Carnegie Mellon University

Specific Service Requests

Below are common services requested and their guidelines. For more information about requesting student accommodations, please visit our page on obtaining student accommodations. As a reminder, CMU faculty and staff in need of any of the accommodations described below are invited to contact Human Resources.

Proctored Exams

Requests for proctored exams should be submitted a minimum of five calendar days in advance to be assured of this service.

To submit an exam request, students registered with Disability Resources should log into our secure online portal. Students must first be registered with Disability Resources and approved for alternative testing accommodations before they can schedule an exam. For more information on alternative testing, review the Alternative Testing FAQ.

Flexible Assignment Completion Dates

Students with some kinds of chronic conditions may require flexibility with assignment completion dates where possible and appropriate.  This is a complex accommodation and should be discussed and reviewed carefully with the Office of Disability Resources. If you are approved for this accommodation by our office, please complete the Flexible Assignment Completion Student Faculty Agreement Form located in our secure online portal, or alternatively use the PDF version of the form to develop specific agreements with each faculty member in classes where you may need flexibility with course assignments.

Interpreter and CART Requests

To ensure that Interpreter or Live Captioning/CART service is available, students should work with our office to incorporate this need into their overall accommodations plan. Initial requests for service should be submitted at least 30 days in advance of the anticipated need. For one-time events, you may submit an interpreter or captioning request form (PDF).

Books in Alternate Formats

Eligible students may wish to order their textbooks on tape from a national reading service, such as Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFBD), or to have their textbooks provided to them in e-text format. Individuals may wish to order event handouts, class texts or university publications in an alternate format, such as e-text or braille. To facilitate these services, please email the Office of Disability Resources.

Emergency Waiting Areas

If you are a student with a disability that prevents you from evacuating a building in an emergency, you must notify the Office of Disability Resources. We will work with Environmental Health and Safety, Campus Police and Health Services to place you on the Emergency Waiting Area list and to create a plan to assist you in the event of an emergency.

Service Animal Guidelines

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals are welcome in all university facilities. Service animals are defined as dogs or miniature horses that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.

Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a service animal has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Service animals must be properly harnessed, leashed, tethered or otherwise controlled at all times. The university may require the removal of a service animal that is out of control or disruptive. Service animals that are not house-broken may also be removed.

We invite you to read more about regulations and best practices related to Service Animals.

Emotional Support Animals

An emotional support animal (ESA) is an animal that provides comfort, companionship, or emotional support to assist with symptom management or relief for an individual with a mental health disability. Students must seek approval from the Office of Disability Resources if they wish to be considered for an ESA. If you are interested in seeking approval for an ESA, please review the ESA Guidelines and ESA Approval Process documents in detail, and then contact Disability Resources or apply online via our online portal.

Short-Term Disabilities

Students with short-term conditions that substantially limit their ability to complete day-to-day work at the university may be considered for assistance via Disability Resources. If you believe you are in need of services due to a short-term condition, please email the Office of Disability Resources.