UNC's Disability Resource Center remains committed to supporting UNC students with disabilities on campus and online during the pandemic. The Disability Resource Center office will be open this fall and will be implementing the following procedures and practices in the interest of health and safety for students, staff, and faculty:
- Increased cleaning and sanitation of exam rooms and public areas.
- Strategic scheduling of exam rooms to maintain social distancing and allow adequate time for sanitation.
- Implementing an electronic exam delivery option for instructors. Instructors who opt out of electronic delivery will need to pick up physical exams at the Disability Resource Center during business hours.
- Virtual meetings with Disability Resource Center staff when possible, in person meetings by request.
- The Disability Resource Center lounge/kitchen will be closed for the fall 2020 semester.
Students with disabilities that are impacted by the current COVID-19 pandemic or have underlying medical conditions that put them at an increased risk of severe illness due to COVID-19 may qualify for reasonable accommodations through the Disability Resource Center. The need for academic accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis by documentation and a student interview. This is regardless of whether the student has ever used accommodations before, has a recent or older diagnosis, or just wants to learn more about possible academic accommodations. The application to get started with DRC can be found here.
Disability Resource Center ACCOMMODATION Application
We understand that some individuals may report barriers to adhering to UNC’s policy on face masks or being in face-to-face courses in the Fall. The Disability Resource Center is part of a constellation of resources that are here to help:
- No individual will be exempt from wearing a face mask on campus, as to do so would pose a direct threat to the health and safety of others. If, based on medical/psychological conditions, a student requests alternatives to being face-to-face/wearing a mask or is need of other disability accommodations, they will fill out an application with the Disability Resource Center so that the staff may gather documentation of disability and engage in the interactive process to identify reasonable alternatives. If you have questions or would like to consult about your specific concerns, please call the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 970-351-2289 to schedule a meeting with a staff member.
- If a student has concerns or barriers to wearing a mask or being on campus due to reasons not mentioned in the preceding paragraph, they are encouraged to contact their academic advisor to explore options that would avoid face-to-face courses this fall semester. Strategies might include, among other things, switching to an online section of a course, taking another course that is offered online and would be an appropriate substitution, or facilitating a course replacement. If an academic advisor cannot easily facilitate a desirable outcome for the student, they may connect students with other resources that can help.
- As always, the Dean of Students Office, through Student Outreach and Support (SOS) is available to provide assistance to students who may be struggling. SOS can help clarify university processes, identify available options to move forward, and serve as a referral source.
