ARC FAQs

Anyone that is experiencing a barrier to accessing the college content, environments, or services! Typically, these are people that fall into one of the following categories:

• Mental Health Conditions
• Attention-related Diagnoses
• Chronic Health Conditions
• Learning Disabilities
• Sensory or Physical Disabilities
• Autism
• “Long-Covid”
• Non-native English Speakers
• Pregnancy-related conditions
  Pregnancy and Parenting While Taking Classes at TCTC

Temporary (due to accidents, injury, surgery, etc.)

The ARC is required to justify accommodations and supports, but we realize that verification/documentation can look very different for various conditions or take time to acquire. Please don’t hesitate to request accommodations due to questions about your documentation (or difficulty getting it)! We will work with students on a case-by-case basis and determine what documentation is necessary, and we can help you as you navigate requesting documentation.

Too many to list! The accommodations we put in place are unique to each student and their specific situation, which is why we require students engage in the interactive intake meeting process with us. The accommodations focus on 3 things: access (to materials, spaces, info, etc.), engagement (with educational content like textbooks, spaces, other people around campus, activities, etc.), and expression (so students can show us what they learn and know and are meeting the educational and/or program standards!).

YES! Students will also need to go ahead and complete the Initial Request for Accessibility Services online form, then the student will need to email ARCenter@tctc.edu to let us know that ACCUPLACER accommodations are needed so we can set those up!

YES! We have support staff working at each campus so students can utilize accommodations and supports at each location and have a contact person that students can connect with directly with any questions or needs.

Yes, BUT- students will need to release their accommodations to their new faculty each semester. Accommodations are considered confidential and personal information (even though no diagnosis is included), so students must consent and send their accommodations to new instructors. Students will log into the accommodation management system, called Accommodate (located under the Student Support tile in MyTCTC), to do this at the start of each semester. The ARC sends reminders to students each semester and includes training on this during the intake meeting.

Students can request accommodations at any time! We recommend that students with existing conditions put accommodations in place as soon as possible so they have them if they need them (students determine when they use their accommodations in college!). Accommodations are not retroactive, and unfortunately, we don’t currently have a time machine in the office.

In addition, we recognize that events, medical conditions, accidents, etc. could occur at any time throughout a student’s college career. We’re here to help and accommodations and supports are available to students when they need them.

YES, they are allowed (and registration isn’t required)! According to the SC State Technical College System Policy and Procedure 3-2-107.1, “Service animals are allowed to accompany their handlers at all times and in all facilities and programs on campus, except in areas where specifically prohibited due to health, environmental or safety hazards (e.g. laboratories, mechanical rooms, machine shops, custodial closets, and areas where there is a danger to the animal.).” In addition (and according to policy), “registering a service animal is not mandatory, [but] students who wish to bring a service animal to campus are encouraged to contact the Office for Students with Disabilities at their College, especially if academic accommodations are required.” Also, we love dogs (and their humans!).

Lastly, per policy, “Service Animal” means any dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability, and meets the definition of “service animal” under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), regulations at 28 CFR 36.104.”