At universities that are committed to diversity and inclusion, accessing accommodations should be easy. Students should not have to fight for them. But getting their needs met isn’t easy for many students. A recent article by The Huntington News found there was widespread frustration with Disability Access Services at Northeastern University. DAS is a program whose users often say it creates more barriers than they eliminate.
These concerns come at a time when disability accommodations in higher education have become more common across the country — at times sparking controversy. Roughly 20% of students at universities such as Harvard now receive accommodations. This is the result of an increasing awareness of a variety of needs, from mental health conditions to learning disabilities.
At the same time, some faculty members have argued that certain accommodations impact grading standards or academic expectations. They also question whether the system is always used as intended. Nicholas Wolfinger, a sociology professor at the University of Utah, worries that students are getting used to advantages that won’t carry into the workplace.
Justin Noia, visiting professor at Providence College in Rhode Island, argues that some accommodations can distort academic assessment. He uses the example of a student who used an approved accommodation which was a memory aid. If recall were what the test was intended to measure, he argues, the grade given may no longer accurately reflect that ability. The larger question is: how can universities make the education system more accessible while ensuring it is still fair?
Within this debate, many students who need accommodations are struggling. While attending Greenfield Community College in 2024, I was informed that there weren’t any peer note-takers for online classes at all, although I was explicitly told I was eligible for one on my accommodation agreement. When I questioned this, I was told I had “misinterpreted” my own accommodations.
I eventually sent an email to the college president. The former provost suggested I transfer. Instead of receiving help, I was written off. Many students say they’ve had similar experiences.
Requests for accommodations, responding to emails, and clearing approvals can take weeks or months to process. One student who was undergoing serious heart surgery had difficulty securing temporary accommodations and was told to take medical leave instead. For students facing medical problems, those delays can be catastrophic for their studies.
Students also say the system is hard to understand. Requirements change, paperwork has to be re-submitted and expectations are rarely clear. What is designed to be one of those support systems just becomes a greater layer of burden, so that students are forced to always find a way to advocate for themselves.
One particularly troubling trend is how often college students are urged to take medical leave. While leaving may be appropriate, in certain cases, it can be offered too quickly, students say — even when they feel able to continue with reasonable support. That can feel dismissive, as if institutions would rather be removing students than be accommodating.
Collectively, these problems highlight a larger structural problem. It suggests that accessibility seems to remain reactive — rather than being proactively embedded in the structures of institutions — addressed only after problems arise rather than being proactively built into institutions. Slow, unreliable support systems do not promote an inclusive college experience.
This gap is especially notable in light of universities’ goals. While many disability service offices have stressed their commitment to students, many of the students feel as though they are not being heard. The results can be devastating: falling behind in school, feeling stressed, and feeling excluded.
Solving these problems will take more than small changes. Faster communication, streamlined processes, and ongoing staff training are crucial. But the bigger problem is often within the institution’s mindset. Accessibility should be woven into how universities operate, not as an afterthought.
That means accommodating students with various needs so that they do not have to fight for the accommodations to which they are legally entitled. In the end, what students want in this situation is not special treatment. They want a system that functions as intended — which acknowledges that accessibility is not a choice, but a necessity.
Sources:
Evangelist, Madison. “‘It Took Months and Months and Months’: Students Express Frustration with Northeastern’s Disability Accessibility Services.” The Huntington News, Northeastern University , 13 Apr. 2026, huntnewsnu.com/92662/projects/it-took-months-and-months-and-months-students-express-frustration-with-northeasterns-disability-accessibility-services/.
Golding, Bruce. “Professors Sound the Alarm on Huge Rise of Students Registering as Disabled to ‘Game the System.’” New York Post, NYP Holdings, Inc., 10 Mar. 2026, https://nypost.com/2026/03/10/us-news/professors-sound-the-alarm-on-huge-rise-of-students-registering-as-disabled-to-game-the-system/..
Horowitch, Rose. “Accommodation Nation.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 2 Dec. 2025, http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/01/elite-university-student-accommodation/684946/.
Noia, Justin. “Giving Students Accommodations Is a Disservice to Employers.” Times Higher Education (THE), Inflexion Private Equity , 22 Oct. 2024, http://www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/giving-students-accommodations-disservice-employers.