Why should a faculty member go through the DSO to provide disability-related accommodations for a student?

Students need to be directed to the DSO for disability-related services because the DSO has the designated responsibility to determine and authorize accommodations, thereby, relieving faculty from making these disability-related decisions. The DSO staff has the expertise and the authorization to properly interpret disability documentation. Confidentiality of the student’s disability-related information must be maintained. The DSO staff members are prepared to file this documentation according to federal guidelines, separately from academic records. Faculty members are not. This process protects the student, the faculty, and the institution. Bypassing the DSO exposes the faculty member and the institution to liability.