Sacred Heart University is committed to providing services to students who are either learning or physically challenged, so that they receive an equal educational opportunity.  To this end, the University offers all necessary support services to meet the federal mandates as well as a variety of special services that are over and above those required by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.                                                

Once students have made their initial application to Sacred Heart University, there are no separate applications to fill out to become eligible for services   However, the Office of Special Services (OSS) must have supporting documentation from family doctors or psychiatrists detailing the disability that the student has, but please do not submit Individual Education Plans (IEPs) as they are not utilized at the college level. This information should be forwarded to Ms. Jill Angotta, MS, Director of the Office of Special Services. You may contact Ms. Angotta by email at angottaj@sacredheart.edu  to schedule a family interview with her at your convenience.

Before each semester, the Office of Special Services sends out a mass mailing to our students which includes three forms that help the OSS gather necessary information to determine exactly what special services the student requires.

    (1) The first form is the Disclosure Form which students must sign in order to give the OSS permission to contact each of their professors to inform them of the specifics of the student’s documented disability along with the accommodations the student requires. Without this signed form, our office cannot contact professors or give out information on any students. 

    (2)  The second form is a Services Needed Check List which provides the Office with information regarding the specific services that the student will need. This form lists both the  mandated  (non-billable services) which includes separate environment and extended time testing that must be provided by law and the non-mandated (billable services) such as Note Takers, C-Print Captioning, and Interpreters that are available to students for a fee.  The “Billable Service Form” indicates the fees required for incoming freshmen as well as those required for returning students.

  (3) The third form is a Health and Emergency Information Form which the student must fill out with pertinent information about themselves and emergency contact information.  This form--as is all information regarding the student--is kept in a locked cabinet in the Director’s office.

The University’s goal is for all students to have the available tools needed to be academically successful.  Still, the decision as to which set of services to use during any given semester resides entirely with you and your family.  We firmly believe that if students utilize support systems early in their college careers, they will gradually gain a level of self-confidence that will eventually enable them to achieve their goals with only minimum support.  The University, as well as the entire Office of Special Services staff, located in the Jandrisevits Learning Center, aspires to help all of our students become independent, confident and contributing adults.

Jill E. Angotta, MS, LCHS
Director of Special Services
angottaj@sacredheart.edu