Temporary Impairment Accommodations

Eligibility Process

Eligibility is based on a case-by-case review. After talking with the student and reviewing the documentation, the OAR director will determine appropriate services and accommodations depending on how the student is limited in the academic and/or physical setting. The director will provide appropriate information so that the student may access the accommodations for which they are eligible.

In most situations, the student is responsible for requesting accommodations in a timely manner, and for following OAR policies and procedures for accessing accommodations as outlined below.

Steps for Temporarily Registering with OAR

1. Go to and complete the Disability Accommodation Form.
2. Please enter your Bucknell ID and email if known.
3. You will be prompted to upload documentation. If you do not have documentation at that time, you or your health care provider can send via email to OAR@bucknell.edu or fax to 570-577-1826.
4. If you have documentation to upload select "+Add Item" and include the document title and then choose the file you would like to upload. Please Note: the file size must be less than 2048kb. Please scan documents using the naming convention "Last Name, First Name Documentation" and provide a brief description.
5. You must click on the "I'm not a robot" in order to then click on "Submit."
6. Confirmation of your application status will be sent to your Bucknell email account.

Documentation delivered directly to OAR by you or your health care providers will be uploaded by OAR staff to your Accommodate portal.

The Director reviews all information/materials and assesses the status and necessity of the request. You will receive notification regarding your application status to your Bucknell email account. This notification will include instructions regarding the next steps that should be taken to complete registration.

To complete registration, you will attend a meeting with the Director of the OAR. During this meeting, your needs will be discussed and reasonable accommodations will be determined. You will also receive information regarding procedures for using accommodations during this meeting.

Please call the OAR if you have questions regarding the registration process.

Documentation Requirement

To determine necessary accommodations the Director of the OAR considers the following four factors: intake interview, supporting documentation, specific nature of the disability and the functional limitations of the disability.

The following information identifies the documentation required to be submitted to the OAR:

All Disabilities (Except Learning Disabilities)

The specific reporting format is left to the professional, but the requested information must be clearly presented, easily discernable and must mirror the information captured on the Disability Accommodation Request Form. Quality documentation should adhere to the following:

1. A qualified professional must conduct the evaluation. The name, title and professional credentials of the evaluator (including information about license or certification as well as the area of specialization), employment and state/province in which the individual practices should be clearly stated in the documentation. It is not considered appropriate for professionals to evaluate members of their own family.
2. The documentation must include a clear diagnostic statement that describes how the condition was diagnosed, provide information on the functional impact and detail the typical progression or prognosis of the condition.
3. The documentation must include a description of the diagnostic criteria, evaluation methods, procedures, tests and dates of administration, as well as a clinical narrative, observation and specific results. When appropriate to the nature of the disability, having both summary data and specific test scores within the report is essential (ex. for learning disabilities).
4. The documentation must be recent (within the past five years) and age-appropriate so as to determine the need for accommodations and/or services based on the individual’s current level of functioning in the educational setting. The diagnostic report should include specific recommendations for accommodations and/or academic adjustments as well as an explanation as to why each accommodation/adjustment is recommended. The evaluators should describe the impact the diagnosed disability has on a specific major life activity as well as the degree of significance of this impact on the individual. The evaluator should support recommendations with specific test results or clinical observations.
5. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain their documentation and to upload documentation into the OAR Accommodate online portal. If assistance is needed, please contact the OAR office at 570-577-1826. Any correspondence regarding the adequacy of the submitted documentation will be sent to the student’s Bucknell email account. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain additional information or clarification if requested.