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Information for Faculty

Partnerships with Faculty

OAS welcomes collaboration with faculty in a multitude of ways. If you have a student you think would benefit from a one-on-one tutoring session or group tutoring session at the OAS, please direct the student to our office. For a broader range of support, OAS is happy to work with faculty to plan in-class, collaborative workshops. Contact us to arrange one addressing your course or assignment needs. We also offer review sessions in economics as well as customized support for language learners.

Faculty Protocol for Providing Academic Accommodations 

Georgetown University abides by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide reasonable academic accommodations for otherwise qualified students with documented learning differences or medical conditions. A student must first meet with a counselor from the Student Wellness and Counseling Center who will determine if a student qualifies for academic accommodations based on medical documentation and evaluation.  If a student is recommended for accommodations, OAS will work with the student, faculty, and academic deans to implement them.  The student may choose whether or not to use accommodations for each course individually and if they do, faculty will be notified via an electronic letter sent through our case management system called AIM.  You can support the student by doing the following:

  • Read the accommodation letter.
  • Discuss the accommodations with the student and determine any potential impact on your class.
  • Ask the student about their individual learning needs and how you can work together to ensure the student is able to perform to their best ability in your class.
  • If your course includes exams, please complete the Testing Agreement noting the kinds of exams, times, and instructions.
  • Respect the student’s legal right to confidentiality by not discussing the student’s case with anyone other than those authorized in writing by the student, and handle the accommodation letter with confidentiality.

If the accommodation letter states that the student is eligible for the note-taking service, it is important for you to act on this as soon as possible and no later than the second week of class.  Options for fulfilling this accommodation include:

  • Providing notes, power point slides, or class outlines to the student.
  • Allowing audio recording of lectures, or the use of a “smart pen.”
  • Requesting another student to be the note taker (for which a stipend is available), remember not to disclose the recipient of the notes.
  • Record the lectures yourself and have them transcribed.

When opting to request that another student acts as the note-taker, please make an announcement in class or via Canvas that OAS is seeking a note taker.  Interested students should email a sample of their notes to Laura Hiatt.  From that point, OAS will arrange for notes to be collected and distributed via the AIM system online.

For students eligible for extended-time or distraction reduced testing, OAS offers three testing rooms where students can take exams.  Students make the request in AIM, which triggers an email notification to you, as the instructor. When we receive a request, OAS will confirm the details with you, remind you to complete the testing agreement, and ask how the exam will be delivered (dropped off to OAS or uploaded to AIM).  Note that students must request an exam in OAS at least 7 days ahead of an exam through our website. Due to the small size of our staff, OAS may not be able to accommodate a student who does not abide by the timeline.

Faculty Rights

  • Request verification of student’s eligibility for any requested accommodations.
  • Expect the student to initiate accommodation requests. The student is advised to speak directly with the faculty about their learning needs and accommodations.
  • Expect the student and the OAS to work with you to coordinate the provision of the appropriate accommodations.

Faculty Responsibility

  • Implementing a student’s accommodations as outlined in the letter from the OAS.
  • Contacting the OAS if the accommodations require clarification, or if the professor has any concerns about the student’s progress.
  • Maintaining a student’s confidentiality.
  • Not asking students about the nature of the disability and if the students choose to do share information, treat that information confidentially.

For clarifications or concerns about the need for a specified accommodation, or for clarifications about arranging or administering an accommodated test, please contact Laura Hiatt.