Many forms of campus help start only when you ask for them, and the way you ask shapes the answer. This guide covers how to make a clear request, the rights that support it in each situation, and the next steps when you hear no.
Find the person who can say yes
Before you ask, find out who has the authority to decide. An instructor sets attendance and late-work rules in the syllabus, the aid office decides on aid, and the disability services office approves accommodations. Asking the right person first saves days of being passed along.
A front desk can tell you who handles a request and how to reach them. Write down that person's name and title, and ask how they prefer to be contacted. Veterans should know that class changes run through the certifying official, and student parents should know the Title IX coordinator by name before a due date approaches.
Ask in writing and be specific
Put the request in a short email even if you also ask in person. Say who you are, what you need, why, and by when, and attach any papers that support it. A specific request, such as moving an exam by two days, is easier to approve than a general plea for help.
Keep a record of every message, the date and the reply. If someone tells you something in person, send a short follow-up that repeats what you understood.
Asking the right person first saves days of being passed along.
Rights that back up a request
Pregnant and parenting students have Title IX protections, including excused absences for pregnancy and related conditions for as long as a doctor says is necessary. Students with disabilities have rights under the ADA and Section 504 to reasonable accommodations, which start once requested, so ask early and renew letters each term. Veterans can expect the school certifying official to report enrollment changes promptly, and should ask that office before any class change.
Students on their own can ask the aid office for a dependency override or homelessness determination when the facts support one. Any student can file a satisfactory academic progress appeal after a hard term. Working students and commuters rely mainly on each instructor's syllabus, so raise work or transit problems with each instructor early.
When the first answer is no
Ask for the reason and the policy behind it, in writing. Then ask whether there is an appeal, who hears it, and the deadline. Many colleges have an ombuds office or a dean of students who can look at a stuck request.
For a refused accommodation, ask disability services about its grievance process; for a Title IX concern, the Title IX coordinator is the person to contact. Stay polite and keep to the facts, since a calm record carries weight at every later step.
Bring someone with you
You do not have to ask alone. A TRIO advisor, a vocational rehabilitation counselor, a veterans resource center staff member or the campus liaison for homeless and foster youth can join a meeting or help you draft a message. First-generation students often find that an advisor who knows the campus language makes the first meeting easier.
Prepare two or three sentences that say what you need before you walk in. Practice them once out loud, and bring your folder so the papers are in hand. Afterward, send a thank-you note that sums up what was agreed, which doubles as your record of the meeting.
Steps to take
- Name the person who decides your request
- Write a short email that says what you need
- Keep every reply in one folder
- Ask about the appeal process if you hear no
Who decides
The office that handles your request, or your college's dean of students
A specific written request to the person who decides, backed by your rights and a record, gets further than a general plea.