Some people experience barriers due to the design of academic and campus experiences; in these cases accommodations may be needed. You will find information below about accommodations and other resources to increase access to your time here at Metropolitan State University.
Metropolitan State's the Center for Accessibility Resources (CAR) is designated as the office that works with students to determine reasonable and appropriate accommodations, and provide access to classes, programs and other activities. Through an interactive process, we facilitate access through either reasonable accommodation or by redesigning aspects of the university experience.
Getting started
Connecting with CAR to request reasonable accommodations is a simple process. Please read this information to learn more about what is required. This process is applicable for students on the Saint Paul, Midway, Minneapolis and Brooklyn Park campuses, as well as any other location hosting Metropolitan State courses.
Plan Ahead
Request accommodations prior to or at the start of the term. If you don't know if you are eligible for accommodations, review eligibility for accommodations. Requests must be made to CAR.
New students that have not previously registered with CAR
Complete the online CAR registration form. Have your Metropolitan State student ID number and StarID available. Expect to spend between 5 and 15 minutes to complete this form.
Contact CAR by phone or email to set up an appointment for a welcome interview. Plan to spend up to 60 minutes at this appointment. Gather any documentation about your disability and/or past use of accommodations that will assist CAR in considering your request.
Everyone is unique. A conversation about your experiences will help identify the information necessary to support your accommodation requests. Don't delay setting up an appointment to meet with CAR if you don't have any formal disability related documentation. If documentation is needed, CAR staff will provide you with guidance about what specific information may be needed.
Who we serve
Sometimes students may not identify as having a disability and that is okay; we will meet with students to determine if they are eligible. If you are wondering if what you experience is considered a disability or not, here are some common reasons that students come to see us. Note: this is not an exhaustive list. If you aren't sure, please contact CAR to set up an appointment to discuss further.
Formal diagnosis of a condition or impairment such as:
- Traumatic or acquired brain injury
- Learning disabilities: i.e. dyslexia, dyscalculia, auditory processing disorder, dysgraphia, language processing disorder, non-verbal learning disabilities, etc.
- Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
- Psychiatric: i.e. depression, anxiety, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), etc.
- Chronic pain
- Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Chronic illness: i.e. diabetes, migraine, cancer, digestive disorders (Crohn's, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome [IBS]), etc.
- Mobility: spinal cord injury, arthritis, neuropathy, cerebral palsy (CP), multiple sclerosis (MS), muscular dystrophy (MD), etc.
- Blindness or low vision
- Deaf, Hard of hearing, Deaf/Blind
Sometimes students experience barriers but have not received a formal diagnosis. Some common barriers students we serve experience are:
- Focus and/or concentration
- Memory/processing information from a specific format, such as printed text
- Sitting for long periods
- Distractions during exams: i.e. general noise, people moving around, lighting, room temperature, etc.
- Timed exams