Disability Information Guidelines

Sharing disability information is a personal choice, and may be influenced by a number of factors such as the:

• Nature of the disability
• Type of course, programme or work being undertaken
• Supports that may be required.

Some people worry about disclosure leading to bias, discrimination, negative treatment, lost opportunities or others making incorrect assumptions. The University recognises and understands this, and is committed to fostering an inclusive, safe and respectful environment. Guided by Te Ara Tautika, The Equity Policy, the University strives to be a place where disabled people feel valued, empowered, and confident in sharing their personal details.

Staff and students may need to provide information about their disability to:

• Access relevant University supports, opportunities, and services
• Meet specific faculty or service division requirements (for example, the FMHS Fitness to Practise Policy)
• Request reasonable accommodations. University environments sometimes interact with a person’s disability in ways that impede their participation. Reasonable accommodations are necessary and appropriate modifications and adjustments that:
  • Support disabled people to participate at the University on an equal basis with others; and
  • Can be reasonably made available in the circumstances.

Sharing disability information can also educate others, and help the University to understand and support its community.

Additional guidance on accessing supports, opportunities and services is set out below. There is also information on privacy at the University, as well as definitions and key contacts.

Support services aim to enhance student experiences and participation in University life. They can assist with academic success, by:

• Removing or lowering barriers to study - for instance, through providing reasonable accommodations
• With the student’s agreement, liaising on their behalf and discussing their requirements with relevant department(s) and/or other staff members.

University services that assist disabled students include:

• Ratonga Hauātanga Tauira, Student Disability Services
• Inclusive Learning 
• University Health & Counselling Services
• Te Papa Manaaki, Campus Care

Students are encouraged to contact these services early so that assistance can be provided in a timely manner.

Students using these services will be asked for information about their disability. They may also have to show medical documentation. This helps ensure that the right supports are identified and provided.

Academic staff should regularly inform students about support services to help ensure timely arrangements for reasonable accommodations. This could happen at the start of each semester, and when information is given about assignments, placements, practicums, field trips, tests, and exams. Staff can find information and teaching resources on Student Disability Services' How staff can support students page, and in the Inclusive Learning and Teaching of Students with Impairments Guidelines.

The Undergraduate Targeted Admissions Schemes (UTAS) reserve places in undergraduate programmes for people with certain characteristics, such as disability, who have:

• Met the University Entrance standard
• Not met the prescribed entry score for the limited entry undergraduate programme of their choice.

Applicants seeking admission through UTAS, based on disability, will be asked to share relevant information with the University.

When someone applies for a job at the University, they can share information about their disability and request reasonable accommodations. This can reduce or remove barriers to recruitment, as well as enable timely workplace adjustments.

Current staff members can speak to their line manager, and/or email Staff Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, if they would like reasonable accommodations to support their work. Staff and their managers must follow the processes set out in the University’s Reasonable Accommodations for Disability Policy and Procedures.

In addition:

• Associate Deans/Directors Equity and Diversity in faculties and large-scale research institutes can advise disabled staff members in their area
• Staff have access to the Employee Assistance Programme – an independent provider of professional services including counselling.
  • This service is confidential and voluntary. No identifiable details about individuals contacting EAP Services are released to the University.

As well as being important to effectively support individuals, disability information can help the University better understand and serve its community.

People are asked about whether they identify as being disabled when they create a digital account at the University. This account is stored in the University’s identity and access management system, the Enterprise Person Registry (EPR).

Providing this information is optional, and people can change their details at any time. Staff and students are prompted to update their personal digital account information at least once a year.

The University uses data from EPR for monitoring and reporting, to:

• Understand the diversity of student and staff communities
• Inform resourcing, supports, and service provision to assist with student and staff success
• Meet Tertiary Education Commission equity funding requirements.

The University takes privacy very seriously. How personal information is collected, processed, used, shared, stored and protected, as well as how people can access and control their personal information, is described in our privacy statement.

The University privacy framework recognises:

• Data minimisation – we will collect and retain only the personal information we really need to meet our lawful purposes
• Transparency – we will always be open with people about the personal information we collect and how we process it
• Security – we take all reasonable steps to ensure that personal information is protected against loss or unauthorised processing
• Use limitation – we use and share personal information only in the ways we say we will, and only where necessary to meet our lawful purposes
• Rights focused – we will make sure that people can exercise their important privacy rights, including to access and correct their information.

Disability

Is any physical, psychological, cognitive or sensory impairment which, in interaction with social and systemic barriers, restricts a person's full and effective participation in university life on an equal basis with others.

Reasonable accommodations

Are necessary and appropriate modifications and adjustments that:

• Support disabled people to participate at the University on an equal basis with others; and
• Can be reasonably made available in the circumstances.

Students

• Ratonga Hauātanga Tauira, Student Disability Services
• Inclusive Learning 
• University Health & Counselling Services
• Te Papa Manaaki, Campus Care
• Faculty disability liaisons

Staff

• Staff Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Employee Assistance Programme 
• Faculty/LSRI Associate Deans/Directors Equity and Diversity

Owner: Pro Vice-Chancellor Equity
Date approved: March 2026