How to Request Accommodations
All accommodations provided on the basis of disability must be provided by or in consultation with the Office of Accessibility Services to establish consistency of practice and proper documentation of services.
Interactive Registration
The first step is to complete a Registration Form and submit documentation in accordance with the Disability Documentation Guidelines. Following documentation review, an OAS team member will email the student to schedule an intake meeting. Reasonable accommodations are determined following documentation review, an intake meeting, and clinician consultation (when necessary and with approval). Any student who disagrees with an accommodation determination may appeal as outlined in the Policy for Requesting Disability Accommodations at the Law Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Georgetown University recognizes that individuals with temporary medical conditions that do not qualify for accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act or Section 504 may need access to services, resources, and course or co-curricular modifications. Examples of such temporary conditions may include, but are not limited to, broken limbs, hand injuries, concussions, or a virus such as mononucleosis. It is Georgetown University’s general practice to facilitate reasonable modifications on a short-term basis to accommodate students with these types of temporary conditions. Students who need assistance for a temporary medical condition (i.e. of less than one semester) should complete the Registration Form and submit documentation from a treating clinician that includes a short explanation of the diagnosis, resulting physical or cognitive limitations, prognosis for recovery and estimated duration of the illness or injury. Students whose illnesses or injuries are expected to last longer than one semester should register with OAS for accommodations.
Students may request adjustments based on general pregnancy needs or accommodations based on a pregnancy-related condition. Adjustment requests should be directed to Lisa Curtis, Deputy Title IX Coordinator for the Law Center. Students seeking a pregnancy adjustment are to complete a Pregnancy Adjustment Request Form noting the requested reasonable adjustment. In certain situations, a student may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation due to a pregnancy-related condition. Accommodation requests should be directed the Office of Accessibility Services.
Level 1: A student may email the Dean of Students (lawdeanofstudents@georgetown.edu) and the Director of OAS (mv784@georgetown.edu) within five business days of receiving notice of an accommodation decision to request an informal appeal meeting. In most cases that meeting will be scheduled within ten business days of the student’s request. The Dean of Students will notify the student in writing of any changes to the decision preferably within five business days of the informal meeting.
Level 2: If the student disagrees with the latest written decision, the student may appeal in writing to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (uv10@georgetown.edu) within five business days of receiving notice of the decision. The written appeal should state the basis for the appeal and include relevant documentation in support of the appeal. Students who are unable to provide a statement in writing due to their disability may schedule a meeting to submit the appeal orally or in another agreed-upon format. The Director and Dean of Students will provide to the Associate Dean any documentation or other information pertinent to the disputed decision, as well as a written summary of communication with the student. The Associate Dean will review the appeal, supporting documentation, and latest decision of OAS and meet with the student. The Associate Dean also may review any additional information deemed relevant to the appeal. The Associate Dean will then render a final written decision to the student preferably within ten business days of receiving the written appeal.
Grievance Procedure: Georgetown University’s Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Affirmative Action (IDEAA) reviews alleged violations of the University’s Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination in Education Policy, including allegations of unlawful discrimination on the basis of disability. The University encourages anyone who believes they have been subjected to unlawful discrimination or harassment to report the incident and seek redress through IDEAA’s Grievance Procedures. A student need not have exhausted the Law Center’s appeals process to report concerns to IDEAA. More information about IDEAA’s grievance process can be found on the IDEAA website or by emailing ideaa@georgetown.edu.
Your first step is to review the Important Dates for MPRE Test Accommodations. You must apply for accommodations and receive a determination before scheduling a test. It typically takes NCBE at least 25 business days to review a request. It is highly recommended that you submit your accommodation request 4-6 weeks prior to the recommended submission deadline. The later a request is submitted after the recommended submission date, the greater the chance the request will not be approved on the preferred date, time, or location.
Receipt of accommodations in law school does not ensure accommodations on the MPRE. Be sure to review the Documentation Guidelines for MPRE Test Accommodations and the MPRE Test Conditions for information regarding some of the most common testing accommodations available for the MPRE. Detailed information can be found at Prepare Your Request for MPRE Test Accommodations and/or Frequently Asked Questions For MPRE Test Accommodations. Students are directed to email mpreregistration@ncbex.org with any questions.
The Personal Narrative is an opportunity for you to describe how your disability or disabilities impact your ability to equitably access the Bar Exam. Be sure to explain why each accommodation you are requesting reasonably accommodates your access needs.
Students who register with OAS and are approved for reasonable accommodations may complete this History of Accommodations Request Form to request that OAS draft a letter verifying your approved accommodations at the Law Center.
If your request is denied or only partially granted and you do not agree with the decision, you may either submit an appeal or request reconsideration. OAS does not recommend taking the MPRE without accommodations if you intend to request accommodations for the Bar Exam. If you pass the MPRE without accommodations, this may impact your ability to receive accommodations for the Bar Exam.
You should review your specific state requirements and deadlines in order to compile documentation and apply for accommodations well in advance of your preferred test administration. The Law Center’s process of providing reasonable accommodations is not necessarily reflective of the process for the Bar Exam. It is not uncommon for a student to appeal an initial accommodation determination.
Students who register with OAS and are approved for reasonable accommodations may complete this History of Accommodations Request Form to request that OAS draft a letter verifying your approved accommodations at the Law Center.
The Personal Statement is an opportunity to describe how your disability or disabilities impact your access to the Bar Exam and how each accommodation you are requesting removes a barrier for equitable access. Please be sure to review the appropriate state’s instructions for writing the Personal Statement.
When planning an event, please keep in mind the inclusion of disabled participants and speakers in all aspects of planning, from choosing a physical space or venue and promoting the event to when participants exit the event. The Accessible Events Guide and Checklist for Making Your Events Accessible outline best practices for planning and publicizing accessible events. You can also refer to the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity & Affirmative Action’s Planning an Accessible Event website.
Individual Schools and Departments are responsible for arranging and paying for translation and interpretation services to ensure equal access to information, programs, and services, where required by law. For information on Georgetown’s Master Service Agreement with providers/suppliers and How-To Guidance for booking ASL Interpreting, CART, and other similar services, please review the Provider and Best Practices List for Translation and Interpretation Services at Georgetown University. If you have questions about the process for arranging language assistance services and/or compliance, please contact IDEAA at ideaa@georgetown.edu or 202-687-4798.
*Payment & Booking: As a reminder, if you are an event host, your team is responsible for booking and paying for these services and this should be included in the total event budget. If Law students have formal requests for ASL Interpreting and CART services in their classes, they should contact the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) to place these requests formally.