Registered SAS Students

Activating accommodations

Each term students registered with SAS are expected to activate accommodations in their courses through the Student Portal. Activating accommodations does three things:

• Informs instructors of accommodation requirements;
• Opens access to relevant sections of the student portal (e.g. Booking tests and exams);
• Indicates an active status in the SAS database, for records keeping purposes.

Even if you only have accommodations that do not get shared with instructors (e.g. registration related accommodations, campus transportation, classroom equipment), it is important that you activate your accommodations each term.

Updating accommodations

SAS recognizes that experiences of disability and changes of symptoms can happen gradually or suddenly. Your accessibility coordinator is available to help navigate how changes to your situation impact your academic participation.

It is important to review your accommodations with your accessibility coordinator whenever you are make a change to your academic program. Coordinators are knowledgeable about how academic accommodations interact with different program requirements. This is particularly true when students move from undergraduate degrees into graduate or professional programs.

Updated medical documentation is required when:

• the original documentation indicated an expiry date;
• there is a new or significantly updated diagnosis;
• the requested accommodation update is outside the scope of the original documentation;
• a psycho-educational assessment was completed more than 5 years previous and it was completed prior to the student turning 18 years old.

Booking appointments

You may book check-in appointments with your Accessibility Coordinator throughout the year to discuss resources, ask questions and mention concerns. Appointments are available in-person on both campuses, over the phone or virtually.  SAS uses a centralized booking system meaning you can book your appointments in two ways:

• Using the "Book Appointments" section of the Student Portal.
• Contact the SAS confidential intake team by phone or by email to schedule an appointment. 

When making an appointment, it is helpful for your accessibility coordinator to know what you would like to meet about in advance. Please complete the short appointment questionnaire when booking online or provide the confidential intake team a brief idea of what you would like to discuss at your meeting. 

Booking policy for timed assessments

The SAS Exam Centre has limited space and additional time is required to ensure all exam accommodations can be met. As a result, there are quiz, test, midterm and final exam booking deadlines in place. Bookings should be made through the Student Portal.

Quiz, test, mid-term deadlines (not April or December):

• Fall and Winter terms:  2 weeks (14 days) prior to the class date of the timed assessment.
• Spring and Summer terms: 1 week (7 days) prior to the class date of the timed assessment.

Final exam deadlines (April and December):

• April test, mid-term and final exam booking deadline: March 15.
• December test, mid-term and final exam booking deadline: November 15.

Environmental policies

The SAS Exam Centre is a quiet, fragrance free and food free zone to maintain the safety of students who have allergies or other sensitivities.

• Food and snacks are NOT allowed in the SAS testing spaces unless there is a medically documented reason. Please leave all food in your bag outside of the exam space. If necessary, you may step out of the exam room for a quick snack and return to the exam room. Please note – your time will not be paused.
• Respect other students' sensitivities by minimizing noise and other disturbances.
• Refrain from wearing heavy scents to which others could be allergic or sensitive.
• Do not bring valuables as you may be asked to leave them in an area of the exam room out of your line of sight.
• Cellphones are NOT permitted in the exam room, will be removed if discovered and an incident report will be filed.

Please remember to bring:

• Student identification for check-in.
• A basic watch for keeping time. Cellphones and smartwatches are not permitted unless otherwise indicated.
• Water bottle.
• Only what is allowed and required for the test.
• For tests or exams on UMLearn, bring your personal device and sign in using the UM Secure network.
• For students using assistive technology, bring a basic set of plug-in headphones (no wireless or Bluetooth capability).

Final exam deferral procedure

If something happens and you are unable to write a final exam, please follow these steps:

• Let the SAS Exam Centre know you are cancelling a previously booked exam and indicate you will apply for a deferral.
• Follow your home faculty final exam deferral process. For example, a student in the Faculty of Science taking ARTS 1110, will request a deferral using the Faculty of Science procedure.
  • Make sure to indicate to your faculty advisor that you will write the deferral in the SAS exam centre.

Volunteer note sharing

Volunteer note sharing is a SAS program that anonymously pairs a volunteer notetaker in a course with a student with the note sharing accommodation. The note sharing program is based on available volunteers, which means SAS cannot guarantee notes will be available in any specific course each term. The purpose of this program is to provide supplemental notes to students who struggle with notetaking in their courses. This program is not intended to replace personal notetaking. 

Notetaking is a necessary skill and practice for university students. The Academic Learning Centre offers many opportunities to develop notetaking skills through workshops, coaching and online materials.

Register for an ALC Workshop

Career search assistance

SAS and Career Services can provide assistance in your career search. As you begin your job search, ask yourself: as a future employee, and a person with a disability, what do you want and need in a workplace? This should help guide your job search.

Here are some common questions you may ask in the process: