BLC Community

The Bard Learning Commons (BLC) provides an inclusive and respectful learning community where all students are welcome. Our diversity and the diversity of students whom we tutor may be reflected by differences in race, culture, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and other social identities and life experiences. We encourage and appreciate expressions of different ideas, opinions, and beliefs, so that conversations and interactions that could potentially be divisive turn instead into opportunities for intellectual and personal enrichment for all. Both speaking up and listening are valuable tools for furthering thoughtful, enlightening dialogue. Respecting one another’s individual differences is critical in transforming a collection of diverse individuals into an inclusive, collaborative, and excellent learning community. We offer a safe, reflective, socially-structured space in which we develop our expertise together, respecting what others say, their right to say it, and the thoughtful consideration of others' communication.

In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, the Learning Commons is committed to providing equal access to all students. The space, format, and requirements of tutoring are intended to work productively with students of all mental health, medical, and/or physical needs in order to support student learning and engagement.

Disability Support

Information for Students with Disabilities

In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, Bard College is committed to providing otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities equal access to the College's academic courses, programs, and activities. In support of this mission, the College provides services and reasonable accommodations to self-identified students who present the appropriate documentation.
Contact: Thaddeus Nelson, Director of Disability Access Services ([email protected]), or call (845) 758-7532 ([email protected])

Grievance Policy

Students who think they have been discriminated against on the basis of disability should file a detailed written complaint with the College's ADA/504 coordinator as soon as possible after the alleged discrimination occurred.

The ADA/504 coordinator will investigate the complaint and issue a report, normally within 30 days. Unsatisfactory resolutions should be taken up on appeal with the dean of students. After consideration by the dean, further appeals may be addressed directly to the president. Students who file a complaint are protected against retaliation in any form. If a student suspects that such retaliation has occurred, the student should file a written complaint per the above.
Contact: Kay Shirley, Dean of Students ([email protected]), or Thaddeus Nelson, Director of Disability Access Services ([email protected]), or call (845) 758-7532 ([email protected])

Frequently Asked Questions

What kinds of accommodations are offered to students with special needs?

Accommodation plans are developed on an individual basis, using provided documentation as a guide. Some common accommodations are extended time on exams (the standard is 50% more time, but double-time can be approved if specifically indicated), a distraction-free testing location, and permission to use a laptop computer for all writing. The accommodations are directly connected to the functional impact of the disability. What may be appropriate for one student may not be appropriate for another, even if they carry the same diagnosis.
Does Disability Access Services facilitate communication of the student's disability needs to each professor? If so, what types of supportive communication are provided from the office in the event that a professor is uncooperative in providing accommodations?

Once the student and the Coordinator have developed an accommodation plan, the Coordinator provides letters for the student to deliver to faculty that outline the accommodations. The specific disability is unnamed. It is the responsibility of the student to deliver the letters in a timely fashion and discuss the details of how those accommodations will be met in that course. It is up to the student if he or she wishes to disclose the nature of the disability to faculty at that time. If the student feels as if he or she is not receiving accommodations or feels that the accommodation plan is not working, the Coordinator will help facilitate a resolution. The Coordinator is always available to help arrange logistics concerning accommodated testing.
What procedure must a student follow to obtain alternative testing, such as extended time or the use of a computer?

If a student requests extended time or permission to use a computer for exams, the student must provide documentation from a professional (psychologist, psychiatrist, or MD) that shows the need for these specific accommodations. If qualified, the student will receive letters from the Coordinator that the student can deliver to faculty. This must be done in advance of exams because accommodations can take time to arrange.
Is the Coordinator of Disability Services or someone else in the office a specialist in learning disabilities and/or ADD/ADHD?

The Coordinator is not a learning disabilities or ADD/ADHD specialist. The Coordinator's role is to develop and approve a reasonable and appropriate accommodation plan for students with disabilities and to connect them with resources on campus that may be helpful. We do not have learning specialists or ADD/ADHD coaches on staff.
Is specialized tutoring available for students with learning disabilities or ADD/ADHD? If so, is it peer tutoring only, or are there any trained tutors?

The vast majority of our tutors are peer tutors, with no training in learning disabilities or ADD/ADHD. Some programs, such as our foreign languages, use professional, non-student tutors.
Is there a specialist on campus who teaches planning, organizational, and study skills?

The Coordinator is available to work with students weekly on issues of time management and organization. The BLC has Learning Strategies tutors that can help with academic skills as well.
What types of specialized writing supports are available for students with learning disabilities and ADD/ADHD? Are these different and more intensive than supports available to all students?

All students may use drop-in writing tutoring, available every day; set up 1:1 weekly appointments with a writing tutor; meet with the director or assistant director of the learning Commons; and meet with faculty during their office hours to get extra support with writing. Any or all of these options are strongly encouraged for any student who may need extra writing support. These services are the same for all students, whether or not they have learning disabilities or ADD/ADHD.
Are there seminars especially for students with learning disabilities and/or ADD/ADHD that teach study skills or self-advocacy skills?

No, although the Coordinator is available to work with students to improve their self-advocacy skills, and the BLC has workshops on academic skills.
Do you offer specialized academic advising through Disability Support Services for students with learning disabilities and ADD/ADHD?

The Coordinator can work in conjunction with the student's advisor to help explain any special needs, as long as the student has initiated the conversation and self-identified to the student's advisor.
What is your policy toward course substitution when a student's disability prevents him or her from fulfilling a particular requirement toward graduation such as a math or foreign language course? Are requirements ever waived? Under what circumstances?

Bard has many requirements distributed across many programs. Among those are Difference and Justice, Literary Analysis, Foreign Languages and Literatures, Mathematics and Computing, Laboratory Science, Social Analysis, Historical Analysis, Meaning, Being, and Value, Analysis of Art, and Practicing Arts. They are essential to the Bard degree and therefore cannot be waived. Only in the most extenuating circumstances can a student try to request an alternative way of fulfilling those requirements. The student must have made a good faith effort to try a course, with accommodations. Only if that effort is unsuccessful could he or she petition the faculty executive committee to request a course substitution (rather than an outright waiver).
A wide variety of courses fulfill the distribution requirements. For math, there are standard pre-calculus courses, game theory, computer programming, and even symbolic logic, which is a philosophy course. The Foreign Languages and Literatures requirement can be fulfilled by taking a culture class that is taught in English. This means that it's possible to graduate from Bard without taking a traditional foreign language; however, note that there are certain majors that require a foreign language. In those cases, an Foreign Languages and Literatures course conducted in English would not be a reasonable substitution. Of course, any of these courses can be taken with reasonable accommodations in place.
Are students required to fail a course before they can qualify for a waiver in that subject? Do these failing grades become part of the student's GPA?

Students are not required to fail a course to petition the faculty executive committee for a course substitution. The more likely scenario would be that they withdraw from the course before the withdrawal date. This date is set late enough in the semester (after mid-term grades are due) that students and faculty should have a good idea whether a passing grade is possible. It a passing grade seems unlikely, students can withdraw. A withdrawal appears as a W on the transcript, but is not factored into the final grade. If students decide not to withdraw by the withdrawal date, the final grade, whatever it is, will be recorded on the transcript and averaged into their GPA. A final option is for students to take a course pass/fail. This arrangement is made at the discretion of individual faculty and declared at the start of the semester.