Housing Accommodations Policy and Forms
View Albion College's Housing Accommodations Policy and download relevant forms below.
Policy Area: Housing Accommodations for Students with Documented Disabilities
Policy Title: Albion College Housing Accommodations Policy
Submitted Date: October 2024
Effective Date: January 1, 2025
Submitted By: Elizabeth Rudolph, Director for Accessibility Services and Campus Disability Officer; and Chris Berry Assistant Dean for Student Success and Cutler Center Director
Approved By: Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students
Policy Owner: Accessibility Services (Cutler Center)/Division of Student Development
Rationale: To clearly articulate the process for receiving reasonable accommodations for documented disabilities within Albion College campus housing.
Policy Statement: Albion College is committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive living environment for all students, including those with documented disabilities. This policy outlines the process and the documentation required to obtain housing accommodations due to a disability. The aim is to ensure that students with disabilities are provided equitable access to campus housing through reasonable accommodations.
Process/Steps to Submitting a Housing Accommodation Request
- The Housing Accommodations process begins with students completing the online application for accommodations using the AIM Housing Accommodation Platform
- The application requires students to provide medical documentation from a qualified licensed health professional to be eligible for housing accommodations. For questions about what qualifies as appropriate medical documentation, contact an Accessibility Services staff member.
- Medical documentation should be uploaded to AIM or faxed to 517-629-0578.
- After requests are completed, Accessibility Services staff will meet with students to determine if their specific disability and circumstances require an accommodation.
- Approved requests are forwarded to Community Living staff, who will manage room and building assignments.
*Providing the college with medical or support information does not guarantee accommodations. Decisions are made on an individual basis which does not rely on paperwork only but on a comprehensive and interactive process with the student.
Timeline
Requests for housing accommodations for returning students should be submitted at the beginning of the Room Selection Process to Accessibility Services each Spring semester and reviewed for assignment or other housing accommodation needs for the upcoming year. Requests for housing accommodations for newly admitted students should be submitted starting in April and completed before August 1.
To ensure that housing accommodations are in place by the beginning of the semester, requests for housing accommodations should be completed by the dates listed below. Accommodations made after these dates may not be in place by the beginning of the semester.
Fall Semester – July 15
Spring Semester – December 1
Summer Semester – March 15
Eligibility Requirements for Housing Accommodations
Students with a documented disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities and impacts their ability to live in standard college housing are eligible to apply for housing accommodations.
Standard college housing at Albion College is a double room designed for 2 residents per unit with shared access to communal restrooms.
Guidelines for Providing Adequate Documentation
Medical Documentation from a Qualified Licensed Health Professional:
- The documentation must come from a Qualified Licensed Health Professional who has an established therapeutic relationship with the student. A Qualified Licensed Health Professional is defined as a provider who is qualified to conduct assessments and render diagnoses of a disability.
- The provider should be familiar with the student’s disability and its impact on their ability to live in college housing.
- The provider must not be a family member of the student or in a personal relationship with the student.
Documentation should include:
- Diagnosis: A clear statement of the diagnosis, including a DSM-5TR or ICD code to include clinically significant symptoms and level of impairment sufficient to support diagnosis. If a diagnosis is not provided, the description of the disability should include symptoms and impairment as above.
- Functional Limitations: A description of how the above noted symptoms and impairment substantially limits one or more major life activities and impacts the student’s ability to live in a college housing environment.
- Professional opinion that the above meets criteria for a disability.
- Recommendations: Specific recommended accommodations with a clear rationale connecting the requested accommodation to the functional limitations.
Submission Timeline
All documentation should be submitted to Accessibility Services by the specified deadline before the start of the academic term. Late submissions may delay accommodation decisions.
Verification and Confidentiality
Accessibility Services staff will verify the documentation provided. All information submitted will be kept confidential and only shared with relevant Community Living and administrative staff on a need-to-know basis to ensure appropriate accommodations are provided.
Interactive Process
Once documentation is reviewed, Accessibility Services staff will engage in an interactive process with the student to determine reasonable accommodations based on the provided information. In some cases, additional information may be requested from the student or health care provider.
Duration of Accommodations
Approved housing accommodations are typically granted for the academic year and must be renewed annually. Students should reapply each academic year and may be asked to provide updated documentation if the nature of the disability has changed.
Appeals Process
If a student’s request for accommodations is denied, they have the right to appeal the decision. Appeals must be submitted in writing within 14 calendar days of the decision to the Associate Vice President for Student Development or their designee outlining the reasons for the appeal and providing any additional supporting documentation.
Types of Housing Accommodations
- Barrier-Free Rooms – Students with physical disabilities or mobility impairments may require barrier-free rooms. These rooms may include: Adjustable height beds, desks, or other furniture to accommodate mobility devices such as wheelchairs or scooters; access to bathrooms with accessible sinks, vanities, and/or showers; or minor modifications made to the space (e.g., lowering a closet rod or towel rack).
- Air Conditioner Accommodations – Students with medical conditions exacerbated by heat and or humidity may be eligible for window air conditioning in their room if it is determined that other options such as fans, portable air purifiers, or dehumidifiers cannot manage their condition. A Qualified Licensed Health Professional must provide documentation supporting the necessity of air conditioning. The student will be required to supply the window air conditioning unit and the College’s facilities department will install it.
- Single Room Accommodation – In cases where a shared living environment may negatively impact a student’s health or well-being due to their disability, a private room may be provided. Though not guaranteed, this accommodation may only be granted when a Qualified Licensed Health Professional deems it medically necessary and as the only option to maintain the student’s health and well-being.
- Board exemption – An exemption to the college’s board requirement may be granted when a student has provided documentation from a Qualified Licensed Health Professional showing that they have a medical condition that cannot be adequately supported by the College’s board options. In such cases, the student will meet with the college’s dietitian, who will review the medical documentation and assess whether a board exemption is necessary to prevent illness or harm. The dietitian’s report must confirm that no reasonable dietary accommodations can be provided through the College’s board plan.
- Residency Exemption – An exemption to the College’s residency requirement may be granted if the college’s on-campus housing cannot be adequately modified to meet the needs of a student with a disability. Documentation from a Qualified Licensed Health Professional must clearly outline the nature of the accommodation that cannot be met within the college’s existing framework. This exemption is considered only after all potential accommodations within Community Living’s residential environments have been explored.
- Emotional Support Animals – Students who may benefit from an Emotional Support Animal (ESA), as defined under the Fair Housing Act, must submit appropriate documentation from a Qualified Licensed Health Professional with whom they have an established therapeutic relationship. This documentation must confirm that the ESA is necessary to support the student’s mental health or well-being. Following approval, the student must work with the Director of Community Living to receive clearance for the specific animal. Approval will take into account both the student’s needs and the feasibility of accommodating the animal within a student’s assigned residential space.
- Service Animals – A service animal as per the ADA is defined as “dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the owner’s disability. Students need to connect with the Office of Community Living prior to moving in with your service animal.
The following are not considered appropriate reasons to request an accommodation:
- Desire for a quiet or distraction-free environment,
- Bad experiences with current or past roommates,
- Being a light sleeper and/or snoring,
- Having anxiety or depression and needing a place to decompress,
- Roommate preferences,
- Dietary preferences not tied to a disability (e.g., veganism).
Relevant Definitions:
- Disability – A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
- Qualified Licensed Health Professional – an individual who is qualified by education, training, licensure, and facility privileging to perform a professional service within their scope of practice.
Supporting Documentation/Data: The Americans with Disability Act of 1990 (As Amended) https://www.ada.gov/law-and-regs/ada/
Primary Impact On: Students