Student Accessibility Services

Vision: 

Student Accessibility Services envisions a university culture defined by equitable access to education and the commitment to dismantling ableism. 

Mission: 

• Facilitate opportunities for student success by promoting equitable education and providing academic accommodations to students with disabilities.
• Educate students, faculty, and staff on matters of accessibility, ableism, and ally development. 
• Promote accessibility through our actions, attitudes, and values.

USF St. Petersburg campus, located on Bayboro Harbor in downtown St. Petersburg, is architecturally friendly for students with various accommodation needs. Accessible classroom and library buildings are in close proximity and are ideal for all students. Covered walkways connecting most buildings keep you shaded and dry. Mild climate and flat terrain make traveling around campus easy and comfortable all year round. Nearby medical, shopping and entertainment facilities offer the opportunity to reach your educational goals in an atmosphere conducive to the development of independence and self-reliance.

The University of South Florida does not have special admission programs for students needing accessibility-related assistance and does not make pre-admission inquiries regarding accommodation needs. If you do not meet minimum admission requirements, you may request special consideration based on your needs and any extenuating circumstances.

It is the policy and practice of USF to comply fully with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, all of which prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. Students who have self-identified, provided documentation of a disability, and requested reasonable accommodations are entitled to receive approved modifications of programs, appropriate academic adjustments, or auxiliary aids that enable them to participate in and benefit from all educational programs and activities.

A disability is defined as any physical, learning, medical, or psychological condition that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities: walking, standing, seeing, hearing, sitting, breathing, learning or taking care of yourself.

The University’s ADA policy, Policy 0-018 Disability and Accommodation, is located at USF Policies and Procedures.

The Office of Student Accessibility Services is responsible for determining eligibility for services. Our staff works with faculty and students to find the right accommodations for you. Let us know if your accommodations are not adequate. We will work with you and your instructors to provide reasonable accommodations.

Your professors are likely to be most immediately aware of your needs for attending and meeting the requirements of their class. They want you to be successful in your college experience, so let them know if you experience difficulties. This is true whether you are temporarily in need of accommodation or have documented physical, learning or psychological accommodation needs.

We will work with you and your professor to make accommodations that are as simple, effective and reasonable as possible. Guidelines for exam accommodations have been given to all faculty members. 

As a student with a disability, you are responsible for:

• Identifying yourself as a person having an accessibility need
• Registering with the SAS office
• Submitting documentation supporting the existence of your accommodation need and the ways in which lack of accommodation limits your participation in courses, programs, services, activities or facilities
• Following SAS procedures to receive your accommodations in a timely fashion

Student records are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

SAS respects the confidential nature of disability-related information. The University of South Florida and SAS have an obligation to maintain the confidentiality of such documentation.

Access by USF personnel to disability-related information housed in SAS is on a need-to-know basis and only for the purpose of assuring appropriate accommodations. Instructors are regularly apprised of the confidential nature of disability-related information. Accommodation memos prepared by SAS staff do not give specific diagnoses. Instead, the memos list the approved academic accommodations for that student.

On a legitimate, educational need-to-know basis, SAS staff may discuss the impact or impairments caused by the disability and the corresponding accommodations approved with appropriate individuals on campus. Circumstances may include housing arrangements, academic accommodations, instructional strategies and resources or other circumstances specific to the individual. Whenever possible, SAS consults with the student prior to these conversations.

The University of South Florida and SAS are prohibited by law from releasing any disability-related records or personally identifying information to any entity outside of USF including documentation provided to SAS by the student, unless the student provides written permission or there is a court order. Students may request or approve the release of such information to persons or agencies outside of USF by signing a Release of Information Form. Entities outside the University includes parents of students over the age of 18. To discuss student-specific information with parents, a specific release of information must be signed by the student and placed in a student's file.