Hours of Operation
Hours of Operation
Professional staff: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Testing Center (Fall-Spring Hours): Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Testing Center (Summer Hours): Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Creating Accessible Learning Environments
St. Kate’s values diversity of all kinds, and considers disability another aspect of diversity. It’s our goal to address barriers to full participation in the academic and co-curricular experience—online and on campus.
Student Accessibility & Accommodations supports students with disabilities, as defined under the ADA, with reasonable accommodations for academics, housing, meal plans, and clinical/fieldwork. The process for receiving these accommodations is flexible, the student meets with our professional staff and participates in an interactive process where we talk through the students' diagnosis, and barriers they have or are experiencing. Together, staff and the student will explore appropriate accommodations and identify resources that may be beneficial to the student.
Student Accessibility and Accommodations staff have experience working with students impacted by many conditions, such as learning disabilities, chronic medical illness, ADD/ADHD, traumatic brain injury, psychiatric conditions, Autism spectrum disorders, hearing loss/Deafness and vision-based disabilities, etc.
Student Accessibility
How to Access Services
The first step to working with Student Accessibility and Accommodations is to contact our office to schedule an initial meeting. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with Student Accessibility and Accommodations.
All students are welcome to discuss their academic concerns with Student Accessibility and Accommodations.
Disability Verification
After your consultation, appropriate disability information and verification will be gathered from healthcare providers using these forms. Your past academic experiences, records of past accommodations and services used in high school or at another college/university will be considered, along with formal documentation, letters from healthcare, education or service providers.
Once documented information has been received, you will work with staff to collaborate on appropriate accommodations and resources for each course. You will receive accommodation letters to distribute to faculty members, and it is your responsibility to deliver them if you want to use the recommended accommodations. We encourage you to talk with faculty members about the accommodations and their implementation.
You are welcome to consult with Student Accessibility and Accommodations staff at any time regarding accommodation issues, problem-solving or any other concerns.
| Staff Member | Title | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Mariah Lossing | Director | mrlossing865@stkate.edu |
| Rachel Bierschbach | Access Consultant | rabierschbach908@stkate.edu |
| Sara Johnson | Access Consultant | smjohnson615@stkate.edu |
| Jessica Schiffler | Access Consultant | jmschiffler911@stkate.edu |
Resources and Support for Students
The services and accommodations through Student Accessibility and Accommodations are individualized and determined on a case-by-case basis.
These services may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Classroom accommodations
- Test accommodations
- Access to books and other course materials in an alternative format
- Regular meetings with Student Accessibility and Accommodations staff
- Sign language interpreters
- Use of assistive technology
- Clinical accommodation planning
- Referral to campus and community resources
- Disability accommodations for resident students
Resources and Support for Faculty
The services and accommodations through Student Accessibility and Accommodations are individualized and determined on a case-by-case basis.
Content regarding support for Faculty should be populated in this area.
According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, 19.1% of students in college have a disability. This is among one of the largest marginalized groups on all college campuses.
At St. Kate's, we serve students with a variety of conditions, including learning disabilities, chronic medical issues, ADD/ADHD, traumatic brain injury, psychiatric condition, autism spectrum disorder and temporary orthopedic surgeries.
The most common disabilities we are currently supporting are Mental health/psychiatric conditions (specifically anxiety, depression and PTSD) and learning disabilities (specifically ADD/ADHD). (2023)