Documentation Criteria

Documentation for Academic Accommodations should meet the following guidelines:

1. Appear on official letterhead and be typed, signed, and dated by a qualified, licensed professional who is credentialed in the area related to the diagnosed condition for which the accommodation is being requested.

2. Provide a diagnosis, including symptoms related to the student’s disability or condition. Please include a history of diagnosis, including duration, stability, and/or progression of the condition.

3. Provide recent objective findings, test scores, and/or clinical observations used to determine the diagnosis of the student’s disability, the student’s functional limitations, and the student’s current need for accommodation(s).

4. Describe any functional limitations, as they related to the diagnosed condition, and how they will be supported by specific academic accommodations.

5. Identify current medications the student is taking, as well as any side effects currently experienced by the student.

6. Any treatments, medications, and/or assistive devices/services currently prescribed or in use, should include a description of the mediating effects and potential side effects from such treatments.

7. Recommendations: Recommendations should be directly linked to the impact or functional limitations associated with the disability, or medication prescribed to control symptoms and include a clear rationale based on level of impairment.

Click here for a copy of the documentation criteria for academic accommodations.

Documentation is required for any type of requested accommodation.  Documentation for housing accommodations or an Emotional Support Animal, must be from a qualified medical professional.  Qualified medical professional, for our purposes, is defined as a non-family member whose professional training qualifies them to diagnose and treat the impairments associated with the student’s disability. The student must either be a current patient of the professional who completes the documents or have an established history of treatment that is documented.  Each question on the required forms must be completed by the medical professional.  We will not accept notes or letters in lieu of the provided documents.

Click here for a copy of the documentation criteria for housing accommodations.

The diagnosis of a medical condition in and of itself does not automatically qualify one for housing accommodations. In determining the reasonableness of an accommodation, the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services may not grant a specific request by a student if the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services determines that there is an equally effective alternative available or if it would impose an undue administrative or financial burden on the University.  Appropriate options may be suggested as alternatives to the requested accommodations.  For example, a single room may not be approved if the accommodation can be provided in another appropriate way.  Requests for single rooms due to the need for a quieter, distraction-reduced study space often can be met by the use of the numerous study sites available on the HPU campus.