Accessibility and Disability Resources’ Words of Welcome and Advice

Hello, and welcome to Grinnell!

My name is Autumn Wilke, and I’m the associate chief diversity officer for disability resources. The Office of Student Disability Resources is excited to work with many of you in the incoming class.

As you prepare for your transition to Grinnell, we have compiled a few pieces of advice that we would like to share.

First, if you think that you might benefit from accommodations, we encourage you to reach out and connect with us. This could include academic, residential, or dining supports. Reach out to explore your options. Disclosing to our office does not mean that you have to use accommodations, but knowing your resources will help you make an informed decision about whether to pursue accommodations at Grinnell.

Second, if you’ve had accommodations in the past, we recommend that you gather and save your accommodation-related documents. This could include a 504 plan, IEP, or other documents from your school, or it could include official approval notices from educational testing services for exams like the ACT or SAT. It could also include diagnostic reports from your doctor or school psychologist. Even if you don’t pursue accommodations right away, or at all, during your time at Grinnell, having these records can be very beneficial to you if you do ever decide to pursue additional accommodations.

Third, don’t wait until the last minute. Many accommodations are things that take time to implement or are the most feasible before a certain date. A great example is pursuing a residential accommodation for a single or a first floor room. This is easier to achieve before rooms are assigned in early June, so we recommend you reach out early.

If you have any questions or would like additional information, do not hesitate to reach out to us via email at access@grinnell.edu or to me directly at wilkeaut@grinnell.edu.

I look forward to meeting you on campus in the fall!