Short-Term Accommodations: Support for Temporary Illness or Injury

Tulane University recognizes that students with temporary, restrictive conditions that are a result of injuries, surgeries, or short-term illnesses may need additional support.  Temporary injuries and illnesses (e.g., lasting less than 6 months) are not considered disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, the Office of Case Management & Victim Support Services may provide support for temporary accommodations as a courtesy service when feasible. The University does recognize that temporary conditions and injuries can be problematic and may adversely affect a student’s ability to fully participate in class. This webpage is designed to inform students with these conditions of strategies and resources which may be beneficial.

Examples of temporary conditions and injuries that would not ordinarily constitute disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • A broken or sprained bone where recovery is expected within a few weeks or months
  • Medical conditions that are not chronic and where lasting effects are not expected (for example: mono, COVID-19, or appendicitis).
  • Physical injuries not expected to persist beyond 6 months or have lasting effects
  • Concussions (where recovery is expected within a few weeks or months)
  • Recovery from surgery

Communicate with your professors immediately and often. Explain how your academic performance may be impacted and provide your medical professional’s expectations about limitations and recovery time. Meet with them to discuss options and develop a plan to implement any temporary adjustments they have approved regarding attendance, assignments, or exams, for example. Be proactive and maintain ongoing communication. First, please refer to the syllabus for each class to determine absence and late work policies. Also, review the information shared by each of your professors to determine what accommodations are provided so that your academics are not disrupted (i.e., Zoom access, lecture recordings, allowing late work, etc.)

Absences. Case Management & Victim Support Services cannot officially excuse absences but can provide written support to faculty members, if requested by faculty. This verification may address the legitimacy of an absence, but not necessarily excuse it. Professors work with students to make reasonable accommodations, but students should recognize that each course and each professor will have varying expectations as to how the requirements for their respective courses must be met. For more information regarding absences for illness, please visit this page. 

Accessing Short-Term Accommodations

If additional assistance is needed or not found on this site, and you are not yet connected to a Case Manager, students can contact Case Management and Victim Support Services by phone, email, in person, or by completing an online concern report.  During business hours, you can call (504) 314-2160, email srss@tulane.edu, or stop by the Lavin-Bernick Center (LBC) Suite G02.  Our office hours are Monday – Friday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM. 

Potential Short-Term Academic Accommodations

Below are examples of academic accommodations a student may consider requesting. PLEASE NOTE: academic accommodations require faculty approval. 

Class Notes

  • Use a laptop or computer to type notes if typing is an option.
  • Use your smartphone, a tablet, digital recorder, or other software (e.g., Livescribe smart pen, OneNote, etc.) to record lectures with the instructor's permission.
  • Ask a friend or another student in your class to borrow their notes.
  • Ask your instructors to help you recruit a student to assist and share their notes.
  • See if your professor is willing to post notes or slides online.
  • See our technology resource guide for support.

Written or Typed Assignments

  • Ask a friend or family member to write or type for you outside of class. 
  • You may also consider speech-to-text software programs. This technology allows you to speak into the computer through a microphone and the software then converts your speech into written text. Free versions are available to download.
  • See our technology resource guide for support.

Course Exams and Quizzes

Exams may present special challenges for those with temporary conditions. With advance notice, the strategies listed below might be acceptable alternatives to suggest to your professors and/or teaching assistants:

  • Instead of using a scantron, mark answer selections directly on exam.
  • Instead of handwriting an essay, use a laptop.
  • Ask your professor, if appropriate, if you can make an appointment with them or a teaching assistant to give oral answers to an exam or lab.
  • For lab-related experiments or “hands-on” exams, orally describe what you would do, why you would do it, what you observe, etc.
  • If you think you may need extra time to complete an exam, let your professor/teaching assistant know in advance.
  • Take breaks during the exam.

Non-academic accommodations may include:

Golf Cart Services

Our golf cart service allows students experiencing short-term mobility issues to travel to and between buildings on the Uptown campus.

The golf cart operates during the Fall and Spring semesters Monday - Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM. Golf cart services start on the first day of classes and end on the last day of classes.

Please note, when there are flash flood warnings or lightening, we cannot operate the golf cart and will cancel rides.

To access golf cart services, please complete this form.

If you have questions related to golf cart support, please email CMVSSgolfcart@tulane.edu  with your changes.

Durable Medical Equipment

The following information is intended to be a general reference of local resources that may be helpful to individuals experiencing mobility challenges. These are businesses that rent equipment such as knee scooters, wheelchairs, scooters, etc. It is not an endorsement or recommendation by Tulane University or the Division of Student Affairs.