Reasonable academic accommodations are individualized and based on the nature of the documented disability and the requirements of specific courses. Academic accommodations are designed to meet the needs of students without fundamentally altering the nature of the college’s instructional programs.
Important Note about Degree Requirements: Students with disabilities are expected to fully meet all academic requirements for the Rhodes undergraduate liberal arts degree, as the college does not waive or modify fundamental course or program requisites. Rhodes College requires that all degree candidates demonstrate proficiency in a language (Chinese, French, German, Russian, Spanish, Latin, Classical Greek, or Biblical Hebrew) at the level of third-semester (201) courses. Language course waivers and substitutions are not granted on the basis of disability, however registered students with disabilities may apply for academic accommodations in these and other courses. Students are encouraged to consult with SAS on appropriate accommodations and resources at least one semester prior to taking a modern language or literatures course.
To Request Academic Accommodations
Students seeking academic accommodations based on disability must complete the following steps:
- Complete the SAS Accommodation Request Process.
- Once approved, request faculty notification letters and discuss with faculty at the beginning of each semester.
To Request Your Faculty Notification Letters
EACH SEMESTER students with approved academic accommodations will need to initiate the process to send faculty notification letters (course accessibility letters) to their faculty, if accommodations are needed.
STEP 1: Log into the Student AIM Portal
- The request process is located in the “Overview” section of your Dashboard (the default homepage when you log in).
- Find the "Add Requests” button under the appropriate term (e.g., Accommodation Requests 2024 – FALL).
STEP 2: Select Class(es)
- Check the box next to each class in which you want to use accommodations.
- You can select as many of your classes as you like. We recommend requesting accommodations for all classes in which you may end up using accommodations. While you have the option to come back and request accommodation letters later in the semester, it is important to note that accommodations are not applied retroactively. Academic accommodations will only be made available from the date your faculty are notified and you discuss provision details with them.
- If you finished registering for classes more than 48 hours ago but don’t see some or all of them listed here, contact registrar@rhodes.edu or 901-843-3885.
STEP 3: Customize Accommodations
- Review each class and select the specific accommodation(s) you want to use in each course. If you prefer, you may choose all of your approved accommodations for all courses by checking the box for “Apply the same accommodations to all selected courses.”
- To see your approved accommodations listed at any time, click the “My Eligibilities” link on the left-hand menu in your Student AIM Portal.
STEP 4: Submit your Requests
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Submit Your Accommodation Requests”.
- Once submitted, your browser will return you to your Dashboard. There will be a notification at the top of the Overview section confirming that your accommodation requests have been submitted and will be processed by SAS before being sent to your instructors.
- You will be notified when your letters are sent. A PDF version of the letter will also be available for download or printing, if needed.
STEP 5: Meet with Each Instructor to Implement Accommodations
- Last but not least, you must meet with each instructor to discuss your access needs and accommodation details. SAS recommends attending instructor office hours or scheduling an appointment.
- Although you can present accessibility letters to faculty at any point throughout the semester, SAS encourages students to schedule faculty meetings during the first two weeks of classes or as soon as they are approved. Accommodations are not provided retroactively.
To Cancel a Request
- Log in to the Student AIM Portal.
- Scroll down on the homepage to find the specific class and select “Cancel Request”.
- Select the reason from drop down menu and then select “Cancel Accommodation Request.”
For more information on academic accommodations, or to request changes to an existing accommodation plan, contact SAS at SAS@rhodes.edu.