UNC-CH Accessibility Resources and Service - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Sophie Draghici

The ARS emailed my psychiatrist and said they don't "believe I meet the qualifications of an OCD diagnosis" ...to the person who diagnosed me with it. This was during my application for accommodations at UNC. I also applied for academic and housing accommodations multiple times and they never got back to me until I called months later. Overall very unprofessional and I will go out of my way to never work with the ARS again

Wise Pillow

Absolutely terrible.

The university gives the responsibility of extending time on quizzes and tests to the professors and teaching assistants. These guys have to go through training on how to extend time on Sakai for students who have exam extensions as their accommodations.

My TA's and professors had NO IDEA how to extend the times on exams.

In addition to this, they only extended time on one exam at the time. They could not figure out how to extend time for ALL exams or online quizzes during the semester at once. I had to continuously request and remind them of upcoming exams and the need for time extensions throughout the semester. They either did not respond to the email in time for the exam or they could not figure out the system and had to seek help. I was continuously placed in the position of not being able to receive my accommodations.

So, there were many times I was not able to receive the accommodations I am eligible for simply because my profs and TA's didn't know how to operate the system.

Not being able to get these accommodations breaks the laws that are in place that give students access to the classroom, and level the playing field, so that they can be successful. It's why they exist. I was definitely reasonable, but to get these time extensions on online exams was a constant battle that should not have happened.

To be honest, I was surprised to find myself in this situation at a school like UNC-CH. I transferred to UNC-CH from a "lesser" school and received prompt assistance in the classroom and with my accommodations. They were on top of it all the way.

I ultimately decided to transfer from the university. I now attend a university that is very prompt with giving me the accommodations I need to be successful in the classroom. All my time extensions for online quizzes were promptly given over to someone in IT and this person extended my time on all quizzes and exams for the WHOLE semester. There's no having to almost badger my professors or TA's to do the job. So, both teachers and students can be successful in the classroom.

I'm surprised that UNC-CH does not have the same set up. This is unacceptable overall, but even more so for a top university who has the means to help students with disabilities (and their professors) be successful in the classroom.

UNC-CH has had students before who have had to transfer because they couldn't get their accommodations met. One was a blind girl and people in ARS simply told her to get a student to describe stuff in the textbook for her. So, it can be pretty bad. Before you attend a university I suggest you do research on the ARS department. Often times the bigger the department the more time and resources are dedicated to the student and their success.

Good luck.

Alex Yousif

Absolutely awesome. One of the BEST departments at UNC. They help me out big time! If professors don’t comply with your accommodations they will advocate for you.

Zach Hibbard

Great staff, very flexible and gives students ample warning time for testing

Owen Osborne

Paige Metzgar