Jump to HeaderJump to Main ContentJump to Footer
Michigan State University
Michigan State University
University Health & Well-Being
  • For Students
  • For Faculty/Staff
  • Giving

University Health & Well-Being

  • Crisis and Emergency Assistance
  • |
  • Health and Wellbeing Services
    • Accessibility and Accommodations
    • Basic Needs
    • Fitness and Nutrition
    • Health Promotion
    • Medical Care
    • Mental Health and Trauma Support
  • |
  • Data & Resources
    • Overview
    • Annual Reports
    • State of Spartan Health
    • Forms and Policies
    • Faculty and Staff Resources
    • Outreach
    spartan-statue-spring-flowers-mixed-media-three-column

    Discover the State of Spartan Health

    Learn More
  • |
  • Spartan Wellbeing Collective
  • |
  • News & Events
    • News
    • Events
    • Campus Communications
    • Media Mentions
  • |
  • About Us
    • Overview
    • Contact Us
    • Giving
    • Leadership
    • Staff Directory
University Health & Well-Being
  • Crisis and Emergency Assistance
  • Health and Wellbeing Services
  • Data & Resources
  • Spartan Wellbeing Collective
  • News & Events
  • About Us

< Crisis and Emergency Assistance

< Health and Wellbeing Services

  • Accessibility and Accommodations
  • Basic Needs
  • Fitness and Nutrition
  • Health Promotion
  • Medical Care
  • Mental Health and Trauma Support

< Data & Resources

  • Overview
  • Annual Reports
  • State of Spartan Health
  • Forms and Policies
  • Faculty and Staff Resources
  • Outreach
spartan-statue-spring-flowers-mixed-media-three-column

Discover the State of Spartan Health

Learn More

< Spartan Wellbeing Collective

< News & Events

  • News
  • Events
  • Campus Communications
  • Media Mentions

< About Us

  • Overview
  • Contact Us
  • Giving
  • Leadership
  • Staff Directory
  • For Students
  • For Faculty/Staff
  • Giving
University Health and Wellbeing > Health and Well-Being Services > Accessibility and Accommodations > RCPD >

AccessMSU Resources

Michigan State University

Resources

  • A to Z Index
  • Find People
  • Maps
  • Email
  • Student Information System (SIS)
  • D2L
  • Libraries
  • Tech Support
  • MSU Misconduct Hotline
  • Social Media Directory
  • Events Calendar
  • For Media

Health and Safety

  • MSU Police and Public Safety
  • Olin Health Center
  • Counseling & Psychiatric Services (CAPS)
  • University Health and Wellbeing
  • MSU Health Care
  • Civil Rights and Title IX
  • Our Commitment
  • Center for Survivors
  • Security & Fire Safety Report
  • University Policy on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct
  • Notice of Non-Discrimination, Anti-Harassment and Non-Retaliation
  • Health Care Non-Discrimination Notice

Support Services

  • Disability Resources
  • Supportive Services
  • Learning Resources

Working at MSU

  • Human Resources
  • EBS Login
  • Job Postings
  • Employee Assistance Program

Reports

  • CARES Act Funding
  • Student Achievement and Outcomes

Contact us

517-355-1855

Address

Michigan State University 426 Auditorium Road East Lansing, MI 48824

Releases and Statements

Follow Us

  • Visit our Facebook page
  • Visit our Instagram page
  • Visit our LinkedIn page
  • Visit our YouTube page

If you're having accessibility issues, please let us know.

Know MoreTransparency Reporting: Budget & Salary/Compensation
Michigan State University
  • Contact Information|
  • Site Map|
  • Privacy Statement|
  • Site Accessibility|
  • Call MSU: (517) 355-1855|
  • Visit: msu.edu|
  • Notice of Nondiscrimination|

SPARTANS WILL|© Michigan State University|

AccessMSU Resources 

We are excited to introduce AccessMSU, an innovative and student-focused data system that modernizes how accommodations are requested, viewed, and managed at the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD).  

New to AccessMSU
Returning User Login

Note: Instructors, please use the Returning User Login above. 

What has changed: 

  • Students do NOT need to email PDFs of Accommodation Letters to instructors anymore
  • Students log into AccessMSU to share their Accommodation Letters with instructors directly
  • Instructors receive email notifications when Accommodation Letters are sent, including new added accommodations mid-semester
  • Instructors should update RCPD syllabus statements or course policies to reflect the new Accommodation Letter sharing process. Check out our Faculty & Departmental Resources page for updated syllabus language. 

What has not changed: 

  • Students and instructors should still engage in interactive conversations about how accommodations will be implemented for individual courses
  • Instructors must accept accommodations throughout the semester. Please contact the student’s Access Specialist with questions or extenuating circumstances. 

Below, we’ve included instructions on how to use AccessMSU as a student, employee, and instructor. Each section includes PowerPoint presentations with more in-depth instructions and guiding screenshots.  

Students

New to RCPD

Submit Online Application 

Formally identify as a student or employee with a physical, sensory, cognitive or psychological disability via the AccessMSU accommodation portal.  

For step-by-step instructions with screenshots, please review our Student Guide – Getting Started PowerPoint. You can also access screen reader instructions for submitting your application. 

  1. Login with your MSU credentials and select “Start New Application.”  
  2. Fill in your information and select “Create Application Draft” – your application will be saved in our system and you can return to it later if needed.  

    Note: Accommodations cannot be provided for draft applications. Please complete all steps to submit your application. 

  3. Complete the “List of Questions” on the next page to provide further information which will help the RCPD pair you with the right Access Specialist.
  4. Save your application and proceed to uploading documentation. Our documentation page includes documentation standards and submission guidelines. Your form will not be reviewed until you have submitted documentation. If you do not have documentation to share, please contact us.
  5. Submit your application. You will receive a confirmation email. 

*All required fields must be completed in order to submit the application. If you are unsure what to put please contact us. 

You can review the status of your application at any time by logging back into AccessMSU. 

Employees

Instructions on how to apply

Formally identify as a student or employee with a physical, sensory, cognitive or psychological disability via the AccessMSU accommodation portal.  

  1. Login with your MSU credentials and select “Start New Application.”  
  2. Fill in your information and select “Create Application Draft” – your application will be saved in our system and you can return to it later if needed.  

    Note: Accommodations cannot be provided for draft applications. Please complete all steps to submit your application. 

  3. Complete the “List of Questions” on the next page to provide further information which will help the RCPD pair you with the right Access Specialist.
  4. Save your application and proceed to uploading documentation. Our documentation page includes documentation standards and submission guidelines. Your form will not be reviewed until you have submitted documentation. If you do not have documentation to share, please contact us.
  5. Submit your application. You will receive a confirmation email. 

*All required fields must be completed in order to submit the application. If you are unsure what to put please contact us. 

You can find screen reader instructions for submitting your application here.

Instructors 

AccessMSU is a centralized accommodation portal where students’ accommodation letters are saved and available to their instructors.   

Instructors 

AccessMSU is a centralized accommodation portal where students’ accommodation letters are saved and available to their instructors.   

How to View Accommodation Letters

For step-by-step instructions with screenshots, please review our Instructor Guide PowerPoint.

  1. Login to AccessMSU using your MSU credentials
  2. Acknowledge privacy policies
  3. View all accommodations on the “Overview” page
  4. In the yellow banner at the top, you can change the semester (ex: Fall 2026, Spring 2027)
  5. At the bottom, a listed view will provide all the students who have requested accommodations for your courses for the semester
  6. View specific student's accommodations
  7. To view the approved accommodations for each student, select “View” or “PDF” within each row and the student’s Accommodation Letter will generate
  8. All approved accommodations will be listed on the letter. Some accommodations include a description with implementation instructions
  9. The student's assigned Access Specialist and their contact information is listed at the bottom of the letter. If you have any questions about accommodation implementation, please reach out to the Access Specialist.
  10. If a student has accommodations that have an expiration date, they will be noted specifically.
  11. Export student data (Optional) 

From the Overview page, you can create a spreadsheet of all your students and their accommodations, expand “Export Data: Student” and click on “Export Accommodation Requests”

Currently Working with RCPD

How to send your Accommodation Letter  

Accommodation Letters should be shared with instructors at the start of each semester through  AccessMSU by following the steps below:  

For step-by-step instructions with screenshots, please review our Student Guide – Sharing Accommodations PowerPoint.

  1. Log into your AccessMSU accommodation portal.
  2. Select "Add Request for x Class" under the Accommodation Request box for the current academic term.
  3. On the next page, you can select the classes you'd like to request accommodations for.
  4. If you plan to request all of your accommodations for all of your classes, or if you'd like to bulk request the same accommodations for all of your classes (versus individually choosing each accommodation for each class), select the "Apply the same accommodations to all selected courses" option. We recommend this option so you don’t miss sharing any of your accommodations.
  5. Select "Continue To Next Step" to move onto the accommodation selection page. 
  6. On the next page, you'll select all the accommodations you'd like for your classes. Choose the "Select All" option if you want to include all of your approved accommodation eligibility on your accommodation letter.  

    Note: If you did not select the "Apply all" option on the previous page, you will need to choose accommodations for each class individually. 

  7. Before submitting your request, you must agree to the terms of requesting your accommodations by reading the agreement statement and selecting the checkbox next to the statement.
  8. To finally submit your request, select "Submit Request” and your accommodations will automatically be sent to your instructor(s).  
Communicating With Students

With RCPD's shift to AccessMSU, Accommodation Letters have a new look and are submitted to instructors via AccessMSU. As the MSU community shifts to this new process, you may receive Accommodation Letters a few different ways. 

  1. Prior to June 1, 2026, students sent instructors their Accommodation Letters via email. Students affiliated with RCPD prior to June 1, 2026 may have existing Accommodation Letters that were created and sent via RCPD's former process. If a student emails you their non-AccessMSU Accommodation Letter and it is still valid (check the "Valid Through" date at the top), accept the Letter and encourage the student to send their updated Accommodation Letter via AccessMSU. 

    Side by side example of the previous Accommodation Letter style on the left and the new AccessMSU style on the right. The old version notably features a large header area with the RCPD tree logo and contact information, versus the new style simple has RCPD's unit signature at the top. Both documents present student info, confidentiality agreements, and a list of approved accommodations.
  2. You will receive Accommodation Letters from AccessMSU via email (from notify@rcpd.msu.edu) and/or you can login to AccessMSU to utilize your customized instructor portal. For instructions about how to view Accommodation Letters via AccessMSU, please refer to the "How to View Accommodation Letters" drop-down tab on RCPD's AccessMSU resource page.

    Screenshot of an accommodation letter notification email from AccessMSU featuring the RCPD unit signature at the top, a confidentiality notice, student info, description of the letter, and then the actual accommodations listed.
    Example notification email from AccessMSU

We encourage instructors to update their syllabi language and have provided a new model statement below: 

Michigan State University is committed to providing access and inclusion in all programs, services and activities. Disabled persons should contact the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities at 517-884-RCPD or by visiting RCPD’s website to request accommodations. Additional communication between the student, instructor, and RCPD specialist may be necessary to ensure an accessible classroom experience.

Please send your Accommodation Letter to me as soon as possible so I can ensure proper facilitation of accommodations. Accommodation Letters are generated and sent from within the AccessMSU student portal. Accommodations are not required to be provided prior to me receiving the letter. Students affiliated with RCPD prior to June 1, 2026 may have existing Accommodation Letters that were previously sent via email communication with instructors. I can still accept these letters, but you will need to also send your Accommodation Letter via AccessMSU.