ACCESSIBLENU

To register with AccessibleNU, complete the following three steps:

1. Complete AccessibleNU's online application.
2. If you have documentation regarding your condition, please upload or email your documentation to AccessibleNU. If you do not have documentation and would like to meet to discuss disability questions and/or accommodations, please call or email AccessibleNU to set up an appointment.
3. After reviewing your application and documentation for academic accommodations, typically within a week, an AccessibleNU staff member will contact you to meet for an accommodation appointment. (For housing accommodations, an accommodation appointment may not be necessary, if needed, an ANU advisor will reach out to you.)

Receiving accommodations is an interactive process. At the accommodation meeting, you and your AccessibleNU Advisor will discuss and agree upon possible services and accommodations. If changes to your accommodations need to be made at a later time or you have concerns regarding your accommodations, make an appointment to talk with your advisor. 

Note: Accommodation appointments scheduled after week 8 of a given quarter, or after week 12 of a semester, will generally apply to the following term. Any exceptions to this guideline will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA; as amended) and Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, a person has a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities such as walking, standing, seeing, speaking, hearing, learning, sitting, breathing, or or taking care of oneself. To determine eligibility for accommodations under the ADA and 504, AccessibleNU considers the student's self-report at the time of the accommodation meeting as well as the impact and educational barriers experienced as outlined in the medical documentation. Please see our documentation guidelines for more information. Students who suspect that they have a disability or have further accommodation questions are encouraged to schedule an information meeting with an AccessibleNU Advisor.  

Reasonable accommodations are determined by examining:

• The barriers resulting from the interaction between the disability and the campus environment
• The possible accommodations that might remove the barriers
• Whether or not the student has access to the course or program without accommodations
• Whether or not essential elements of the course or program are compromised by the accommodations

Timeline of Student Responsibilities Each Term

School of Professional Studies

Once the accommodation notifications are sent, students should contact their individual instructors to discuss their accommodations. Students should contact AccessibleNU if they need assistance with implementing their accommodations.

Kellogg

Proctoring arrangements such as location, date, and time for in-person and remote exams for all Kellogg courses are made with Academic Experience, not ANU. Once accommodations are approved through ANU, please direct test proctoring questions to Academic Experience.

Law School

Accommodation notifications for approved accommodations are sent to professors of the course and staff in the NU Law Student Services office (McCormick 166). Proctoring arrangements such as location, date, and time for in-person, on-campus accommodated exams are arranged by the Law Registrar.

Medical School

Accommodations can be made for each phase of medical education. Medical students with disabilities are encouraged to register with ANU as early as possible in their medical education. Accommodations are arranged on a case-by-case basis for all types of exams and clinical rotations in collaboration with the Feinberg School of Medicine. 

M1/M2 students

M1/M2 students who have completed the ANU registration process should email their ANU Advisor to request an accommodation letter for Phase 1 classes and exams. Staff in the Augusta Webster Office of Medical Education (AWOME) will assist students exam accommodations and other accommodations needed during Phase 1.

M3/M4 students

M3/M4 students who have completed the ANU registration process should email their ANU Advisor in advance of starting a new rotation to have their accommodation letter sent to the clerkship director and coordinator. For exam and other clerkship accommodations, notification is sent to the clerkship director, clerkship coordinator, and the faculty and staff who administer written exams and OSCEs.

The McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University sponsors graduate medical education programs for residents and fellows. McGaw residents and fellows seeking an accommodation for a documented disability during their residency or fellowship should contact Dr. Joshua Goldstein, Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, and Nancy Parlapiano, McGaw Executive Director, to begin discussing possible accommodations.

 

Health Sciences

Curricula in health science programs generally contain both classroom experiences where standard accommodations may apply and also clinical experiences, where accommodations may need to be tailored. Some examples of accommodations for clinical components of a health science program may include (but are not limited to): schedule adjustments, permission to leave for appointments, geographical considerations, and assistive technology use. ANU determines accommodations for clinical settings separately from those in the didactic (classroom) setting. The ANU Advisor engages with the student’s respective health science faculty and clinical education coordinators when determining how approved accommodations can be reasonability implemented in the clinical setting. If your program is not listed below, contact AccessibleNU or your ANU Advisor directly:

• For Physical Therapy students, the Assistant Chair of Student Affairs assists in arranging accommodations, including any exam accommodations.
• For Prosthetics and Orthotics students, the NUPOC Director of Education assists in arranging on-site and online accommodations for clinical experiences and exams.
• For Physician Assistant students, the Director of the Physician Assistant Program assists in arranging accommodations, including any exam accommodations.

Online Counseling

Students enrolled in the Counseling@Northwestern program who need accommodations for classes, practicum, or internship should complete AccessibleNU’s registration process and discuss their needs with their ANU advisor. Classroom and testing accommodations are arranged with individual program faculty and placement accommodations are arranged in consultation with the Associate Program Director for Counseling@Northwestern.

AccessibleNU students have the following rights:

• Equal access to courses and programs offered through the University
• Equal opportunity to learn, and to receive reasonable accommodations and academic adjustments in an effort to diminish the effect of the condition on academic functioning
• The right to exercise the informal and/or formal grievance process for students with disabilities.

For more information on your legal rights, please review the relevant laws.

AccessibleNU students have the following responsibilities:

• Self-identify as an individual with a disability via notification to AccessibleNU prior to when an accommodation is needed and seek assistance as necessary in a timely fashion
• Meet qualifications and maintain essential institutional standards for courses and programs
• When needed, provide requested documentation from an appropriate professional that demonstrates how your disability impacts your participation in courses and programs
• Follow published processes for obtaining reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and auxiliary aids and services
• Comply with Northwestern's policy for academic integrity by accurately portraying accommodation needs to instructors