STUDENT ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS

policies and procedures

Students with disabilities must complete their semesterly registration every semester enrolled in classes with both the Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) and the Office of Student Affairs to ensure the continuation of your accommodations and support services. Not completing both steps will indicate to the University and the Law School that you wish to forfeit your accommodation for that given semester.

Please make sure to:

Any law student making updates to their existing accommodations with ARC must be submitted by November 1st (Fall Semester), April 1st (Spring Semester), or July 1st (Summer Term).


Semesterly Approval from ARC and Implantation by the Office of Student Affairs 

Step One: Students must meet with the University’s Accessibility Resource Center every semester they are enrolled and seek to use their accommodations.

Step Two: Students must receive their semester ARC approval letter detailing their approved accommodations for that semester only. 

Step Three: Students must meet with Yannick Brookes, Associate Dean of Students, the first semester receiving accommodations at the Law School.

Step Four: Students must submit the Law School’s Student Accommodations Registration Form every semester they are enrolled and seek to use their accommodations. 

Step Five: Office of Student Affairs notifies professors of student’s in-class accommodations. Students can opt out of having this notification occurring on the registration form.

Step Six: For midterm exams, students will receive a calendar invite from lawproctor@udc.edu with their exam details 36 hours in advance of their exam.  

Step Seven: For final exams, students will receive an email detailing their accommodations and their final exam schedule. This is sent 2 weeks before the final exam period.

Step Eight:  Every exam packet will have an exam cover sheet highlighting their accommodations, exam duration in both accommodated time and general time, course, room assignment, exam start time.

Required Meeting with Dean Brookes
If this is your fist time receiving accommodations at the Law School, this applies to you. Every student receiving accommodations must meet with me shortly after receiving their semester approval letter from ARC. This meeting is required only during the first semester that a student receives accommodations at the University.

Midterm Exams
Although midterm exams generally take place during class, professors may structure them differently (e.g., lecturing for the first part of class and using the remaining time for the exam). If you are absent from your next class due to your testing accommodation, you will automatically receive an absence waiver from my office—no additional forms or documentation are required. Most law school courses are recorded, allowing you to review any missed class content. If you have trouble accessing recordings, please contact lawhelp@udc.edu.

Your midterm exams will be administered by the Office of Student Affairs. Do not take your midterm, quiz, or any other grade-bearing assessment in the course’s designated classroom. Doing so waives your right to use your accommodations for that exam. If your midterm is remote, standard take-home exam policies apply, allowing you to complete it at home.

Important: If your class includes a lecture before the midterm, you are expected to attend. After the lecture, quietly exit the classroom and proceed to my office for check-in.

Final Exams
Please review this semester’s final exam schedule. Your exam date and time will match the posted schedule; however, your duration and room assignment will be adjusted based on your accommodations. A detailed final exam accommodations email will be sent as finals approach. 

Important: November 1st (Fall Semester), April 1st (Spring Semester), and July 1st (Summer Term) are the deadlines to make any updates to your accommodations in order for them to be implemented in the upcoming final exam perion. Any updates after the given deadline will be incorporated in the student's subsequent semester.

Room Assignments
For midterms, you will receive a calendar invitation from lawproctor@udc.edu, which will include your assigned testing room under the “Location” section approximately 36 hours before the exam date. Unless directed by Dean Yannick Brookes, students may not enter their assigned room until they have retrieved their exam packet. All rooms have been approved by ARC based on their designated category.

In some cases, a student receiving "reduced distraction" accommodations may be placed in a private room due to exam logistics, timing, and space availability. However, this is not a permanent change and should not be interpreted as a guaranteed assignment for future exams.

For final exams, students will receive an official email from Dean Yannick Brookes with their individualized final exam schedule.

QUESTIONS / OFFICE OF STUDENT AFFAIRS INFORMATION
Mondays - Thursdays 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM (In-Person)
Fridays 10:00AM - 3:00 PM (Remote)
Telephone: (202) 274-7360

Mr. Yannick L. Brookes, Associate Dean of Students (Office #448)
Mr. Ravaughn Pope, Assistant Director of Student Life and Services (Office #482)
Ms. Loretta Young-Jones, Staff Assistant for Student Affairs (Offie #449)