Residential Life Accommodations

Requests for Modifications in Residential Life

The College will consider reasonable modification of housing assignment procedures when necessary to provide equal access for students with disabilities that limit their ability to participate in residential life.  Students should contact the Director of Access Services and schedule an appointment to request modifications.  This should be done as early as possible to allow sufficient time for consideration and planning.  Requests should be made well in advance of established Residential Life timeframes, otherwise, options may be limited: 

• Returning students must submit requests and provide the required information by March 1.
• New students must submit requests and the supporting documentation no later than June 1. 
• For students who wish to live on campus during the summer months, the deadline is May 1.

Students should be aware that these are firm deadlines.

Students are asked to share documentation that supports their request for accommodations. This information should verify the existence of a disabling condition that currently causes substantial limitations to the student’s ability to participate in residential life and relate the current impact of the condition to the modification(s) requested.  It should be on letterhead stationery, provide the date, and include the signature, title, and credentials of the professional (who is not a family member) providing the information. 

At a minimum, the following information should be included:

• Nature and severity of the condition and date of the most recent evaluation or examination
• Overview of the methods used to make the diagnosis
• Summary of relevant history and current symptoms
• Overview of any treatments, medications, or devices currently prescribed and their effect on the student’s functioning
• Discussion of any manifestations of the condition that currently cause substantial limitations to the student’s ability to live in campus housing
• Recommendations for reasonable modifications to provide the student an equal opportunity to participate in residential life, with a rationale and indication of the level of need for each one
• The expected duration or progression of the condition and the time period for which the modifications are recommended

Additionally, students must complete and submit a form, Request for Modifications in Residential Life, which is available from Access Services. 

Reasonable modifications are determined by the Director/Assistant Director of Access Services in collaboration with the student, Residential Life Accommodations Review Committee and other College professionals as appropriate.  Students need to be aware that their request and all relevant documentation related to their request will be shared with these parties.