Register with DAISS

Disability Access & Inclusion Student Services (DAISS)

Why do I need to register with DAISS? 

Unlike high school, there are no IEPs or 504s in college. Students are responsible for identifying themselves as needing an accommodation, then obtaining and submitting documentation that demonstrates their disability, so their needs can be reasonably met. 

To obtain an accommodation, you must first register with Disability Access and Inclusion Student Services (DAISS). Whether you need accommodations related to academics, housing, parking and/or any other area, we are your starting point.

UAlbany students are diverse and so are their disabilities. Some of the most common disabilities for which students have accommodations include ADHD/ADD, PTSD, learning disabilities, medical disabilities, mobility disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, sensory disabilities and recovery from addiction.

All information and documentation related to a disability are confidential, not part of the academic transcript and not released without the student's written consent.  

No matter your situation, we are here to work with you. Review the different types of accommodations to learn about what is available. 

 

How do I register with DAISS?

Step 1: Make an appointment with DAISS

Request an appointment by logging into Accommodate with your UAlbany credentials and click on Appointment then click Request New Appointment.

Step 2: Submit documentation on your disability

Please submit your documentation before your appointment via email ([email protected]) or via fax (518-442-5400).  

Review detailed documentation guidelines.

Note: Accommodations are sometimes available for temporary conditions, depending on the circumstances. However, most temporary conditions don’t rise to the level of disability and would not make a student eligible to receive accommodations. 

Step 3: Meet with our staff to obtain an accommodation letter

During this meeting, you and a professional staff member will review your documentation and then discuss the following items: 

  • Any past accommodations you have received and if they are reasonable for college 

  • Any potential new accommodations 

  • Additional resources and services available to you 

  • Our policies and procedures, as well as other information included in our welcome packet 

Next, you and the professional staff member will create your accommodation letter. 

You'll need to share this accommodation letter with your professors and/or University staff members, as appropriate, to receive accommodation. For example: 

  • A student who needs academic accommodations should share their accommodation letter with their professors at the start of each semester. 
     

  • A student who needs housing accommodations should share their accommodation letter with the Department of Residential Life before housing sign-ups begin. 
     

  • A student who needs parking accommodations should share their accommodation letter with Parking & Mass Transit Services to obtain a temporary accessible parking permit. 

Documentation Guidelines

Reasonable accommodations are based on the student’s self-report, disability documentation submitted by an appropriate clinician and DAISS staff members’ professional judgement. 

Contact us at [email protected] if you need guidance and/or support in obtaining documentation. We may be able to offer provisional services, on a case-by-case basis, during this process. 
 

documentation
Where do I get documentation from?

Documentation is most often a letter from the medical or mental health professional treating your condition.  

Your provider can be a doctor, nurse practitioner, psychiatrist, psychologist or any other licensed healthcare professional. 

It’s also appropriate to submit the most recent psychological or educational evaluation conducted by your high school. 

Incoming first-year students (freshmen) may submit an IEP or 504 plan from high school as a supplement to your documentation. However, these documents typically explain what accommodations you previously received but don't generally explain why. Therefore, an IEP or 504 plan may not be sufficient documentation on its own. 

Transfer students and graduate students who were registered with disability services at their previous institution should check their policy on documentation. Some colleges can share a copy of your documentation with UAlbany at your request. 

Visiting students who are registered with disability services at their home institution should simply submit a copy of their accommodation letter. 

What should be included in my documentation?

Your documentation should: 

  • Identify the nature and extent of your disability, in accordance with current professional standards and techniques 

  • Demonstrate that your disability substantially limits one or more major life activities 

  • Present evidence that you currently have functional limitations and/or are currently experiencing accessibility barriers to any University program(s) and/or service(s) 

  • Provide a clear rationale for the reasonable accommodations you are requesting 

  • Be written in English and be printed on the clinician’s letterhead 

  • Be current, meaning: 

    • Within the past year for psychiatric disabilities  

    • Within the past five years for learning disabilities, ADD or ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, etc.

    • No limit for permanent physical or sensory disabilities 
       

Documentation Checklist 

Share this information with your provider to ensure your documentation is as complete as possible. 

  • Provider’s license or credentials: The provider preparing your documentation must sign and date the paperwork. The documentation must also include the provider’s full name, title and the license or credentials that qualify them to diagnose and/or treat your condition. The provider cannot be related to the student. 

  • Diagnosis: Your documentation should provide a clear statement of disability by including your official diagnosis and, where relevant, any diagnostic subtypes. It should also provide information on the functional impact of your disability. Diagnostic codes are useful in conjunction with a narrative statement.  

  • Assessment Procedures: Your documentation should describe the diagnostic criteria, evaluation methods, and/or evaluations. It must also list the dates these procedures/assessments occurred and the specific results. Methods may include formal instruments, medical exams, structured interview protocols, performance observations and unstructured interviews. Where appropriate, the provider should include detailed assessment reports and scores. 

  • Symptoms, Characteristics & Functional Limitations: Your documentation should describe the symptoms and characteristics related to your disability that result in functional limitations. It should also describe how those limitations will impact your participation in any University program(s) and/or service(s). Your provider should identify the severity, frequency and pervasiveness of those symptoms and characteristics. 

  • Progression or Stability: Your documentation should state whether the symptoms or characteristics related to your disability are stable and permanent or are subject to change and/or fluctuate over time and context. If they are cyclical or episodic in nature, your provider should identify known or suspected environmental triggers and recommend timelines for re-evaluation as appropriate. If absences are anticipated, please identify the projected frequency and extent of each absence (such as, “The student misses one to two classes per episode, which tend to happen monthly.”) Conditions that fluctuate may require more recent documentation. 

  • Current & Past Accommodations: Your documentation should describe any current and/or past accommodations and their effectiveness in improving the functional impacts of your disability. 

  • Current Medications: Your documentation should identify any significant side effects from current medications that may impact physical, perceptual, behavioral and/or cognitive performance, if applicable. 

  • Reasonable Accommodation Recommendations: Your provider should suggest reasonable accommodations to address the functional limitations of your disability, as well as their rationale for those recommendations. 

What if my documentation is denied? 

If your original documentation is incomplete or inadequate, the University can require additional documentation. 

Please send any additional documentation via email ([email protected]) or via fax (518-442-5400).

Additionally, students can appeal accommodation decisions in writing. Please send a letter addressed to the University's 504 Coordinator, Dean of Students Clarence McNeill, with the following information: 

  • An explanation of the decision you are appealing 

  • The reason(s) for your appeal 

  • Supporting documentation 

Dean McNeill can be reached at [email protected], 518-956-8140 and/or Campus Center, Suite 137.

Students who are denied in appeal may file a complaint with the New York State Division for Human Rights.

Please refer to UAlbany’s Statement on Reasonable Accommodations for Students for additional information.