Assistantships and Campus Employment

Graduate student working in an ecological research lab

Assistantships are an arrangement in which financial support is given to graduate students who engage in teaching and/or research.

Student employment is any other student work position at Cornell; compensation could be an hourly rate or a stipend.  
   

Student Disability Services (SDS) works with students whose disabilities affect their ability to fully engage in their work environment. 

We will work with you to understand the specific barriers you are experiencing and, in consultation with your supervisor and/or program, explore modifications to mitigate those barriers. These accommodations are determined on an individual basis based on your disability and your specific assistantship or employment responsibilities.  

Examples of accommodations used before:  

  • Accessible furniture for the office or workspace (e.g., sit/stand desk, ergonomic stool)
  • Assistive technologies (e.g., recorders, notetaking assistance software, headsets, noise-cancelling headphones)  
  • Alternate devices or other assistance to perform specific lab and clinical tasks
  • PPE (personal protective equipment) arrangements  
  • Adjustment to work location based on specific tasks
  • Change in schedule for attending regular health care appointments  

When your work or assistantship responsibilities change (e.g., from one semester or year to the next), your accommodation plan may need to evolve. Please be sure to reconnect with us to keep us apprised of changes in your duties so that your accommodation plan can be revisited.  

Note: our office only works with accommodations for students. If you are a post-doc, faculty or staff, or in another role here, refer to Cornell Human Resources for guidance on disability accommodations