Welcome, Friends and Families!
Students often draw strong support from friends and family members. Baker College wants to empower friends and family in providing that support. Navigating the transition to a new educational environment can be overwhelming for many students. We encourage families to empower their students to communicate directly with disability services about their needs and experiences. By fostering independence and self-advocacy, we can better support students in their journey toward academic success and beyond.
Tips to Support Your Student
- Encourage Self-Advocacy: Advocating for oneself is a learned skill that many young college students are just beginning to learn. Fostering this skill can help promote a positive future.
- Promote Independence: There is a lot to learn inside and outside of the classroom as students start their college career.
- Check-In Regularly: Remind your students of their support network.
- Encourage Time Management Strategies: Time management is another learned skill that many young students have not yet mastered. Encouraging this will help them in balancing schoolwork and other activities.
- Celebrate Achievements: Don’t forget to recognize hard work and milestones reached throughout their academic journey.
- Learn About Campus Resources: Familiarize with the resources available to students on- and off-campus. Remind your student to utilize these resources for additional support.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Disability Specialist is happy to meet with potential incoming Baker families to discuss the process to receiving accommodations, however no specific accommodations can be guaranteed or discussed until the student is enrolled and completes the application and verification process.
No updated testing is required unless a medical professional deems it a requirement before providing updated diagnosis verification.
No, the only person who can request accommodations is the student themselves. Parents or support networks may be invited by the student to attend Intake meetings and share details on what may be helpful, but ultimately the student makes the decision on which accommodations are requested.
Once we have all necessary documentation, and an absence of any extenuating circumstances, it is only a matter of days before documents are evaluated.
504 and IEP plans are not transferred to college from the K-12 setting. However, 504 and IEP plans can be submitted as supporting documentation that aid in determining what accommodations are reasonable for the student in a higher education setting. The Office of Disability Services needs documentation from a specialist that specifically addresses the student’s diagnosis and how that diagnosis affects the student academically. This is something IEP documentation may not include. Students are asked to have an appropriate licensed clinical professional complete the Disability Resource Center’s Verification Document. It is also helpful to submit the student’s most recent evaluation or assessment.
Yes. However, accommodations cannot be retroactive. Accommodations are effective only from the date on the Letter of Accommodation, and forward.
Not unless your student has filled out a FERPA form on your behalf that allows us to discuss disability services related information with you. We must have this documented consent from the student before we discuss specifics with anyone that isn’t the student themself. Learn more about what a FERPA form is here.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact the Disability Specialist. The Office of Disability Services is here to assist you and your student every step of the way.