Student Services

The Student Services Office is designed to serve students at Kuyper in a variety of ways. The Student Services Office consists of Academic Support, Student Life, Field Education, and Counseling Services. To contact the Student Services Office, please call the front desk at (616) 988-3647.

Services for Students Seeking Off-Campus Employment

Students seeking off-campus jobs should consult the Career Development and Field Education Office, which has many resources available to assist job searches. E-mail Professor Evan Heerema, Director of Career Development and Field Education, at eheerema@kuyper.edu or call him at (616) 988-3643. You may also contact Beth Bras, Administrative Assistant, at bbras@kuyper.edu or at (616) 988-3647. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Services for Students with Disabilities

Kuyper College complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act by providing reasonable services to qualified students.

The Academic Support Office has an open line of communication with faculty and staff members concerning the special needs some students may have. For the College to provide accommodations to a student, the Academic Support Office must have current and comprehensive documentation on file. A form may be acquired from the Academic Support Office, which will state a clear diagnosis of the problem. This documentation will also describe the criteria and testing given, including aptitude; academic achievement in reading, math, oral and written language; information processing; recommendations for accommodations; treatment, medication, or auxiliary aids; and credentials of the diagnosing professional.

The College assists persons with learning disabilities through communication with the faculty, audio books, note-taking, special advising, early registration, tutoring, diagnostic screening, coaching, and alternative testing arrangements.

Students are also taught how to advocate for themselves. To gain access to these accommodations, students should contact the Academic Support Office before the beginning of the term and provide documentation of their learning disabilities. Our goal is for them to become confident learners and achieve maturity in interdependence.

New students who haven't undergone prior testing for learning disabilities/differences and/or ADD/ADHD are welcome to come to the Academic Support Office to discuss options. The Academic Support Office can refer students to physicians in the area who will perform a complete battery of learning evaluations. The Academic Support Office can also recommend counseling by our counselor.

The Kuyper campus is barrier free. Students with physical or learning disabilities that may hinder them in classroom and academic activities should contact Andrew Zwart in the Academic Support Office at azwart@kuyper.edu or at (616) 988-3688. Students whose disabilities affect their mobility or limit participation in social activities should contact Andrea Smith in the Student Life Office at asmith@kuyper.edu or at (616) 988-3650.

Specific Services for Students with Disabilities

Audio Books
Resources for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D) is the chief provider of textbooks on tape and on CD. To be registered with RFB&D, a student must be diagnosed and recommended. The Academic Support Office can assist with this registration process and takes responsibility for ordering textbooks on tape or CD. Annual membership fees for this service are charged to the student's account, and any loss or misplacement of materials is the student's responsibility. Contact Andrew Zwart at azwart@kuyper.edu or at (616) 988-3688.

Note-Taking
The Academic Support Office coordinates the gathering of notes and printed lecture outlines for students requiring this accommodation. Often, another student in the same section will simply photocopy his or her own lecture notes and distribute them to students who require them. Contact Andrew Zwart at azwart@kuyper.edu or at (616) 988-3688.

Alternative Testing Arrangements
Kuyper College has adopted the "time-and-a-half or two-times" rule for students who require extended time on tests. Depending on the professor's wishes and the student's ability, a test will be given with the regular allotted time, plus half of that time or twice the allotted time. Kuyper College reserves the authority to place all students who require testing accommodations in the same section.