Confidentiality and Consent

Student Disability Services understands the importance of privacy and confidentiality while working with our office. You are in control of who receives your disability-related information.

Sharing Accommodations Information with Instructors/Staff

• For your accommodations to be effective, you must notify your instructors of your approved accommodations by requesting that we send them an accommodation letter (this process does differ at the Law School).
• Only accommodation information is shared; no disability information is shared with faculty.
• You determine which accommodations to apply to each of your classes and you must notify your instructors each semester.

In limited circumstances, we may be legally required to disclose your disability-related information. With your permission, we may also share information about your accommodations with others if necessary to implement them. 

Maintenance of Records

Disability documentation is maintained on secure servers and is not part of your permanent educational record.

Documentation is protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and will be released from your file in the following circumstances only:

1. A court order
2. Your written permission
3. Within SDS for a legitimate educational reason

In accordance with Cornell policy, SDS files and records are destroyed five years after your graduation or date of last attendance.