Welcome to Student Disability Resources (SDR) at Penn State Hazleton.

We are committed to providing a welcoming, encouraging, and empowering environment for students with disabilities to ensure equal access, full participation and reasonable accommodations for their academic pursuits. Student Disability Resources is responsible for coordinating support services, reasonable academic accommodations and promoting disability awareness in the university community. The Student Disability Resources team is committed and prepared to assist students with disabilities to reach their academic goals.

Student Disability Resources (SDR) is the designated office that provides reasonable accommodations and services to students with disabilities.   This office: 

  • requests and maintains disability-related documents
  • certifies eligibility for services
  • and determines and develops plans for reasonable accommodations such as academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and/or services as mandated under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Student Disability Resources (SDR) Registration Process

Students who are seeking services at Penn State must self-disclose the need for academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and/or services to the Student Disability Resources office at the Penn State campus they are attending.

In order for a student's disorder or impairment to be considered a disability, the student must demonstrate through documentation that the disorder/impairment meets the definition of a disability under Title II of the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

Self-Advocacy

As part of building self-advocacy skills, it is extremely important that you, the Penn State student, complete these steps/forms, not your parent or other concerned individual. If you are not certain how to answer a question, please feel free to ask a parent or other concerned individual for suggestions, but you should enter the answers yourself. Learn more about parents' role in the reasonable accommodation process.

If you had accommodations in K-12, the U.S. Department of Education offers great advice for students with disabilities preparing for postsecondary education.

Please follow the steps below to determine if you are eligible to receive academic accommodations at Penn State Hazleton.

Step 1. Complete the SDR Request Form

The SDR Request Form lets us know you are interested in knowing more about SDR at Penn State Hazleton. It takes about 5 minutes to complete and asks for basic information, such as your full name, PSU ID number, campus address, cell phone, etc.

The form should be completed by all students, including current or newly admitted Penn State Hazleton students, Penn State students transferring to Penn State Hazleton and who were registered with SDR services at another Penn State campus, and students transferring from a college outside the Penn State system.

Step 2. Complete the Online Introductory Questionnaire

The Online Introductory Questionnaire begins the actual registration process and should be completed after Step 1 and within 30 days of your registration appointment (see Step 4). It takes about 30 minutes to complete and asks for more detailed information about your diagnosis and academic needs, such as the name and description of your diagnosis, how your diagnosis affects your learning, which accommodations you’ve had in the past, the name and dosage of medications you take, your health and psychological history, family diagnosis similarities, etc., so be sure to collect any needed information before you begin the Online Introductory Questionnaire.

This Online Introductory Questionnaire is for current or newly admitted Penn State Hazleton students only. If you were registered for SDR services at another Penn State campus, you do not need to complete this form. Please request your file be sent to Penn State Hazleton from your previous Penn State campus.

Step 3. Collect and Submit Required Documentation

Please review the Documentation Guidelines found on Penn State’s primary Student Disability Resources (SDR) website and remember that all disability documentation and/or verification forms must have original signatures from the health or medical professional currently treating you for the diagnosis for which you are requesting reasonable academic accommodations. Recent secondary school documentation, such as Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or Section 504 Plans, may assist in Student Disability Resources’ determination for services, but their sole submission may not meet Penn State's Student Disability Resources documentation requirements.

The Penn State Third-Party Verification Form and/or other formal medical evaluations are often also needed to determine services. There is a link for Penn State's Third-Party Verification Form on the right side of the Documentation Guidelines page.  

Step 4. Schedule a Registration Meeting

After completing steps 1-3, contact the Student Disability Resources office at Penn State Hazleton to schedule an appointment. You can make this appointment several ways:

1. Email [email protected] with your availability by listing three or four one-hour time periods from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday - Friday.

2. Call 570-450-3017. If you need to leave a message, please speak clearly leaving your name and PSU ID number so your call can be returned.

3. Stop by Butler 203E in the Student Success Center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday.

Note: If you can't make your appointment, please contact Tammy Spevak at [email protected] or 570-450-3017 as soon as possible so that she can release the time slot.

** Be sure to bring your PSU ID to all SDR appointments, and sign in at the kiosk at the reception desk.**

 

Scholarships

Several scholarships are available to students with disabilities. These scholarships are administered by Student Disability Resources (SDR) at University Park. Learn more about the eligibility criteria and application procedures or contact Tammy Spevak at Penn State Hazleton at 570-450-3017.