Student Disability Services

Graduate students with disabilities requiring accommodation for their academic work are encouraged to work with the Student Disability Center (SDC). The Student Disability Center promotes an inclusive environment for UC Davis students with disabilities, equipping students with appropriate accommodations and services to achieve their individual academic goals. The SDC is staffed by a team of professionals who have expertise in the education of students with disabilities.

 Student Disability Center Specialists approve services and coordinate accommodations to establish equal access to the University’s educational programs. While accommodation information is shared on a “need to know” basis in order to facilitate services, disability information kept confidential and does not appear on transcripts or diplomas. 

Requesting Accommodation as a Student

If you are seeking services or accommodations, it is your responsibility to initiate contact with the Student Disability Center and engage in an interactive process to determine eligibility for services. Student requests for accommodations are considered on an individual, case-by-case basis and may be reviewed on a class-by-class basis or in relation to required examinations. Once services are established, students request accommodations for each quarter for each class through the SDC portal. We encourage students to consider the nature of each course when requesting accommodations and to select the services that will maximize access to course content.

The SDC recommends that students initiate the interactive process with the SDC soon after they make a commitment to attending UC Davis to discuss accommodation requests and available services. However, students can request accommodations at any point during their time at UC Davis. Accommodation and services are determined on a case-by-case basis and dependent on a student’s current functional limitations and the elements of their graduate study. 

Students can start the process by contacting the SDC. A detailed list of instructions can be found on the Student Disability Center website. After the required documentation has been submitted and reviewed, the students will be invited to meet with an SDC specialist to discuss functional limitations of disability in the educational setting. Accommodation services will be considered and approved if appropriate.

Services and Accommodations as a University Employee

Graduate students with disabilities requiring accommodation for their University employment are encouraged to work with Disability Management Services (DMS) in Human Resources.  For information about the services and resources offered by DMS, please see the DMS site: (https://hr.ucdavis.edu/departments/elr/dms). The SDC also can help graduate students navigate their dual role as both a student and an employee.

Accommodations Relating to Teaching and Instruction

If a graduate student with a disability has limitations specifically affecting their ability to perform the duties related to teaching appointment in-person in the classroom, they should notify their Instructor of Record as soon as possible and contact DMS at dmshelp@ucdavis.edu. DMS will help facilitate the interactive process and identify options for reasonable accommodation. Graduate students who are Instructor of Record should review the information on accommodation related to teaching and instruction on the Academic Affairs website: https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/accommodations.

The hiring department may consider various options for accommodating limitations affecting teaching in person.  The hiring department may explore whether changes to the teaching venue, such as increased ventilation, larger classrooms, and/or increased social distancing might accommodate the limitations.

A department also may consider such options as reassignment of the graduate student to a readership or other appointment that does not require in-person teaching duties; reallocation of teaching assistant duties among multiple TA’s so that the graduate student with a disability may perform off-site duties; reassignment of the graduate student to TA a course that is already approved for remote or hybrid delivery.  Please note that not all of these options may be available in particular departments or during particular quarters.

Some graduate students may wish to request adjustment to performing duties on site due to the medical conditions of family members or cohabitants.  Employees with these concerns should work directly with their Instructors of Record or hiring departments to explore options.   Graduate Studies is a resource for consultation in these situations.

Please note: DMS only assists in requests that are related to an academic appointee’s own medical condition/disability/limitations.

Sick Leave/Medical Leave

In some cases, a reasonable accommodation for a disability may include medical leave. Represented academic appointees follow their bargaining agreements (https://hr.ucdavis.edu/departments/elr/contracts-policies).

For any questions on leave options, graduate student employees should work with their departments.  For more details, see the policy Family and Medical Leave Accommodation and the leave request.