Appointment Types/Duration
- Our staff appreciate that individuals' tolerance for typical appointment durations may vary. If you foresee experiencing difficulty with any of our appointment durations explained below, please let us know and we can make adjustments to your appointment duration.
- Information Sessions: These appointments are for prospective CAL registrants and other interested parties to learn more about CAL’s services and the application process. Typically, these appointments are 30 minutes in duration. If you are a current or former SFU student, you will be assigned to meet with a Disability Access Advisor (Advisor) based on the digits in your student number. If you are not a current SFU student, you will be assigned to meet with an Advisor based on the date of your birth.
- Initial Intake Appointments: These appointments are for new registrants to our Centre who have completed both the Online Application for Services Form and have submitted their required documentation outlining their disability and its functional impacts. This appointment is the third step in the registration process, where you meet with your assigned Advisor to review your application, documentation, and to discuss your access needs and potential referrals to other support services at SFU. Typically, these appointments are 1 hour in duration. A second appointment may be recommended once you have completed your second week of classes in your first term of studies to review your course load and adjust any accommodations. These second appointments are typically shorter: 30 minutes or less.
- Advising Appointments: These appointments can be arranged at any time throughout your studies by yourself or your Advisor to discuss any concerns or questions you may have regarding your disability, coursework, accommodations, and access to CAL and/or SFU services. Typically, these appointments are 30 minutes in duration.
- Accommodations Renewal Appointment: At each new term, students will have until the end of Week 10 to renew their accommodations for the current term. Please note that accommodations are generally forward-looking such that they are not applied retroactively, so students should renew accommodations early in the term. Some students with stable conditions and similar coursework each year may have the option to renew their accommodations online without having to meet with their Advisor. Other students will require an appointment with their Advisor to discuss their current course load and to review their accommodations to see if any adjustments need to be made. Typically, these appointments are 30 minutes to 45 minutes in duration.
What to Expect for CAL Appointments
- In-Person Appointments: When you arrive at the Centre, please check in at Reception to confirm your arrival, ideally 5 minutes prior to your appointment time. You will then be asked to wait in our assigned seating in the adjacent hallway, and your Advisor will come out to meet you as soon as they are available. The Advisor will bring you into their CAL office so you can meet privately for your assigned appointment time.
- Virtual Appointments: For virtual appointments, once you have confirmed the appointment date and time with CAL office staff via email at caladmin@sfu.ca, you will receive an email with a Zoom link to attend your appointment online. Click on the Zoom link provided at the appointed time, and your Advisor will join you in the private Zoom room. Please allow an additional 5-10 minutes for your Advisor to arrive prior to disconnecting from the Zoom link in case their previous appointment is running late.
- Phone Appointments: For phone appointments, you will be asked to provide your preferred phone number to the front office staff at the time you confirm your appointment. At your appointment time, your Advisor will telephone you on the number provided. Advisors working remotely may telephone you from a private phone number. Please ensure that your phone can receive phone calls from private numbers before your appointment. Please allow an additional 5-10 minutes for your Advisor to telephone you in case their previous appointment is running late.