The philosophy of the ACCESS Services office at the Medical Campus is based on the belief that a student with a disability is a whole person with a particular disability. Society, not individuals, creates handicaps and barriers. College students with disabilities can and have made positive contributions to society. By obtaining a degree and college level training, many individuals with disabilities have been able to make the world a better place for all people, not just themselves. But, because of their particular disability, some students may need assistance in order to be included and achieve as a college student.

Therefore the mission of the ACCESS Services office at the Medical Campus is to coordinate and help provide those services that allow the student with a disability to perform to the maximum of his or her ability at the college level, given the equal opportunity to do so. The degree to which this happens depends primary upon the individual student. The real challenge for students with disabilities is to understand this opportunity and the available services and to use them as effectively and efficiently as possible.

All documentation of a student’s disability kept on file at the ACCESS Services office and a student’s status as a person with a disability is considered confidential. Information about a student’s disability is not discussed or revealed to any college faculty, staff, other students or any outside organization without the student’s written permission or release of information.