Spartanburg Methodist College is committed to ensuring equal access for persons with disabilities in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act as amended (ADAAA).

Disability Definition

The term "disability" means, with respect to an individual:

(A) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual;

(B) a record of such an impairment; or

(C) being regarded as having such an impairment (as described in paragraph (3)).

What are “Major Life Activities”?

In general, major life activities include, but are not limited to, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working to include the operation of major bodily functions.  Major bodily functions includes but is not limited to, functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, and reproductive functions.

How Do I Apply for Accommodations at SMC?

• Complete the Intake Form
• Provide documentation of your disability; guidelines for documenting various disabilities may be found below:
  • Guidelines for ADHD
  • Guidelines for Learning Disabilities
  • Guidelines for Physical Disabilities or Chronic Medical Conditions
  • Guidelines for Psychiatric or Psychological Disorders
• AR staff will review the intake form and documentation and contact the student to arrange an intake interview to collaboratively determine which accommodations the student may need to have equal access to the college’s academics, programs, and services.

Chronic Medical Disability

Students with chronic medical conditions should also complete the Chronic Medical Disability Form; if the student has a seizure disorder such as epilepsy or a condition that is seizure-like in nature, the student and his/her medical provider(s) or treating professional(s) should also complete the Medical Action Plan Request Form.

• • Chronic Medical Disability Form
  • Chronic Medical Disability Form (Printable)
  • Medical Action Plan Request Form
  • Medical Action Plan Request Form (Printable)

Special Housing Accommodations for a Disability

Students who need special housing accommodations related to a disability or medical condition should complete the Special Housing Accommodations for a Disability Form.

• • Special Housing Accommodations for a Disability Form
  • Special Housing Accommodations for a Disability Form (Printable)

Requests for Service or Assistance Animals

Students may request a Service or Assistance Animal as an accommodation for a disability through Student Accessibility Resources. Please see the Service and Assistance Animal Policy for SMC. The forms to request to have an assistance animal in campus housing or to register to have a service animal on campus are below.

• • Assistance / Emotional Support Animal Verification Form (web version)
  • Assistance / Emotional Support Animal Verification Form (Printable) 
  • Service & Assistance Animal/Emotional Support Animal Registration Form
  • Assistance / Emotional Support Animal Consent & Release Form

COVID-19 Special Housing Accommodations

For students who have the serious underlying conditions as stated by the CDC and who would like to request special housing related to COVID-19, please complete the COVID-19 Special Housing Request Form.

• • COVID-19 Special Housing Request Form
  • COVID-19 Special Housing Request Form (Printable)

Testing Accommodations/ Guidelines

Students who are registered with Accessibility Resources and have testing accommodations for a disability are welcome to take tests in the Accessibility Resources testing areas.

• Requests to take tests in AR must be received from the student at least 2 business days prior to the test.
• The student must also ask the professor about taking the test in AR.
• Students must leave all items that will not be needed in the testing room with Accessibility Resources staff. This includes, but is not limited to, book bags, laptops, cell phones, books, notebooks, etc.
• The student must take the test at the same time as the class is testing. If doing so would pose a problem because the student has a class right after the class in which a test is being given, arrangements may be made to start the test early or take it later the same day. STUDENTS MAY NOT START A TEST, LEAVE FOR CLASS, AND THEN RETURN LATER IN THE DAY TO COMPLETE THE TEST.
• Students should start the test at the scheduled time; taking the test later than the scheduled time in order to study some more is not equal access.

To request to take a test in Accessibility Resources, please complete this test request form.

• Tutoring Services
• Upswing Online Tutoring
• The Write Place
• SMC Library
• Pioneer Advising Center (PAC)
• SMC Counseling Center