Information for Parents

ACSSD Parent’s Guide – What to Expect

Your son or daughter has been accepted and you have paid your deposit—within a week or so, you should get a postcard from our office. The postcard will direct students with disabilities to our website:  www.ithaca.eduacssd

Please peruse this site and our information. The first step to registering with our office is to complete a Disability Identification Form.  If the student’s disability is related to special housing consideration, a Special Housing Request Form should be completed. Both forms can be sent via email to:  chowe@ithaca.edu or faxed to:  607-274-3957.  At this time, a file for the student will be created.  Housing requests must first be submitted to and approved by ACSSD. Approved requests will then be forwarded to Residential Life. Keep in mind, if you have a special housing request, it should be submitted as early as possible—housing situations and options can be limited.  

Have your son or daughter examine information on the website for the following needs and make the proper contacts:

Bookstore Assistance                                                

Dietary Modifications Due to Disability                

Electronic Text                                                          

Housing Modification Request

Special Parking Permits

VESID, OVR or Commission for the Blind Book Vouchers

At least two weeks before (a month prior is better) a student’s arrival for the orientation session in which they registered, please send the proper documentation (as outlined in the guidelines) to our office. The mailing address is:

                        Ithaca College  

                        953 Danby Road

                        Academic Support Services for Students with Disabilities

                        322A Smiddy Hall

                        Ithaca, NY  14850

During orientation, the advisor assigned to assist with your student with his or her class registration will be informed of any issues on a “need-to-know-basis” regarding the student’s disability.

While the student is on campus for orientation, please ask them to stop by our office (322A Smiddy) and sign a Release of Information Form.  If you wish to set up a meeting with the director, please phone our office (607-274-1257). Please check your orientation schedule before making an appointment—there are mandatory meetings and information sessions which students and parents must attend.  Appointments with the ACSSD Director must be made in advance—appointment time slots are limited and the director will be presenting at orientation meetings/functions. 

Upon arrival to campus in August, the student must phone for an appointment (607-274-1257) to set up accommodations for the semester.  At this point, ACSSD must possess current, necessary documentation (as outlined in the guidelines) in order to process paperwork. The student’s schedule will be reviewed and if needed, Accommodation Plans will be set up and sent to professors.  An appointment at the beginning of every semester must be made with the student’s ACSSD Advisor to set up accommodations.

Every attempt will be made to process Accommodation Plans and send to appropriate faculty within 72 hours of seeing an ACSSD Advisor.  Copies will also be sent to the student’s local address.

If your student needs extended time or and/or isolation for an exam/test, they MUST phone (607-274-1257) at least three days in advance of the test time.  We need to adhere to this time frame in order to request tests from professors, schedule proctors and secure testing space.