Services for Students
Purpose
A university or college setting provides a new experience for all first-time students. Adapting to different environments and responsibilities is a challenge to any student. For students with disabling conditions, the adaptation is not always easy. The student with a disability must aso cope with hills, inclement weather, and obstacles that they may never before have had to face alone.
It is the goal of the Administrator for Special Student Programs to assist in fully integrating students with disabilities into the UM-St. Louis community.
Specialized services, provided on an individualized basis, are intended to facilitate the integration and academic achievement of all students. The Administrator for Special Student Programs makes every effort to see that all programs are accessible to students with disabilities, to keep these students informed on how to take advantage of accessible offerings, and to solve accessibility problems when they occur. The individual student, however, has the right and responsibility to decide if he or she wishes to make use of the available specialized architectural or academic services.
The concept of mainstreaming attempts to decentralize services to students with disabilities without duplicating existing campus facilities or creating special segregated ones for these students. Total integration is not always possible in all programs for individuals with disabilities, but it remains one of our goals, and conscientious efforts are constantly being made to achieve this goal.
Objectives
The major objective of the program for students with disabilities at the University of Missouri-St. Louis is to provide services on an individualized basis for mainstreaming into the general student population. Our other objective is to provide assistance to students with disabilities in their acclimation to the campus and to assure positive learning experiences.Admissions Policy
Persons with disabilities who apply for admissions are considered in the same manner as any other applicant. Neither the nature of the disability nor the severity of the disability are used as criteria for admission. Admission is based solely on academic qualifications.Specialized student services are available to all eligible students with disabilities. When a disabled applicant has been admitted to the University, it is the student's responsibility to notify the Administrator for Special Student Programs.
The Administrator for Special Student Programs will also work with newly admitted students or prospective students to plan for needed services prior to the student's arrival on campus for the beginning of classes. The purpose of this admission planning is to enable students to either begin or successfully continue their educational programs on the UM-St. Louis campus. Planning for specialized services always involves several offices. It is recommended that students with disabilities make applications well in advance -- at least six months prior to the desired date of enrollment. Applicants also should occasionally check on the progress of their applications.