Request Services
Getting Started With DSS
After acceptance and enrollment into the university students may register with DSS at any time: there is no deadline. DSS will only accept reasonable accommodation request for students currently enrolled at the university who provide DSS with a student ID number (received after payment of an enrollment fee).
It is important to note that accommodations are not retroactive and may not be implemented until a student’s request is fully processed and submitted to their professor. Therefore, we encourage students to reach out to our office as soon as possible as it can take several days to process a new request for services.
How to Register With DSS
1. Complete Intake Form
In order to be approved for accommodations a student must first register with DSS by completing an intake form. The intake form provides demographic information, a general overview of your disability and type of accommodation requested. DSS does not accept hard copies of intake forms.
2. Submit Supporting Documentation
Supporting documentation must be completed, scanned, and emailed to DSS’ email address, DSS@bowiestate.edu. The student’s name and student identification number should be included in the subject line of the correspondence. DSS does not accept hard copies of supporting documentation. To protect the sensitive nature of the information included in student applications and supplemental documents, forms that are received by the DSS office in a non-electronic form will be rejected and/or destroyed.
Documentation is reviewed after a student has accepted an offer to attend Bowie State University and for students currently enrolled. DSS utilizes flexibility and discretion in determining if submitted documentation is sufficient.
Comprehensive supporting documentation includes the following:
Qualifications of clinician/ provider: Documentation must be typed on letterhead paper, dated and signed by a professional who is licensed or certified in the area for which the diagnosis is made. The name, title, and license/certification credentials must be stated and shall not be family members or others with a close personal relationship to the individual.
Diagnosis and History: A diagnostic statement identifying the disability including ICD or DSM classification along with any relevant personal, psycho-social, medical, developmental and/or educational history.
Description of Diagnostic Methodology: Should include a description of the diagnostic criteria, evaluation methods used, dates of administration, along with observation/clinical impression notes. The results obtained should establish a direct link to the diagnosis and the functional limitations of the disability. For cognitive disorders, evaluations should use adult norms.
Current Impact and Functional Limitations: Should include the current impact of the disabling condition(s) and describe the severity and frequency of the condition on one or more major life activities, especially in an educational and residential setting.
Recommendations: Recommendations are welcomed and considered, however DSS makes the ultimate determination on eligibility and reasonable academic adjustments necessary to provide equal access for participation in academic courses, programs and activities. 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.
Insufficient Documentation
DSS does not diagnose impairments, assess their severity, or identify the current impact and/or functional limitations of a disability, therefore, the following materials alone are generally not sufficient for determining eligibility and could prolong the eligibility process:
- Office medical records, medical chart notes or prescription pad notations
- High school IEPs, 504 Plans, Response To Intervention and/or SOPs . Such documents are welcome to show a history of accommodations; however, they do not typically provide a diagnosis and description of diagnostic methodology.
- Documents prepared for specific non-educational venues (i.e., Social -Security Administration, etc.)
- Documentation which only include general statements of diagnosis, symptoms or difficulties
3. Intake Meeting
After reviewing your intake form and supporting documentation DSS will email an invitation for you to set up a meeting with a DSS representative.During the meeting, details of your request will be reviewed and reasonable accommodations, if necessary, will be discussed and determined on an individual basis. All students with the same disability may not receive the same accommodation(s). Approved accommodations are good for one semester. Students must request an extension of services prior to the start of each new semester.
Students are required to complete a request to continue receiving accommodation services prior to the beginning of each semester they are enrolled at Bowie State University.
Continuing Students
Each semester students are required to submit an electronic continuation of accommodation request to continue receiving accommodations. Requests must be made through our electronic form. DSS will not accept requests through individual emails, hard copy, or word of mouth. In the absence of a continuation request, the student will not be eligible for continued accommodations. Supporting documentation is not required when requesting a continuation of services. However, If you are requesting a modification to an existing accommodation(s) additional documentation may be requested.
Complete the Continuation of Accommodations Request
Assistive Technology
Should a student require the use of certain assistive technology a formal request is required each semester.
- The accessible text request form is required each time you need copyrighted material converted to an electronic format. The student must first purchase a hard copy or eBook and provide a copy of the receipt to DSS prior to processing the request.
Complete the Accessible Text Request Form
- When converting copyrighted text to speech an accessible text agreement is required to satisfy copyright laws.
- The Disability Support Services (DSS) Office, where appropriate, may recommend that a student with a qualifying disability be permitted to record lectures as a form of an academic accommodation.
Complete the Recorded Lecture Agreement