Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, renowned for its robust academic offerings and commitment to inclusivity is ranked as one of the top 20 veterinary schools in the country. With just over 100 students in each class, Cummings School has taken significant strides in enhancing its support for the roughly 20 percent of students annually that need accommodations for a disability. With the introduction of Symplicity Accommodate in 2023, the school has revolutionized how accommodations are managed, ensuring every student receives the support they need to succeed.
“When I think about where we were before, I don’t ever want to go back to what we were doing before and I’m super lucky we have Accommodate... It just makes your life so much easier. Not only is it easy as far as organization, but it's very thoughtful of how things have been put in there."
Angela Jasper McManus,
Accommodations Administrator at Tufts' Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
Streamlining Processes and Enhancing Organization
The transition to Accommodate in July 2023 marked a pivotal shift to streamlining operations for students. When looking for a solution, Cummings School was familiar with other Symplicity products that were rated positively by other departments encouraging them to consider Accommodate. “We had a lot of positive feedback from other users at Tufts using Accommodate and how helpful and easy it was for those departments,” said Angela Jasper McManus, Accommodations Administrator at Tufts' Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. “That was a big part of why we went with Accommodate because it was well known on our campus.”
With Accommodate, Cummings School was able to streamline the entire accommodation process, making it easier and more efficient. Prior to the adoption of Symplicity Accommodate, staff managed student accommodations through a cumbersome, paper-based system. Jasper McManus recalled the challenges to Symplicity, "When I came into this role, it was all paper. Everything was done with files that were handwritten… Now we have links that we can direct students to 'Here’s a place you can start the request process.' It’s so nice to have that right on our website.”
Plus, anytime someone left the institution, they took all of their institutional knowledge and processes causing delays in supporting students. “We had students that had accommodations and had already gone through the accommodation process that we had no record of,” said Jasper McManus, “We didn't have a centralized area where everything was, even though we tried to. It was easier to lose or misplace documents when there was a paper filing system. So that was frustrating.” That frustration prompted the Cummings School to explore technology solutions to streamline efficiencies and organizational processes.
Positive Student Experience
Adopting Accommodate has not only reduced administrative burdens, but significantly improved the experience for students requiring accommodations. "We always have to have an interactive process with the student, and once we decide on the accommodations needed, the student gets a copy and then I send everything to their course directors and faculty that need it all within Accommodate,” said Jasper McManus. This includes having links tied to Accommodate on their accommodation website that any student has access to request a meeting or just request an accommodation. “It’s a beautiful thing because the conversation starts right away to ensuring the student’s needs are met,” Jasper McManus told Symplicity. “It’s a very easy process and we encourage students to communicate with faculty, but if not everyone still gets that automatic letter of accommodation approval; that way everyone is on the same page.”
Cummings School student requests include: extra testing time, use of a stool or assistive equipment, ensuring students have early access to course materials, distraction-reduced testing, and even support students who need accommodations to take medication, or making accommodations for students that cannot participate in certain types of clinical rotations.
The impact of integrating Symplicity Accommodate into Cummings School has been profound. Jasper McManus reflects on the changes: "It just makes your life so much easier. Not only is it easy as far as organization, but it's very thoughtful of how things have been put in there." Accommodate has allowed Cummings School to better support both students and faculty, providing a centralized, accessible platform for managing accommodations.
Why Symplicity?
Since implementing and with its launch, Cummings School has been supported all the way through with a dedicated implementation manager and now a client manger. The implementation at Cummings School was “Very easy and our implementation manager clearly knows the system,” said Jasper McManus. “Anytime we had questions or wanted to customize something we would get the support we needed… Our client manager immediately understood what our needs were and has helped us problem solve right away. I don’t have to wait weeks and weeks for something to get addressed.” Cummings School is looking forward to expanding its use of Accommodate and is eager to utilize more features within Accommodate. “It’s nice to know about the potential. It’s a great system to have… When I think about where we were before, I don’t ever want to go back to what we were doing before and I’m super lucky we have Accommodate.”
“Anytime we had questions or wanted to customize something we would get the support we needed… Our client manager immediately understood what our needs were and has helped us problem solve right away. I don’t have to wait weeks and weeks for something to get addressed."
Angela Jasper McManus,
Accommodations Administrator at Tufts' Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
Conclusion
The adoption of Symplicity Accommodate by Cummings School exemplifies a successful partnership that enhances educational accessibility and supports the unique needs of students. Through this digital transformation, Cummings School has not only improved administrative efficiency but also reinforced its commitment to creating an inclusive academic environment. Jasper McManus' experience underscores the value of such innovations in higher education, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to excel.
