an animal that is necessary to afford the individual with a disability an equal opportunity to use or enjoy an on-campus residence hall when there is an identifiable relationship between the individual’s disability and the assistance that the animal provides. An emotional support animal is prescribed to an individual with a disability by a health care or mental health professional and is an integral part of the individual’s treatment plan. Animals whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA (unless the animal is trained to perform specific tasks related to the disability) and are governed by separate policies on the St. Thomas Aquinas College campus. Emotional support animals are only permitted within the individual’s assigned residence in on-campus housing. Emotional support animals are never permitted in other campus buildings such as academic buildings, classrooms, athletic facilities, libraries, dining halls, and other public residence hall spaces, except for the transport in/out of the residence hall.

ACCOMMODATION REQUEST PROCESS

To request approval for an emotional support animal, the student must complete the following steps:

  • Visit Disability Services in person to initiate the request for an emotional support animal as a reasonable accommodation for a disability. The student must complete a Request for Emotional Support Animal form in its entirety.
  • Professional documentation of a mental health condition must be submitted to Disability Services. The individual’s treating clinician must complete a Request for Information: Emotional Support Animal Documentation form. Documentation must establish the therapeutic need for the animal that is directly connected to the individual’s disability. Documentation also must establish that the emotional support animal is necessary to afford the individual with a disability an equal opportunity to use a dwelling or to participate in campus housing.
  • A copy of the animal’s most recent vaccination/rabies record from a veterinarian must be submitted to Disability Services.
  • If the animal is required to be licensed in New York State (such as a dog), proof of the dog’s license must be submitted to Disability Services. If your emotional support animal requires licensing, you may apply for a dog license through the Town of Orangetown Dog License Application.
  • All roommates will be contacted to determine if other students in the assigned on campus residence hall have any concerns about potentially living with an animal (i.e., allergies).
  • In order to be considered for an accommodation of bringing an emotional support animal to campus, the owner must initiate contact with Disability Services no less than 60 days prior to the animal’s arrival to campus. This allows time to gather all necessary documentation. Animals may not be brought to campus prior to approval being granted.

All requests for the accommodation of an ESA are determined on a case-by-case basis. A request for the accommodation of an ESA living on campus is not a guarantee of approval.

OWNER’S RESPONSIBILITIES FOR AN APPROVED EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL (ESA)

If St. Thomas Aquinas College grants an individual’s request to live with an Emotional Support Animal as a reasonable accommodation of a disability, the individual is solely responsible for the custody and care of the animal. The individual must meet the following requirements:

  • The Owner must follow current city, county, and state laws and/or regulations pertaining to licensing, vaccination, and other requirements for animals. It is the individual’s responsibility to know and understand these laws and/or regulations, which may include a certificate of vaccination. The College reserves the right to request documentation showing that the animal is vaccinated and licensed.
  • The Owner is required to clean up after and properly dispose of the emotional support animal’s waste immediately and in a safe and sanitary manner. Waste must be disposed of in a sealed bag in a designated trash area of the residence life complex.
  • If the ESA voids on the floor anywhere inside the residence hall, or causes any damage to the residence hall, the Owner is responsible to clean it up immediately and submit a work order request with Facilities for the area to be disinfected properly/repaired. The Owner is responsible for all costs associated with clean up/repairs of damaged areas.
  • The Owner is responsible to be in full control of the ESA at all times. The ESA must have a harness, leash, or be transported in an appropriate animal carrier whenever it is outside of the Owner’s assigned residence hall room.
  • In shared living spaces, the emotional support animal must be in an appropriate enclosure/container if the Owner is not in the room.
  • In shared living spaces, the emotional support animal must remain in the Owners space and not in common areas.
  • Due to the limited space in dormitory rooms, the space available may not be able to accommodate larger-sized animals and/or their enclosure/container. This will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
  • The Owner is solely responsible for the costs of care necessary for the emotional support animal’s well-being.
  • The Owner is solely responsible for the feeding, watering, toileting, regular bathing and grooming of the emotional support animal.
  • The Owner is responsible for not leaving an emotional support animal unattended for an unreasonable length of time.  If the Owner leaves campus overnight and during College breaks, the emotional support animal must leave as well.
  • The Owner must follow all applicable campus housing policies, including room inspections.
  • The Owner is responsible for notifying the Disability Services if the emotional support animal is no longer needed or no longer living on campus.

If the Owner has concerns about any matter affecting his/her responsibilities concerning an approved emotional support animal, the Owner must contact Disability Services.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COLLEGE COMMUNITY IN RELATION TO ESAS

  • The College community must allow emotional support animals to reside with their Owners in the Owner’s assigned on campus residence hall once the disability accommodation is approved.
  • The College community must report to Campus Safety any emotional support animal who misbehaves or any Owner (or other individual) who mistreats the emotional support animal.
  • The College community must refrain from charging fees for the emotional support animal to live in the Owner’s assigned on campus residence hall, but may charge fees for any damages caused by the emotional support animal.

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

A student with an approved emotional support animal may be asked to remove the animal from the St. Thomas Aquinas College campus for any of the following reasons:

  • The emotional support animal is found to be out of control or disruptive and the Owner does not take immediate and effective action to control it.
  • The emotional support animal poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others or causes substantial property damage to the property of others or the College.
  • The Owner does not comply with the Owner’s responsibilities outlined above.
  • The emotional support animal is not house-trained (house broken).
  • The emotional support animal is found to be neglected, unreasonably dirty, or mistreated and immediate corrective action is not taken.  Additionally, aggressive behavior exhibited by an emotional support animal such as biting, lunging, excessive growling, etc. will not be tolerated and may result in the approval of the emotional support animal being rescinded.
  • The emotional support animal or its presence creates an unmanageable disturbance such as, but not limited to, excessive barking/noise that interferes with the College community.
  • The emotional support animal is physically ill.

Students who have been denied the use of an emotional support animal and disagree with the College’s decision have the right to file a grievance. For more information about how to file a grievance, please see our Disability Grievance Policy Page.

View guidelines here.

View policy here.

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