Director of Disability Support Services (DSS)
Ruth Tweeten, M.A.
- Provides information to students with disabilities to facilitate the disclosure of disability and requested accommodations and/or auxiliary aids.
- Reviews documentation of disability and assesses requested accommodation; advises students what, if any, accommodation will be made and/or auxiliary aids provided.
- Prepares Letter of Accommodation for student’s signature regarding accommodations to be provided by Pacific Lutheran University.
- Advises student of rights, procedures for appealing Director’s decision.
- Maintains records related to services requested and accommodations provided. Documentation regarding disabilities that is created by others and received by PLU (e.g., professional evaluation of a learning disability) is considered by PLU to be a Medical Treatment Record and will be maintained as such. Records pertaining to the academic accommodations provided by PLU are considered to be Educational Records (not Medical Treatment Records) as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (“FERPA”), and may be utilized in the same manner and under the same conditions as other Educational Records.
- Works with faculty to coordinate accommodations as agreed between the director, faculty and student.
- Coordinate with Facilities Management to remove physical barriers to accessibility.
Assistant to the Director
Trisha Staiger
- Coordinates delivery of adaptive technology
services to students with specific disability-related impairments.
Teaches eligible students how to use various adaptive computer software
programs. Troubleshoots any software or hardware problems a student may
encounter. Researches new developments in adaptive technologies
- Designs training and services on a
disability-specific and impairment-specific basis. Provides trainings
for students and faculty upon request
- Hires, trains and supervises student note takers.
- Oversees the process of getting books
transferred to tape, CD/MP3 and/or Braille. Works with faculty and
bookstore staff to obtain information and resources for students.
- Maintains database for inventory of
all assistive and adaptive technologies, including, but not limited to,
tape recorders, and players, tapes and taping supplies, taped textbook
library, CD/MP3 library, tracking of texts to and from
bookstores/bindery/vendors, etc.
- Serves as a liaison to students, faculty, staff, vendors and other universities in assistive technology advancements.
Administrative Assistant
Valerie Gan
- Serves as the Administrative Assistant for both the DSS Office, and the Counseling Center at PLU. She usually is the person who will greet you at the front desk, or take your phone call.
- Coordinates all interpreter requests, and schedule interpreters for students who are deaf or hard of hearing and processes all invoices for vendors and professional services such as interpreters and realtime captioners.
- Schedules and administers tests being proctored in the DSS Office for students with testing as an accommodation.
- Assists in the hiring and supervision of student note takers and approve online time sheets for student employees.
- Create, update and maintain the DSS website.
Student Office Assistant
Amy, Jamie & Kasey
- Assist all DSS staff in regular duties including: working at the front desk, returning completed tests to professors, maintaining inventories of books on tape/CD, keeping time for students taking tests, acting as scribes for student testers and checking the note taker log to verify notes are being turned it.
- Train students to work with the programs available in the Assistive Technology Lab.
Dispute Resolution
To appeal any decision of the Director of Disability Support Services (DSS) as to accommodation and/or auxiliary aid to be provided by PLU contact the Director of the Counseling Center. The decision of the Director of the Counseling Center may be appealed to the Vice President for Admission and Student Life. If after these steps, resolution is not reached, contact PLU's Dispute Resolution Committee or at any time you may contact the Office of Civil Rights.
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