Fitchburg State University (Fitchburg State), located in Massachusetts, is a public institution known for its strong commitment to student success and inclusivity enrolling 6,000 students annually. The University’s Disability Services Office, a key component of the Division of Student Affairs, plays an essential role in ensuring that students with disabilities have equal access to all academic and co-curricular opportunities. Led by Emily Stark, the Director of Disability Services, the office provides comprehensive support to approximately 400 students, a number that continues to grow as more students register each year. The services offered by the office are diverse, ranging from academic accommodations to housing support, and are designed to foster independence and success among students with disabilities.
In January 2024, Fitchburg State implemented Symplicity Accommodate to streamline the management of disability services and enhance the overall Fitchburg State student experience.
Centralizing Operations for Efficiency
Before adopting Symplicity Accommodate, Fitchburg State’s Disability Services Office used a system, that while functional, was primarily designed for student conduct purposes, which led to several inefficiencies when it came to providing support for those seeking accommodations. As Stark described, "Accommodations were listed as charges or issues. That language just felt icky to me... I wanted to have something more centralized because I love that Accommodate will allow students to not only upload and register and get their accommodations and send out those letters, but that's where our testing center stuff lives too." By moving to Symplicity Accommodate, the office was able to consolidate its operations into a single platform, eliminating the need for multiple systems and manual processes. This centralization has been a significant improvement, making it easier for both staff and students to navigate the accommodation process. Stark emphasized the importance of this change, noting that it creates a "one-stop shop" for students, thereby improving their overall experience.
Enhancing Student Independence and Engagement
One of the primary goals of the Disability Services Office at Fitchburg State is to empower students with disabilities to take control of their educational journey. Accommodate has been instrumental in achieving this goal by providing students with more autonomy in managing their accommodations. "I really love the opportunity for students to be more engaged in the process of disclosing their accommodations to their professors. I love the idea of them doing their semester request. I love it being them choosing and sending to individual people...,” said Stark. “It's teaching them those skills because I think more and more, thanks to COVID and just life in general, the college readiness is not quite there, and that independence is missing." The platform’s user-friendly interface allows students to manage their accommodation letters and testing arrangements independently, which not only reduces the administrative burden on the office but also helps students develop essential life skills.
As students and faculty have gotten into the swings of using Accommodate, Fitchburg, “could not be happier with its rollout. To date we’ve received super positive feedback and have had record numbers of students send their accommodation letters in the first few weeks of the fall semester – it’s amazing!” said Stark.
“Students and faculty are getting into the swing of using Accommodate though and we could not be happier with its rollout. To date we’ve received super positive feedback and have had record numbers of students send their accommodation letters in the first few weeks of the fall semester – it’s amazing!”
Emily Stark
Director of Disability Services,Fitchburg State
Streamlining the Testing Center Operations
The testing center at Fitchburg State’s Disability Services Office is a vital resource for students requiring testing accommodations. However, managing the logistics of the testing center was a time-consuming and error-prone process before the implementation of Accommodate. According to Stark, "I love the test room booking. I love it... It will get rid of some of that human error sometimes where if it's just a person that's organizing that calendar and multiple people are contributing, it's going to be nice." Even in just a few short months, the automated scheduling feature of Accommodate has significantly reduced the potential for errors and has freed up valuable time for the staff. This time can now be redirected towards more meaningful interactions with students, such as providing support during times of crisis or engaging in proactive programming. The efficiency gained through the new system ensures that the testing center can better meet the needs of students while maintaining high standards of integrity and accessibility.
Data-Driven Decision Making and Advocacy
As the Disability Services Office continues to grow and evolve, the ability to collect and analyze data has become increasingly important. Accommodate provides robust reporting capabilities that allow the office to track trends, measure outcomes, and advocate for additional resources. Stark shared her enthusiasm for the platform’s data collection features, noting, "I want our university to have a better understanding of what we're doing in this office period. I think I want them to realize that a huge part of this population is registered with my office. So we make up a gigantic part of the student body." The data collected through Accommodate not only helps the office demonstrate its impact but also supports collaboration with other departments, such as counseling services, to better address the needs of students with mental health diagnoses. Additionally, the data has the potential to inform future staffing decisions, as Stark hopes to use the insights gained to Accommodate for the expansion of her team to better serve the growing student population.
Support Along the Way
Symplicity's client support has been a cornerstone of Fitchburg State University's successful implementation of Accommodate. The dedicated client support team, particularly their client manager, has provided invaluable assistance, ensuring that the transition to the new system was smooth and effective. “[Our client manager] is genuinely invested and wants us to be successful too... Her response time is incredible,” said Stark. “Anybody's response has always been super, super excellent. If I need something, they’ve got it." This level of personalized support, starting with the implementation team, combined with a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by disability services offices, has allowed Fitchburg State to fully leverage the capabilities of Accommodate, ultimately enhancing the services provided to students.
Postive Transformation
Fitchburg State University’s implementation of Accommodate has been a transformative experience for the Disability Services Office. By centralizing operations, enhancing student independence, streamlining the testing center, and leveraging data for decision-making, the office has been able to significantly improve the services it provides to students with disabilities. Emily Stark’s leadership, combined with the capabilities of Accommodate, has positioned Fitchburg State’s Disability Services Office as a model for how institutions can effectively support students with disabilities. As the office continues to grow and adapt to the changing needs of its students, Accommodate will undoubtedly remain a critical tool in ensuring that all students have the opportunity to succeed.
