Center for Student Disability Services
How students can access disability services at their CUNY college.
The Center for Student Disability Services (CSDS), located in 138 Roosevelt Hall, is committed to ensuring that students with disabilities enjoy an equal opportunity to participate in the classrooms, programs, and services that the college has to offer by facilitating the necessary accommodations. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, no otherwise qualified person with a disability shall be denied a benefit or opportunity or be excluded from participation solely on the basis of that disability. Services provided by the center include:
- Preadmission interviews
- Priority registration
- Accommodations
- A CUNY LEADS counselor who facilitates successful academic and career outcomes
- Referrals to the most appropriate resources on campus
- Assistance in developing self-advocacy skills
- ADA Part-Time TAP Program
- Assistive technology
- Auxiliary aids (readers, writers, laboratory assistants)
- New York State voter registration
In addition, the center offers adaptive equipment for studying. taking tests, tutoring, and other academic activities. A wide variety of equipment and software is available, including a Dragon dictate speech-recognition system, a scanner with screen-access software, a text-to-speech synthesizer, magnification systems, CCTV systems, 17-inch VGA display monitors, braille and large print keyboards, and a braille printer. Computers allow many documents to be accessible in alternative formats, such as braille print or vocalized text.
Adaptive equipment and software are available through the center's computer lab and its Mamie and Frank Goldstein Resource Center, 138 Roosevelt Hall. For more information, call 718.951.5538. Accessible computers are located throughout the campus.
National Voter Registration Act
Under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, the Center for Student Disability Services is an agency-based registration site, where students are offered the opportunity to become registered voters. Applications are available in 138 Roosevelt Hall. The New York State Board of Elections website has more information.
Conflict Resolution
Every effort is made to ensure that students with disabilities are provided with appropriate accommodations and academic adjustments which are determined on a case-by-case basis.
We work collaboratively with students and the campus community to provide access to students with disabilities registered with the Center for Student Disability Services.
In the event that the services do not meet students' expectations, they should follow the procedure listed below:
- Provide an explanation of the situation in writing to the director of the center, located in 138 Roosevelt Hall.
- An appointment will be arranged with the director to discuss the situation.
- A second appointment may be made if additional documentation is requested.
- If after the final meeting the issue is still unresolved, the student should make an appointment with the vice president for student affairs, 2113 Boylan Hall.
- If the problem still cannot meet a resolution and the question concerns access and accommodations, then the student should appeal to the Office of Diversity and Equity Programs, 2147 Boylan Hall.
- In the event that the problem cannot be resolved after all steps have been taken, a formal complaint can be filed with the Office of Civil Rights.
