December 3rd is the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities, honoring the United Nation's commitment for promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. The day raises awareness of the political, economic, social and cultural aspects of disability that affects people around the world.

• BeyondType1: https://beyondtype1.org/college-university-with-type-1-diabetes/
• College Diabetes Network: https://collegediabetesnetwork.org/
• American Diabetes Association: https://www.diabetes.org/resources/know-your-rights/safe-at-school-state-laws/special-considerations/college-and-beyond
• diaTribe: https://diatribe.org/going-college-and-have-diabetes-learn-you-go-%E2%80%93-powered-college-diabetes-network
• TIDEPOOL: https://www.tidepool.org/blog/navigating-diabetes-and-college-life
• JDRF Mid Atlantic Chapter (previously JDRF Maryland Chapter): https://www.jdrf.org/midatlantic/ with a bonus article  on navigating diabetes and coronavirus: https://www.jdrf.org/blog/2020/08/10/college-with-type-1-diabetes-during-coronavirus/

Campus disability support departments want to get the word out about how students may be affected by long COVID.  The Long COVID Task Force work, including the role of UMBC's very own Service Coordinator within Student Disability Services, has created tips and resources to help them navigate college with lingering effects from COVID.  Some symptoms reported from Long Covid may meet disability criteria and can be documented by medical providers.

Learn more about the work for Supporting Students with Long COVID with today's lead article from Inside Higher Ed, linked here.  

The article covers how students working with health care providers may work with departments like Student Disability Services (link).  For those new to the process, learn more about Getting Started with SDS here (link).

A photo of man getting tested for COVID with a nasal swab by a masked and gloved woman wearing white with a red hijab accompanies this post.  Credit: Jakayla Toney via unsplash.com.

SDS Student Reminders:

1.   We are more than halfway through the semester, and we have an increase in accommodated testing appointment requests. Students, please schedule your tests well in advance of the test date so that we can ensure seating capacity availability.

2.   If you have testing accommodations, please remember to schedule your tests and remind your faculty member that you will be testing in SDS at least two business days prior to each test/exam. Schedule your tests online in the Accommodate student portal at sds.umbc.edu.

3.   Also, remember you can contact SDS staff if you have new disability and/or accommodation-related challenges impacting your classes, so we can assist you in identifying support needs and solutions.

4.   SDS also has virtual office drop-in hours available for asking general questions or visiting with a staff person weekly.

5.  Lastly, remember you can only use approved disability testing accommodations or other approved accommodations (i.e., have your letters sent to faculty) if you have submitted your Fall 2021 semester request in your Accommodate portal).