TEMPORARY DISABLED PARKING PLACARD REQUESTS
If a student develops a short term disability through injury or illness, a temporary accessible placard may be issued by the University for no more than four weeks. This four-week period should assist with approved minor injuries or assess further needs and process a request for access through the state. The Department of Transportation and Parking Services does not gather or interpret doctor's notes. One of the basic considerations in providing this accommodation is access to other reasonable transportation (for example the Campus Area Transportation System) from your assigned parking area. Remember, accessible parking does not guarantee you a space close to your building, people often walk fewer steps when using the shuttle buses as they will pick you up at a lot and drop you closer to your destination.
Any student experiencing a temporary mobility impairment and wishing to apply for a UVM accessible placard must apply with the Center for Health and Wellbeing's Student Health Services. This process involves a two-part form (one for the doctor, one for the student to fill out) which must be reviewed before a recommendation can be expressed to Parking Services. The reviewer at Student Health Services will review the application and documentation and will contact the student within 72 hours with a decision. Sometimes, they may designate parking at appropriate and accessible (by campus shuttle or other means) spaces other than accessible spaces. Cases will be determined individually.
LEARN MORE: Temporary Parking Permit Request Form
LONG-TERM DISABLED PARKING PLACARD ACQUISITION
Individuals with disabilities who expect their condition to continue for longer than 4 – 6 weeks are expected to apply through their State Department of Motor Vehicles for the proper disabled parking placard. Please refer to the Transportation & Parking Services web site www.uvm.edu/transportation for more information.
Disability-Related Parking Accommodations
Student Accessibility Services evaluates student requests for ADA parking accommodations case by case.
First year students as a general rule, should not expect to have a vehicle on campus. Students who live off campus, within the commuting border as determined by Transportation and Parking Services are expected to walk or take UVM CatsRide shuttle or city transportation to campus.
To ask for a Parking Accommodation, students must be registered with SAS and documentation must substantiate the need for parking. In addition to confirming a disability (not merely a diagnosis), we ask for documentation to also describe that functional limitations that make parking necessary, verify the location and frequency of off campus appointments/needs, let us know whether accessible parking is needed, and estimate how long parking will be needed.
Asked for information that is not provided will delay determination of eligibility.
FACTORS CONSIDERED
While needs are considered case by case, most often, these accommodations are made for students with frequent medical appointments that cannot be arranged through other means of campus or city transportation. Other factors will be considered, including but not limited to:
- Physical/mobility needs of the student,
- Distance to appointments,
- Frequency, and duration of need,
- Is the student’s request determined as reasonable and his/her transportation needs cannot otherwise be supported by campus or city transportation?
- Many factors are considered, including but not limited to: class year, duration of need, frequency of need, and/or travel distance.
If approved for UVM parking, the Transportation and Parking Services will determine the parking zone that reasonably meets each student’s needs.
DURATION OF ACCOMMODATION
The duration of disability-related parking approval is based on documentation as provided by your doctor. If you require parking beyond the determined term, you will be asked to provide updated documentation. If you need to park, you must provide updated medical documentation and a new request yearly.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Step One: Research campus transportation options and speak to your medical provider.
- Options include CatsRide shuttle, city buses, CarShareVT and Uber.
- Many medical providers are understanding about scheduling appointments around campus or city transportation; please work with them to determine a transportation plan.
- If you cannot schedule your appointments around campus or city transportation, please proceed to step 2.
- We recommend students work with their identified Student Health Services provider to determine if medical needs can be discussed at SHS and/or the University of Vermont’s medical center. SHS can work to connect students with local medical providers who can collaborate with their current (home-based) medical provider.
Step Two: Submit the completed Medical Provider Form.
- REQUIRED:
- Medical Provider Form (submit via email access@uvm.edu or via your myACCESS student portal Student Files)
- More documentation may be submitted (via email access@uvm.edu or via your myACCESS student portal Student Files”), but will be considered insufficient as standalone documentation.
- Your request and new documentation must be submitted yearly.
- The deadline to apply for disability related parking is August 15. Requests after this date will be reviewed case by case. Students who are determined as eligible for disability related parking before the deadline will have their accommodations focused on. Students determined as eligible at any point after the deadline has passed may find that their accommodation(s) is not available promptly as options could be limited and you could be placed on a waitlist.
- New conditions will be considered case by case.
Step Three: Notification
- You will receive written notification from Student Accessibility Services regarding the status of your request.
- If you are granted your request, you will need to pick up your permit at the Transportation and Parking Services office, and they will also discuss payment with you. On-campus parking has an associated fee.