Disability & Accessibility Support Services

Our Mission

Our mission is to utilize our expertise in disability and higher education to deliver innovative and high-quality services and classroom accommodations to students with disabilities. We will facilitate and advocate for reasonable accommodations allowing students equal access to programs, activities, and services of the institution; cultivate opportunities for students to articulate their strengths; and advocate for necessary accommodations as well as identify and respond to the fluid nature of student needs and learning environments.

Our Vision

Our vision is an inclusive community that fosters the full participation and contribution of every member of the University of Michigan-Flint.

Our Goals

Evaluate eligibility for disability-related services and accommodations; determine reasonable accommodations and develop individualized plans; and provide advocacy, guidance and ongoing support to students with disabilities, including but not limited to adapted materials, testing accommodations, interpreting and captioning, note-taking, and document conversion.

Consult and collaborate with university faculty, staff and administrators to provide technical assistance, advice and information on providing students with equal access to educational activities and opportunities. Consistently measure program effectiveness.

Code of Ethics

Adapted from the AHEAD Code of Ethics, the following principles comprise the Code of Ethics for the Disability and Accessibility Support Services office at the University of Michigan-Flint. As professionals, we are responsible for upholding, supporting, and advancing these ideas whenever possible. To that end, Disability and Accessibility Services:

Equity and Inclusion

• Act as leaders and advocates for equitable and inclusive policies, procedures, and systems in all facets of campus and community life.
• Facilitate and advocate for the highest levels of access, inclusion, and equity for all disabled people.
• Strive to utilize and facilitate high-quality and effective processes, procedures, and services to promote equity and inclusion for disabled people within DASS and the institution.
• Recognize and value the importance of collaborating with the campus and community to promote access, equity, and inclusion.

Respect and Acknowledgment

• Act in ways that acknowledge, consider, and respect disabled peoples’ voices, lived experiences, and complex intersectional identities.
• Strive to respect the dignity, worth, and self-determination of all people.
• Take steps to develop an awareness of their potential biases, the boundaries of their competence, and the limitations of their experience to ensure that they do not lead to or condone unjust practices.
• Act in ways that respect and acknowledge diversity within higher education and work to create inclusive, equitable, and socially just environments for all.
• Act in ways that respect and acknowledge the professional expertise of campus and community colleagues, while recognizing that professionals may have differing opinions.

Professional Competence

• Work to achieve and maintain the highest levels of competence and integrity in their work to mitigate barriers to disabled people with various intersecting identities.
• Use objective professional judgment in making decisions that impact equitable access and inclusion.
• Continually participate in professional activities and educational opportunities to promote effective disability advocacy, social justice, resources, and services.
• Those who engage in scholarly activity contribute to the knowledge base of the profession in ways that respect participants, are accessible, and adhere to standards of federal, institutional, and local research ethics.
• Use a social justice perspective to work collaboratively with students and relevant campus and community stakeholders to support the profession.

Laws and Standards of Practice

• Support and clarify applicable local and federal laws to foster equity for disabled people.
• Value and act in ways that respect the confidential nature of records and information about disabled individuals as outlined by relevant federal and local laws.
• Value and carry out their responsibilities in accordance with the AHEAD Professional Standards and Program Standards. When certified, licensed, or affiliated with other professions or organizations, they value and comply with those professional guidelines as appropriate.

DASS Learning Outcomes

• Accommodation – DASS works interactively with students with disabilities on a one-on-one basis to determine reasonable accommodations based on their disabilities and the functional limitations they create. DASS also works to ensure accommodations do not fundamentally alter the nature of a program, cause an undue burden to the institution, or create a direct threat to the student or others.
• Belonging – We work to build community and help students with disabilities at UM-Flint understand that they belong and their experiences are valued.
• Equity & Inclusion – Students with disabilities bring a unique identity and set of experiences to the institution. DASS strives to ensure these experiences are recognized and barriers are removed either proactively or through accommodation.
• Campus Engagement– Many engagement opportunities exist in the campus community. DASS strives to ensure students with disabilities have the ability to participate in these opportunities. This is accomplished by ensuring access to these services, either proactively or by accommodation, or through individual consultation with the student.
• Knowledge of Self – DASS assists students with disabilities in understanding their disability, how it affects them, and how that informs their interaction with the world around them.