Office of Accessibility, Resources, and Services (OARS)

At Piedmont University, we are committed to fostering a welcoming, collaborative, and accessible campus environment for all students. The Office of Accessibility, Resources, and Services (OARS) supports this commitment by partnering with students, faculty, and staff to ensure equal access to academic programs, campus services, and university life.

OARS works collaboratively with students who experience physical, mental, psychological, or medical conditions to identify and implement reasonable accommodations that promote access, independence, and student success. Our goal is to create an academic, social, and physical environment where all students can fully participate and thrive.

Our Commitment to Accessibility

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, an individual with a disability is defined as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities (such as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, or working), has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment.

In alignment with these laws, Piedmont University provides reasonable academic and support accommodations based on each student’s individual needs. OARS engages in an interactive process with students to determine appropriate accommodations that support equitable access while maintaining the integrity of academic programs and university standards.

Disability Support Services

Support for Every Student

Disability Support Services are available to all Piedmont University students who may need accommodations or accessibility-related support. OARS welcomes students at any stage of their academic journey and encourages early communication to ensure timely support.

Students may contact OARS by emailing oars@piedmont.edu to ask questions, request information, or schedule an appointment. Meetings are available by appointment and may be conducted in person or virtually, as appropriate.

Requesting Accommodations

Students seeking to request accommodations—whether academic, housing, dietary, or related to emotional support animals—should begin by contacting the Office of Accessibility, Resources, and Services (OARS).

To request initial accommodations, please email oars@piedmont.edu or use the button below to begin the accommodation request process.

As part of the accommodation process, students may be asked to provide documentation from a qualified healthcare or other licensed professional who is familiar with the student’s disability and its impact on their functioning. Documentation should be dated within the past two years and should provide enough information for OARS to understand the student’s current functional limitations and determine whether a reasonable accommodation is appropriate.

Provider documentation should address:

• The student’s diagnosis or disability, as appropriate;
• The functional limitations resulting from the disability, particularly as they relate to the university environment;
• How the disability impacts the student’s ability to access or participate in university programs, services, activities, or housing; and
• The specific accommodation(s) being recommended, including an explanation of the disability-related need for the recommended accommodation.

Documentation should reflect an established treating relationship between the student and provider. An evaluation or assessment conducted solely for the purpose of providing documentation for an accommodation request does not, by itself, constitute an established treating relationship.

OARS reviews documentation as part of an interactive process with the student. Additional information may be requested when necessary to clarify the student’s functional limitations or disability-related need for an accommodation. Documentation is considered on an individual basis, and the submission of documentation does not automatically guarantee approval of a requested accommodation.

OARS staff will guide students through the next steps and provide support throughout the interactive process. Piedmont University encourages students to engage with OARS proactively so that accommodations can be considered and implemented in a timely and effective manner.

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) may be approved as a reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities who have a disability-related need for an animal in university housing. An ESA provides support that alleviates or mitigates one or more symptoms or functional limitations associated with a student’s disability.

Students who are seeking an ESA accommodation in university housing should submit a request through the OARS Accommodate Portal. As part of the interactive process, students will be asked to provide documentation from a licensed healthcare or mental-health provider who has an established treating relationship with the student. Documentation should describe the student’s disability-related functional limitations, explain the connection between those limitations and the need for an ESA, and support the necessity of the accommodation in university housing. An evaluation or assessment conducted solely for the purpose of providing documentation for an ESA request does not, by itself, constitute an established treating relationship.

Each request is reviewed individually based on the information provided. Approval of an ESA is not automatic, and submitting documentation does not guarantee that an accommodation will be approved. OARS may request additional information when necessary to determine eligibility and the reasonableness of the requested accommodation.

For questions about the ESA accommodation process, please contact our office. Read the Animal Policy here.

Temporary Accommodations

Piedmont University recognizes that students may experience short-term or temporary conditions that can impact their access to academic programs or campus services. Temporary accommodations may be appropriate for students with conditions such as injuries, concussions, post-surgical recovery, pregnancy-related conditions, or other short-term medical circumstances.

OARS works with students on a case-by-case basis to determine reasonable, time-limited accommodations designed to support access during the period of impact. Temporary accommodations are typically approved for a defined duration and may be adjusted, extended, or discontinued based on updated information or changing needs.

Students seeking temporary accommodations are encouraged to contact OARS as soon as possible to discuss their situation and available support options.

Appeals Process