Getting Started 

Note: Students MUST be admitted to UTTyler before registering with SAR. It is the student's responsibility to apply for and obtain accommodations in a reasonable time frame. The SAR registration process may take up to three (3) weeks to complete. For more information about the registration process/timeline, please contact our office.  

The key to obtaining appropriate accommodations at UTTyler is applying for services in a timely manner and providing the appropriate documentation. Students who receive disability accommodations at UTTyler must have a condition, which constitutes a disability under the guidelines of the ADAAA.  

The types of disabilities SAR regularly works with include: 

• Attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorders 
• Autism 
• Deaf/Hard of Hearing 
• Learning disabilities (e.g. dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, etc.)  
• Medical disabilities (e.g. diabetes, cancer, asthma, AIDS, lupus, etc.) 
• Mobility disabilities 
• Psychological disabilities 
• Traumatic brain injuries 
• Visual disabilities 

Here are the steps you must take to initiate the disability accommodation process at UTTyler: 

1. Complete SAR online application. (Note: Students who need assistance filling out the online application, should contact the SAR office at 903.566.7079 or saroffice@uttyler.edu.) 
2. Provide a copy of the diagnostic testing, medical records, and/or a disability summary letter from a physician or other appropriate clinician/provider that documents your disability. (See Documentation Guidelines for more information). Students may submit documentation online using the SAR online service portal’s documentation link, in person at SAR office located in University Center 3150, or via email at saroffice@uttyler.edu.  
3. Once SAR receives your online application and documentation, a SAR coordinator will contact you to schedule an interactive personal history interview. This meeting is necessary in order to provide proper accommodations and/or assess what type of additional documentation may be needed in order to proceed with determining eligibility. You MUST attend this meeting in order to complete the registration process.  
4. After your personal history interview, your request for services will go before the Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) where your eligibility for services is determined. The committee meets each week throughout the year (except holidays and the final three weeks of the semester). 
5. If your request for accommodations is approved, you will receive an email directing you to schedule a training meeting with your SAR coordinator in which you will receive training on the Accommodation Notification Process for instructors and, if applicable, how to schedule accommodated testing. Please allow up to five (5) business days for a SAR representative to contact you after ARC review.  
6. Once accommodations are approved, students must follow the Accommodation Notification Process each semester to generate a notification email to their instructor/s. (Note: Please monitor the SAR website and office postings for time sensitive guidelines for submitting accommodation requests to your instructors. Students may be denied the implementation of their accommodation for the current semester if there is insufficient time to implement the accommodation or to implement an alternative. Please also remember that instructors are not required to provide disability accommodations for a student until they receive formal notice from the SAR office.) 
7. All accommodation notification letters will be sent to the instructor at their UTTyler email address and to the student via their SAR online student portal. If an instructor has not been assigned to the course or an email address cannot be identified for the assigned instructor, SAR will forward the accommodation notification letter to the student directly so that they can notify their instructor/s. 
8. When you and your instructor receive the accommodation notification letter via UTTyler email, the instructor and the student must communicate and/or meet to make sure an accommodation “plan of action” has been put in place for each of your classes and that both you and your instructor/s have agreed on how these accommodations will be implemented. 

Note: SAR is aware that there may be situations that require individual consideration and/or variation of the above policies and procedures. As a result, each student's situation and documentation is considered on a case-by-case basis. Should a student require us to vary from the above policies, they will need to contact our office or their assigned SAR coordinator to make arrangements accordingly. In order to help ensure accommodations the first week of classes, new SAR students are encouraged to submit their requests for disability accommodations and documentation at least four weeks prior to the beginning of the semester. 

SAR staff members will work with each student to determine appropriate services and accommodations based on the individual student’s functional limitations in an academic environment and the types of university classes and activities in which the student will be participating. Students maintain the right to deny the use of a service for which they are eligible or to reject an accommodation that has been determined to be appropriate. 

Access and accommodations for students with disabilities are university-wide responsibilities, not just the responsibility of SAR. Therefore, various services for students with disabilities are located in the most appropriate campus offices, with SAR staff serving as both a resource and referral agency. 

Requesting New/Additional Accommodations 

All requests for accommodations must go through the above process. Students who believe they require a modification of their accommodation plan or would like to request additional accommodations, should contact the SAR office or their SAR coordinator. New requests for accommodations may require a student to submit additional supporting documentation. Any request for additional accommodations will be reviewed by the ARC at the next scheduled ARC meeting if submitted by 5 p.m. Thursday. Anything received after 5 p.m. Thursday will be reviewed the following week.