UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN River Falls

Student Handbook

Disability Resource Center

Disability Resource Center

drc@uwrf.edu
Phone: 715-425-0740
Secure Fax, confidential: 715-425-0742
Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
123 Rodli Hall

Mission

The mission of the Disability Resource Center at UW-River Falls is to arrange opportunity for students with disabilities to have equal access in the way of academic accommodations, while inclusively being involved in the campus community and culture.

We believe our community is enriched by diversity and we direct our focus by furthering the education, understanding, and advancement of students with disabilities. We commit to fostering an inclusive campus environment for all students, demolishing the stigma attached to the word disability. We empower students to effectively communicate their needs, strengths, and barriers in order to provide equal opportunities in the classroom and other university-sponsored programs. We welcome advocacy allies among campus peers, faculty and staff. The Disability Resource Center encourages suggestions to further establish a culture of understanding and awareness in relation to the disability population served on our campus.

The DRC is driven to provide learning outcomes that represent the needs of the students we serve. Our goals are to Foster Independence in students, Reduce Barriers in the academic environment, and Promote Inclusion on campus and in the community.

Accommodations

An accommodation is typically an adjustment in the way things are done, not an adjustment in the curriculum. An accommodation could be a different way to receive important information for a course, such as using an audio textbook in conjunction with the hardcopy. It could also be a different way to do important things such as having additional time to take tests.

Students who want accommodations are expected to do the following three things: 

1. Complete the New Student Application found on the Disability Resource Center's main page

2. Share documentation to support an accommodation request. Written information from an expert clinician, often a doctor, should adequately explain the nature of the student's medical, physical, sensory, or brain-related issue, and how it creates an important reason for specific kinds of accommodations. An upload link is provided during the application process and once the application is successfully submitted.

3. Request an Intake Appointment by calling 715-425-0740 during office hours, or email drc@uwrf.edu.

Depending on individual circumstances, the process to set up an accommodation usually takes 2-3 weeks. If a student is unable to provide appropriate, supporting documentation, accommodation processing can take considerable time. Temporary accommodations may be an option to those who have a history of accommodations, but are waiting for updated documentation. Any student interested in having accommodations should contact the Disability Resource Center a couple months prior to attending their first semester at UWRF. If a current student has a new diagnosis which could substantially affect their academic responsibilities, we strongly encourage beginning the process by completing the New Student Application as linked above. 

Director of DRC: Alicia Reinke-Tuthill

Access Coordinator: Zoe Foster

Accommodations Coordinator: Lee Spindler