Accommodations at VLGS

Disability Policy and Reasonable Accommodation Request Form

Title VI: Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Lisa Ryan, lryan@vermontlaw.edu, (802) 831-1079

Section 504: Vice Dean for Students Joe Brennan, jbrennan@vermontlaw.edu, (802) 831-1244

Title IX: Title-IX Coordinator Jessica Durkis-Stokes, jdurkisstokes@vermontlaw.edu, (802) 831-1274

Age Act: Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Lisa Ryan, lryan@vermontlaw.edu, (802) 831-1079

Vermont Law and Graduate School strives to be supportive of the academic and personal needs of all of its students and prospective students and is committed to helping those with disabilities participate fully in the application process and the life of the law school.

Vermont Law and Graduate School is required by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide reasonable adjustments and  accommodations for students and prospective students with disabilities if such accommodations are necessary to provide equitable access to our programs and services. Both the ADA regulations and Section 504 protect individuals, including prospective student’s from discrimination and ensure reasonable accommodations. VLGS’s complete Disability Policy and Procedures can be found in the Student Handbook (link to the handbook, below, on the bottom of this page).

At Vermont Law and Graduate School, Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Lisa Ryan is the Section 504 Coordinator and certifies student and prospective students disabilities that have been documented by a qualified professional on an individual basis and recommends reasonable accommodations as appropriate given the nature of the student’s disability and any relevant academic requirements. While Vermont Law and Graduate School strives to accommodate students and prospective students as fully as possible, reasonable accommodations do not include measures that fundamentally alter the academic program, place undue burden on the institution, or create a direct threat situation that could cause harm to an individual or others.

NOTE: Students and prospective students should not assume that information indicating the presence of a disability included in their application to VLGS is known to Dean Ryan. Students and prospective students seeking an accommodation for a disability must make a direct request to Dean Ryan via the process below. You can reach out to Dean Ryan (Section 504 Coordinator) with questions at lryan@vermontlaw.edu.



How to Request an Accommodation for a Disability

  • Carefully read all information on this page.
  • Download and read the Documentation Guidelines and the accompanying Summary Cover Sheet pertinent to your disability (available below).
  • Complete the online Disability Accommodation Request Form. As part of the online Disability Accommodation Request Form, you may upload scanned copies (.pdfs) of medical reports and other documents required under the Documentation Guidelines (e.g. your health care professional’s report(s) and signed Summary Cover Sheet). If you cannot upload scanned copies of your medical documentation, you may bring it to Dean Ryan, located on the second floor of Debevoise Hall, or mail it to:

Vermont Law and Graduate School
Attn: Dean Ryan Section 504 Coordinator
164 Chelsea Street, PO Box 96
South Royalton, VT 05068

  • Click the “Submit Completed Form” button.
  • You should receive an email confirming receipt of your request soon after you submit it.

If you have a unique situation that you believe the process above does not adequately address, please contact Dean Ryan directly.

Evaluation of Requests

All requests for services ADA accommodations and academic accommodations will be evaluated by the Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in accordance with Vermont Law and Graduate School policies and the law. The provision of accommodations in a previous educational setting does not guarantee that they will be approved here. Please be aware that in some cases Dean Ryan may need to request additional information or clarification from your health care professional.

Timing

Students and prospective students are urged to submit requests and any necessary supporting documentation as soon as possible because the review process can take up to 30 days. Please be aware that your request cannot be considered until all necessary documentation has been submitted (you will be contacted if any required documentation is missing). 
For current students, as a rule, accommodations based on requests made less than 14 days prior to the first day of exam period will not be implemented until the following term. Similarly, accommodations based on requests made less than 14 days prior to any midterm examination will not be implemented until after the midterm.

Documentation Guidelines

Students requesting accommodations for a physical, psychiatric, or learning disability must provide current documentation verifying the disability and providing recommended accommodations. The documentation required varies depending on the nature of the disability. 

Pursuant to “Step 2” (above), you should download and read the Documentation Guidelines pertinent to your disability. If you have more than one type of disability (e.g. a physical disability and a learning disability), you should download more than one set of Documentation Guidelines.

Student Handbook