Getting Started with Accessibility Resources
Wherever you are in your academic journey, please follow the process below to start receiving accommodations for disability-related barriers. This process is for any student seeking accommodations, including, but not limited to:
- incoming first-year students
- current students
- online-only students
- extended campus students
- PSEO students
The Process
Students with disabilities do not have to report or identify themselves to Accessibility Resources unless they want to request accommodations for barriers related to their disability. There are two ways to get started:
- Complete the process online, on your own, with the MavAccess New Student Application and schedule an intake interview; OR,
- Directly schedule an intake meeting with staff in Accessibility Resources by calling 507-389-2825, emailing ar@mnsu.edu, or stopping by Accessibility Resources in Memorial Library 132.
For the online option, follow these instructions:
Step 1: Complete the MavAccess New Student Application
- Log into MavAccess with your Star ID SSO here:
MavAccess - Under Application Center, click Start/Resume Application.
- Read the Introduction, and then under Application for Accommodations, click Start New Application.
- There are three pages to the application: Application for Accommodations, Questionnaire, and the optional Documentation Files.
- Answer the questions with as much information as possible. Your responses will assist Accessibility Resources staff as they develop the most effective accommodation plan to fit your needs.
- Click Submit Application.
Step 2: Schedule an Intake Interview
The Intake Interview is a one-on-one meeting with an Accessibility Resources staff member, who will become your Access Coordinator.
- The purpose of the interview is for us to get to know you: as a student, as an individual with a disability, and as a whole person.
- Prepare to discuss the barriers you encounter due to your disability. This includes both in the classroom and elsewhere on campus.
- If you are unsure of technical terms, that is okay! We will work with you to understand your experience.
- Plan for it to be about an hour. It can be done in person, virtually over Teams or Zoom, or over the phone - it's up to you!
Schedule Your New Student Intake Interview
If this form does not work for you, you can also schedule by contacting us: call 507-389-2825, email ar@mnsu.edu, or stop by our office at 132 Memorial Library.
If you need accommodations related to housing, you will want to visit this page next: Housing and Dining Accommodations
Please Note: You may be asked to provide documentation of your disability to help determine eligibility for accommodations. If you already have documentation, you can upload it to MavAccess, email it to us at ar@mnsu.edu, have your provider fax it to us at 507-389-1199, or bring it with you to your scheduled meeting. We also have templates available on our website that you can give to your provider if you prefer. If you don’t have documentation, and if it is needed, we will help you at the initial meeting.
Detailed information about what we seek in this paperwork can be found within our Documentation Guidelines. Any information or documentation regarding the disability is kept confidential.
If at any point you run into a roadblock or have a question about the process, contact us. We can guide you through it.
