Tufts University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for students, staff, faculty and community members with regard to:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, require Tufts University to provide appropriate academic and employment accommodations to employees and students with disabilities unless doing so would create an undue hardship, compromise the health and safety of members of the University community, or fundamentally alter the nature of the university’s employment or academic program or mission.
To learn how to request a qualified disability accommodation and who to contact, check out the information below.
For undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in:
Contact the Student Accessibility and Academic Resources (StAAR) Center at 617-627-4539 or staarcenter@tufts.edu.
For information regarding food allergies and intolerances, AS&E and undergraduate and graduate students can contact Dining Services.
For a quick overview of the OEO accommodations process, view the What to Expect Flowchart (Students)
For all necessary accommodations, graduate and professional students should contact their appropriate school administrator:
| School | Contact | Title | Contact Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine | Chad Argotsinger
Angela Jasper McManus |
Assistant Dean of Student Affairs
Accommodations Administrator |
508-887-4725 Chad.Argotsinger@tufts.edu |
| Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy | Matthew Hast | Assistant Dean of Student Affairs | 617-636-6719 Matthew.Hast@tufts.edu |
| Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences | Michael Chin | Dean ad interim | 617-636-2143 Michael.Chin614279@tufts.edu |
| Public Health and Professional Degree Programs and Physical Therapy Programs | Olivia Zimra-Turley | Associate Director of Student Affairs | Olivia.Zimra_Turley@tufts.edu |
| School of Dental Medicine | Maggie McMorrow | Associate Director of Student Affairs and Career Services | 617-636-6543 Maggie.Mcmorrow@tufts.edu |
| School of Medicine | John Matias | Associate Dean of Admissions and Enrollment | 617-636-6568 John.Matias@tufts.edu |
| University-wide | Katherine Vosker | Accommodations Manager and 504 Officer | 617-627-0657 Katherine.Vosker@tufts.edu |
| University-wide | Amin Fahimi Moghadam | Accommodations Specialist | 617-627-6363 Amin.Fahimi_Moghadam@tufts.edu |
| University-wide | Johny Lainé | Accommodations and Leave Consultant | 617-627-0649 Johny.Laine@tufts.edu |
For a quick overview of the OEO accommodations process, view the What To Expect Flowchart - Employees (PDF)
If you are a Tufts employee and need a medical leave or medical time off, please contact the Leave of Absence Specialist in Human Resources at leaves@tufts.edu. To initiate a leave request by phone, contact Tufts Support Services at 617-627-7000.
If you are a member of Tufts Faculty and are interested in taking a medical leave, you should contact your school's dean.
For information regarding accessible parking, contact the OEO Accommodations Team at Accommodations.OEO@tufts.edu.
For information about the accessible shuttle service route specific to the Medford Campus, please contact Tufts Parking & Transportation at 617.627.3692 or transportation@tufts.edu.
Duty to Cooperate
Managers, supervisors, faculty and other agents of the University have a duty to refer accommodation requests from students, employees, applicants, patients, visitors, third parties and community members to the appropriate Accommodations Administrator for the initiation of the interactive process. For any questions regarding where or how to refer a reasonable accommodation request, contact the Accommodations Manager and ADA/504 Officer, Katherine Vosker at 617-627-0657 or the Accommodations Specialist, Amin Fahimi Moghadam at 617-627-6363. Any agent of the University who fails to refer an accommodation request may be subject to disciplinary action.
Freedom of Retaliation
Any university community member who believes they are a person with a disability has the right to request a reasonable accommodation(s) without fear of retaliation. It is a violation of university policy to retaliate against an individual for requesting an accommodation. Any person who retaliates against an individual who self-identifies as a person with a disability at Tufts University is subject to disciplinary action.
Confidentiality
In accordance with the ADA and HIPAA laws, Tufts will protect and maintain the privacy and confidentiality of any medical information of its applicants, employees, students, patients, third parties and community members obtained in connection with the reasonable accommodation process. All medical information will be kept as confidential as possible, maintained securely and separate from personnel files in OEO.
Applicants for employment at Tufts should inform Human Resources, the recruiter or the hiring manager of the need for any reasonable accommodation(s) during the hiring process. Upon receiving an accommodation request, recruiters, hiring managers and/or Human Resources designees should contact the OEO Accommodations Team at Accommodations.OEO@tufts.edu.
As part of the interactive process, OEO or the involved HR representative may ask the applicant to provide medical and other forms of documentation to support his/her request. All medical documents will be handled confidentially at OEO/HR.
After making a final determination on the matter, OEO and/or HR will communicate the requested accommodation decision to the applicant in writing, if possible. HR is responsible for implementing all approved accommodations during the interview process.
Patients who have received care at a Tufts' clinic or school who feel they have not been accommodated should contact the OEO Accommodations Team at Accommodations.OEO@tufts.edu.
Tufts University is committed to taking steps to ensuring and improving physical and technological access on campus. If you encounter an access barrier while at any of the Tufts campuses, please report it as soon as possible!
You can report access barriers directly to OEO at Accommodations.OEO@tufts.edu.
If there is an immediate risk to your health or safety or the health and safety of a coworker, colleague, fellow student or community member, please contact Tufts University Public Safety using the contact information most relevant to the location of the barrier:
Students, employees, patients, applicants, third parties and community members who are in disagreement with the outcome of their request for an accommodation(s) may address their concerns with the ADA/504 Officer, Katherine Vosker at 617-627-3298 or katherine.vosker@tufts.edu.
Religious accommodation requests will be made on a case-by-case basis taking into account factors including but not limited to, the fundamental requirements of the applicable academic program and/or related technical standards, essential functions of an individual’s job, the duties of others in the department or job group, the requirements of the department or major, any impact of the accommodation, the duration of the accommodation request, and the availability of alternative accommodations.
To learn how to request a religious accommodation and who to contact, check out the information below.
All students may request a religious accommodation by making a written request for an accommodation to the OEO. An Academic Dean may make accommodations for students in accordance with their Code of Conduct or Student Handbook and should report them to the OEO and/or work with the OEO Accommodations Team at Accommodations.OEO@tufts.edu.
All employees may request a religious accommodation by making a written request for an accommodation to the OEO. Contact Accommodations.OEO@tufts.edu.
Students and employees who anticipate being absent from work or class because of a religious observance must submit their request for time off in advance and as soon as they become aware of the need or at least ten (10) business days in advance.
Tufts University is committed to supporting and meeting the needs of individuals experiencing pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions. Discrimination and harassment based on pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, including but not limited to childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or lactation will not be tolerated. Tufts University will reasonably accommodate students, employees and prospective employees for pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, absent undue hardship for the University.
To request a pregnancy-related accommodation or ask questions about the Pregnancy in the Workplace Policy, you can contact the Accommodations Team at Accommodations.OEO@tufts.edu. You can also download the ADA Accommodations Form (PDF). Additional information can be found in the Massachusetts Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.
Tufts University is committed to supporting and meeting the needs of nursing individuals returning to work, school, or visiting the campus. Any nursing individual who is a member of the Tufts community (faculty, staff, students, patients, visitors, third parties or community members) can use the designated lactation rooms. Faculty and staff are entitled to reasonable breaks to express breast milk as well as the sufficient time to get to the lactation room.
To request a lactation accommodation or ask questions about the Lactation Policy, you can contact the Accommodations Team at Accommodations.OEO@tufts.edu. You can also learn more about Tufts Lactation Policy or the Massachusetts Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.
Lactation rooms offer privacy for nursing individuals, and each room contains a comfortable chair, a table or desk, and sufficient electrical outlets near the chair.
Although refrigerators are not provided in each room, OEO can assist you in locating a refrigerator within your department or workstation to store the milk. You must provide your own pump, storage containers and proper labeling. You may also bring your own small cooler to store the breast milk.
Click on the link for more information about the Massachusetts Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.
If you would like to reserve a designated lactation room, use the chart to locate a room near you and click on the blue "Reserve a Lactation Room" button below.
| Campus | Room Location | Hours | For onsite assistance, please contact: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fenway - School of the Museum of Fine Arts |
Room B205 |
Open during building hours | Caleb Davis 617-627-0055 caleb.davis@tufts.edu |
| Boston - DLAM | Room 604 75 Kneeland St. |
Card Access | Elizabeth Turner 617-636-5611 Elizabeth.Turner@tufts.edu |
| Boston – Dental | DHS 418 1 Kneeland Street |
Card Access | Beth Conant 617-636-6842 Beth.Conant@tufts.edu |
| Boston – Medical | M&V 423 136 Harrison Avenue |
Keypad Access | Verna Manni 617-636-6663 |
| Grafton | Room G035-1802A Large Animal Hospital |
Open during building hours | Lauren Golato 508-887-4430 lauren.golato@tufts.edu |
| Medford/Somerville | Ballou Hall (1st floor) | Open during building hours | Renato Cuevo 617-627-1647 renato.cuevo@tufts.edu |
| Medford/Somerville | Fletcher School Cabot Hall, Room 207 |
Open during building hours | Kristin Sarkisian 617-627-3329 |
| Medford/Somerville | CLIC Building 574 Boston Avenue, Room 125 |
Open during building hours | Aimee Coll 617-627-8813 Aimee.Coll@tufts.edu |
| Medford/Somerville | UA/IT Operations 80 George Street, Room 353A |
Open during building hours | Lauren Holland 617-627-3014 lauren.holland@tufts.edu |
| Medford/Somerville | Tisch Library Room 104. Code to enter is 1004* |
Open Library Hours | tischadmin@tufts.edu 617-627-3345 |
| Medford/Somerville | Science & Engineering Complex - Room LL007 | Open during building hours | Marie Pugliese 617-627-8375 |
| Medford/Somerville | SciTech Building – 4 Colby St. Rm 278 |
Open during building hours | Milva Ricci 617-627-2580 Lorin Polidora 617-627-1108 |
| Medford/Somerville | Room 1616 at 200 Boston Avenue. Code to enter is 6161* | Open during building hours | Reserve Online |
| Medford/Somerville | Joyce Cummings Center 177 College Avenue Rooms 344B (3rd floor) and 544B (5th floor) | Open during Bldg. Hours | Marie Pugliese 617-627-8375 |
Additional helpful information about the lactation rooms can be found at Access Tufts - Lactation Rooms and Resources.
Note: Massachusetts Law does not allow for philosophical exemptions, even if signed by a physician. Only medical and religious exemptions are acceptable.
If you have a sincerely held religious or spiritual belief, practice, or observance that prevents you from receiving a vaccination, you may request an immunization exemption from the University’s vaccine requirements by contacting the OEO Accommodations Team at Accommodations.OEO@tufts.edu.
For medical exemptions, contact Health Services or complete the medical exemption request form (Medford/Somerville/SMFA students) OR contact the Office of Occupational Health at OccupationalHealth@tufts.edu (Grafton/Boston students and Tufts employees).
If you have questions about any of the accommodations detailed above, please contact the OEO Accommodations Team at Accommodations.OEO@tufts.edu.