The J. Scott and Susan MacDonald Miller Center for Student Disability Services. Providing access for all. Greetings from the director. Pictured in the top right hand side of the slide is myself, Stephanie Dawson, an African American female with dark brown hair. Hello, I'm Stephanie Dawson, the Director of the Miller Center for Student Disability Services. The Center is part of the Division of Student Life, and we coordinate a broad range of disability related accommodations and services. We believe that disability is a part of human diversity, and our work is based in the social model of disability. The social model means that disability impacts the lives of all Miami University community members, and we share a collective responsibility to ensure access and inclusion. Due to the generous gift of J. Scott and Susan MacDonald Miller, we've been able to establish ourselves as a Center that goes above and beyond compliance. Some of the highlights at Miami include: a student organization that advocates for students with disabilities, a disability cultural space and resource center, ongoing IT collaborations to advance accessible technology, and a long standing lecture series made possible by the generous gift of the Welling family. Our team is excited to share more about the office and partner with you and our institutional commitment to ensure students with disabilities thrive at Miami!
Office information. The Miller Center for Student Disability Services is located on the Oxford campus in Room 304 of the Shriver Center building. Located at 701 East Spring Street in Oxford, Ohio 45056. Shriver Center is pictured on the right hand side of the slide and is centrally located on campus, making it very easy for all campus members to access. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:0am to 5:00pm during fall semester, winter term, and spring semester. During summer term, the office is open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 4:30pm. Visit the Miller Center website at MiamiOH.edu/sds to get detailed information on service offerings. You can also find important updates and reminders by visiting the site. To connect with a team member contact the office by email at sds@MiamiOH.edu or by phone at 513-529-1541, by tty relay at 711 or by fax at 513-529-8595.
Meet Our Team.
The Miller Center team is an interdisciplinary group of experienced professionals from diverse backgrounds, including counseling, court reporting, information technology, social work, student affairs, and vocational rehabilitation. The team members are individually pictured on the slide from left to right. Stephanie Dawson using she/her/hers pronouns is the Director. Cynthia Steidle using she/her/hers pronouns is a Coordinator who specializes in services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. Dan Darkow, using he/him/his pronouns is a Coordinator with Information Technology and Student Affairs expertise. Hope Sweeney using she/her/hers pronouns is a Coordinator who specializes in services for students who are Blind or have Low Vision. Mitzie Campbell using she/her/hers pronouns is the Program Associate who provides all administrative support and specializes in creating a welcoming atmosphere. Millie is the Miller Center Mascot. She is a robotic cat. A fun fact about Millie is that robots of this type are commonly used as auxillary aids for people who want the emotional support of a furry friend without the caretaking responsibilities involved with a live animal.
Pictured in the top right hand corner of the screen is myself, Mitzie Campbell, a white female with blonde hair. Welcome to Our Space. The Miller Center is an eclectic oasis. The office entryway is pictured on the top left-hand side of the slide. The office "living room" is pictured on the right-hand side of the slide and features a library of disability cultural resources available for the enjoyment of all. A rotating art display is also featured. All works are created by artists with disabilities. You also find unique accessibility features such as the floor panel elevator buttons pictured on the bottom left hand side of the slide. These buttons provide flexibility in use when accessing the elevator. If someone is a wheelchair user or has their hands full carrying bags, they have an alternate way to choose their floor. For your convenience, free printing and beverages are also available for all students affiliated with the Center.
What We Do.
The four core service functions of the Miller Center are determining student eligibility for disability accommodations, coordinating systems to ensure disability access and accommodation delivery, connecting students with academic support services such as tutoring and academic coaching, and engaging in campus and community partnerships to promote disability access and culture. All services are coordinated in coordinates with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act.
Who We Serve.
Approximately 10% of the Miami student body received services from Student Disability Services each academic year. The Miller Center works with a diverse group of students with a wide range of disabilities such as AD/HD, Autism Spectrum, Blind, Colorblind, Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Physical Disabilities, Psychological Disabilities, Learning Disabilities, Low Vision and Medical Disabilities.
Pictured in the top right-hand corner of the screen is myself, Dan Darkow, a white male wheelchair user with brown hair.
How to Connect with Us.
Connecting with him or her involves three easy steps. One, apply online. Start at MiamiOH.edu/SDS. Two, attend an Access Consultation. In person, phone, or video call appointments are available. And three, request accommodations in your SAM portal. Let's explore applying online in more detail. Start by navigating to MiamiOH.edu/SDS. Before completing your online application, we encourage you to review our documentation guidelines which can be found under "Student Tools" -- "Documentation Guidelines". Located under the "All Disabilities (except Learning Disabilities)" drop down is our convenient disability verification form which can be given to your medical provider for completion. Back on our homepage step-by-step instructions for applying online can be found by clicking the "Apply for Services: button. When you are ready to submit your application click the link to navigate to the "SAM: Students Accessing Miami" Portal. Next, click "New Student Application". Complete the short application which includes identifying basic demographic and disability information.
Upon submitting your application, if you have access to your disability verifying documentation, you can upload it here. Documentation can also be emailed to sds@MiamiOH.edu, fax to 513-529-8595, or dropped off in-person. After having successfully completed your application monitor your email for confirmation message. Please allow up to 10 business days for Miller Center Coordinator to review your application. After your application has been reviewed, you will receive a request to schedule an Access Consultation from your assigned coordinator in your Miami email account.
Pictured in the top right-hand corner of the screen is myself, Hope Sweeney, a white female with shoulder length light brown hair.
When to Connect with Us.
Accommodations may be requested at any time during a student's academic career. Disability can occur at any point in the lifespan, and we encourage students to connect with us if they acquire or are newly diagnosed with a disability while attending Miami. Accommodations are not retroactive and should be requested in advance of the need whenever possible. In some instances, the Miller Center will need adequate time to coordinate third-party services or individualized equipment.
Accommodations.
The Miller Center provides a wide range of accommodations tailored to individual access needs. Recommended accommodations are determined on a case by case basis. Examples of classroom accommodations include audio recording, captioning, American Sign Language, computer access, and note-taking. Examples of testing accommodations include extended testing time, distraction reduced testing environment, accessible formats, and computer access. Examples of campus life accommodations include individualized housing, individualized dining plans, accessible transportation, and event accommodations. Examples of assistive technology include speech to text software, text to speech software, screen reader, FM system, magnifier and, digital note-taking pens.
Confidentiality and Records.
The Miller Center prioritizes your privacy and confidentiality of records. Our team complies with FERPA guidelines and you must grant permission to discuss disability information with outside parties. Disability information is not included in the academic transcript and records are maintained for seven years after graduation.
Transition tips.
In college the journey belongs to you and there are many things you can do to support your transition. Awareness of campus resources is paramount to success. Build your team by identifying the people and services you want to access, such as tutors, academic coaching, academic advising, or mental health counseling. Self advocate for your needs while also keeping in mind that the Miller Center staff is here to help upon request. Communication is also critical. Check your Miami email regularly and communicate with SDS and faculty in a timely manner. Lastly, be resilient and have grit. You may face challenges along the way, but be confident that you possess the ability to problem solve.
Pictured in the top right hand corner of the screen is myself, Cindy Steidle, white female with brown hair.
Ohio College2Careers.
The Miller Center participates in the statewide Ohio College2Careers program. This initiative is a partnership with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities. Wendy Taylor, a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor is available on all Miami campuses for students to receive support with internships, job placement, and career related technology. Contact Wendy Taylor, pictured on the right side of the screen at taylorw7@MiamiOH.edu or 513-313-2111 for more information.
We look forward to connecting with you!
Pictured on the right hand side of the screen is a social gathering in the Miller Center cultural space. Contact our office during business hours by phone, email, fax ,or tty relay. Our website is MiamiOH.edu/sds and is a great resource to get started using services. This concludes our presentation. Thank you for watching. Love and Honor!
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