Niagara University

Thank you for visiting the Niagara website on services for students with disabilities. Accommodations and support services for students with disabilities are coordinated by Diane Stoelting, the Coordinator of Specialized Support Services in the Office of Academic Support. The majority of students served through this office have learning disabilities in the areas of reading and writing. Other disability types include Attention Deficit Disorder, mobility impairments, as well as sensory and psychiatric disabilities.

Reasonable accommodations, mandated by federal laws such as Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), are provided to students with disabilities based on documentation of disability. Depending on the how the disability impacts the individual, reasonable accommodations may include extended time on tests taken in a separate location with appropriate assistance (i.e., use of a word processor, scribe), notetakers or use of a tape recorder in class, interpreter, textbooks and course materials in alternative format, as well as other academic and non-academic accommodations.

Non-mandated services which are available for students to use voluntarily for ongoing support and adjustment to the college experience include the following:

- Progress Conferencing: These regular meetings with students give the Coordinator the opportunity to get to know the student and monitor his/her academic progress as well as to make recommendations for academic support or referrals to other offices on campus for assistance/information. Progress conferencing gives the student the opportunity to get to know the Coordinator, stay informed, and, perhaps, be more willing to ask questions.

- This office is one of six departments on campus that submits student names to the on-campus progress reporting system. Student participation is entirely voluntary but creates a great opportunity for students to get feedback from their professors on how they are doing at approximately the 5th and 10th weeks of the semester.

- The coordinator also assists students with "pre" academic advisement -- the student and coordinator discuss course selection, professor teaching styles, course requirements, times of classes, impact of disability, etc. -- before the student meets his/her departmental academic advisor for registration advisement.

Students can also access various types of assistive technology available through the Office of Academic Support: voice read-back, voice input, word prediction software.

Campus Access: Niagara University is located on Route 104 on the northern limits of the city of Niagara Falls. The 160-acre campus runs along the top of picturesque Monteagle Ridge overlooking the Niagara River gorge. Because of its size and other environmental factors, navigating the campus can pose challenges to those who use wheelchairs. The university has addressed these challenges by providing handicapped parking spaces in each lot and by making nearly all buildings accessible at ground level or by motorized lifts. Still, the use of motorized wheelchairs is strongly recommended.

Niagara University continues to strive to achieve excellence in all of its programs and services, as well as to assure its programs and services are delivered equitably and efficiently to all of its students.

In an effort to accommodate your needs, please print the Voluntary Disclosure of Disability Form (link is printed below) and mail it to Diane Stoelting, Coordinator, Specialized Support Services (see address above).

Voluntary Disclosure of Disability Form

Campus Map

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