About Disability Services
The Disability Services Office provides reasonable accommodations to qualified students to ensure equity in their access to classes, services, and programs. The disability counselor is available to assist, consult, support, and advocate on behalf of students with disabilities at all Westmoreland locations and remote courses.
- M.Ed. in School Counseling, California University of Pennsylvania (2009)
- B.A. in Journalism, University of Pittsburgh (2003)
To schedule an appointment with the disability counselor, call the Information Center at 724-925-4000 or email disability counselor Lauren Eicher at eicherlaFREEWESTMORELAND.
The Disability Services Office is located in the Student Achievement Center (SAC), Youngwood. Students can make in-person appointments at the Enrollment Center in the SAC, or the disability counselor can schedule appointments via phone or Zoom.
The disability counselor is available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., during the academic year and the summer. If you need to schedule an appointment outside of those hours, please email disability counselor Lauren Eicher at eicherlaFREEWESTMORELAND.
- Provides academic counseling, advising and support to students with disabilities throughout their time at Westmoreland - from application to graduation.
- Determines whether students are eligible for academic accommodations and helps students put those accommodations in place.
- Refers students to various community resources to help them in their academic journey.
The disability counselor is also available upon request to consult with faculty, staff, and community members regarding issues related to disability in higher education and advocating for students’ needs.
The Disability Services Office provides accommodations to students for all types of disabilities, including autism, learning disabilities, attention-related disabilities, medical conditions, and mental health conditions.
Students requesting academic accommodations must provide documentation that verifies they have a disability and they must meet with the disability counselor to complete the required paperwork. For more information on documentation, please see Documentation Guidance on the Prospective Students page.
If you are unsure how to get documentation to verify your disability or if you believe
you have a disability for which you have not been diagnosed, please contact the disability
counselor at eicherlaFREEWESTMORELAND.
Students receiving support or accommodations from disability services have the right to confidentiality of their personal information. Students’ disability information and documentation remains with the disability services office and is separate from their academic records at all times. Information is released only with the student’s permission and only on a need to know basis.
If a student would like to allow others access to their information, they must complete the Release of Student Information form, which can be found on the MyWestmoreland portal under Student Resources.
Westmoreland County Community College complies with the Family Educational Rights
and Privacy Act (FERPA). More information about FERPA can be found in the Student Handbook.
Westmoreland County Community College is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, including changes made by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as required by federal law.