Documentation Guidelines and Forms

DOCUMENTATION GUIDELINES

The Director of OARS makes the determination of qualifying disability statuses under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended in 2008. OARS takes appropriate steps to determine qualifying disability statuses under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended in 2008.

With guidance from the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), OARS accepts and considers information from three primary sources while screening applications: 

Based on the information provided, it is our responsibility to determine if the ADA qualifying standard has been met. Specifically, is there sufficient evidence that the applicant has a "physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities".

Our approach reflects a non-burdensome process that collects the level of documentation/information necessary to establish disability status. However, it should be noted that the quality and strength of the documentation received will determine the level and types of accommodations supported by Hampshire College's standards.

1. Student's self-report: We recognize that people with disabilities are experts of their own experiences and important sources of information. Accordingly, we welcome self-disclosures and personal histories as critical elements of the application screening process. 
2. Observation and interaction: In some cases, disability is apparent either in terms of presentation or effect, and OARS professional staff are experienced experts, able to make appropriate and reasonable judgments that contribute toward the determination of qualifying disability statuses even if temporary. 
3. Information from external or third parties: In many cases, it will be necessary to consider diagnostic documentation prepared by qualified medical/psychological professionals. The preferred type of documentation will depend upon the type of impairment (for instance, a current psycho-educational or neuropsychological evaluation for the diagnosis of a specific learning disability). 

Supporting Documentation: Every student must work with a professional care provider to complete a Supporting Documentation Form for Care Providers, or provide other documentation of a disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

You can submit one of the two forms below, or if you have any documentation verifying your diagnosis you may submit that instead. If you or your provider have questions, refer to our Documentation Guidelines (PDF)

1. If you are requesting any accommodation, you must have a professional care provider complete a Form for Care Providers (PDF) or provide relevant documentation from your care provider of the impact of your disability and connections to your requested accommodation. 
2. If you are requesting an Emotional Support Animal (ESA), your treating behavioral healthcare provider must instead complete an ESA Packet (PDF) or provide a letter documenting your disability-related need for an ESA. You must also provide uploaded records of recent veterinarian care, rabies vaccination and other current vaccinations as relevant, and municipal licensing information for dogs.

Documentation can be sent to the office via registering at our secure online form, accessible at oarsregistration.hampshire.edu. This is the most secure way to provide your documentation. 

Please note: this registration form will only work once. If you decide to upload your documentation after completing your self-report, you will need to use your Hampshire College login information to access your account on the OARS Portal, and use the "Documents" feature in the menu to upload directly to your account.