Academic Forms and Policies

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Student Accessibility Center (SAC) is committed to ensuring all information and communication pertaining to a student's disability remains confidential as required or permitted by law. This document is designed to assist students, parents, faculty and staff understand what is and is not considered confidential information, who has access to SAC records, and disclosure and mandatory reporting obligations.

Rules Regarding Protected Information

Information such as registration with the SAC, documentation, and diagnosis is protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) confidentiality standards. Under the ADA, your diagnosis and documentation are considered confidential information. Being registered with the SAC will not become part of your permanent student records. Your degree and transcript will not reflect your affiliation with our office.

In addition, SAC operates under the Family Educational Rights Privacy Act (FERPA). Under FERPA, all Loyola University Chicago (LUC) employees are required to keep student information confidential from people who are not employed at LUC. This includes family members, employers, friends, or any other person who is not affiliated with LUC.

If you believe someone improperly accessed or disclosed your information, please let us know right away and we will investigate your concerns. You may also contact LUC Ethics Reporting Hotline at 885.603.6988

Disclosure of Protected Information

Disclosure

In order to determine eligibility for services, SAC does require that students disclose their diagnosis and provide supporting documentation. As part of new student registration documentation, an Authorization for Release of Information form is included. Information can only be disclosed to those authorized by the student. If at any time a student believes someone outside SAC is trying to get information about your diagnosis and the student prefers not to answer, refer the person to the SAC. SAC will then work with the person on the information that they are eligible to know.

SAC will not disclose your diagnosis to anyone without a written release from you. Your documentation and records with SAC are secure and kept within our office. SAC’s online system is also set up to protect your information. Only SAC staff have access to confidential information that may be entered in the system or is kept in our paper files.

Need-to-Know

Students’ registration with SAC will only be disclosed to LUC faculty and staff who have been established as "need-to-know." The student is in charge of whether an instructor is notified of eligibility for accommodations.

If a student is not interested in an instructor knowing that they are registered with the SAC, a student can choose not to provide the instructor with an accommodation letter. It is important to know that the instructor is not obligated to accommodate a student if they do not receive the accommodation letter. However, should a student wish to receive accommodations in a particular course, that instructor has a "need-to-know": 

1. Registration status with SAC
2. Approved accommodations

Before disclosing confidential information to other LUC faculty, staff, or departments, we will establish whether the information the person is requesting falls under "need-to-know."

How to Request Copies of SAC Student Files

Students have the right to request copies of documents in their SAC file. Please note that SAC cannot fax, email, or give the documents to a third party. If a student wants copies, they can come to the SAC office with a photo ID (LUC ID, state ID or driver’s license, passport, etc.) and request them. If the student is out of state, SAC can mail copies to the current address in LUC’s system. You can update this address at any time. Additionally, SAC can send files to LUC student email accounts via Loyola Secure Transfer.

Mandatory Reporting

There are occasions when SAC will disclose confidential information without a written release. All SAC and LUC staff are mandatory reporters. Staff may need to disclose confidential information under the following circumstances:

• Student talks about harm to self, someone else, or potential harm to a vulnerable person, such as a child.

• Student talks about harassment or discrimination on the part of LUC faculty, staff, or students.

• Student talks about certain types of assault, whether the assault occurred on campus or off-campus, and whether it occurred recently or in the past.

• If a medical emergency occurs in the SAC office, staff will give the emergency responders relevant information.

• If students file a lawsuit against LUC, SAC may be required to turn over a copy of records to the LUC attorneys.

If SAC staff believe a student is at risk of harm to self or others, the University protocol for contacting Loyola University’s Behavioral Concerns Team (BCT) will be followed. In such cases, information believed to be relevant to the current behavioral concern will be disclosed.