Housing
Specific Housing Accommodation Requests
Admitted students need to complete the following steps to be considered for a housing accommodation:
- Contact DSS and express your need for a housing accommodation
- Review these guidelines
- Schedule an appointment with a DSS Accommodation Specialist
- Provide DSS with documentation that illustrates your diagnosis and describes how it affects your living situation
Documentation must state the following:
- Diagnosis
- Symptoms that the accommodation specifically alleviates
- Length of time the student has been working with the professional
- For documenting a medical condition: physicians, physician assistants, or advanced practice nurse practitioners. (Ex: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, students needing medical equipment or devices)
- For documenting a psychological or mental health disorder: licensed clinical social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, or advanced practice psychiatric nurse practitioners. (Ex: Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder)
Living in residence halls, where students live in a community and share space with others, is integral to the educational experience. Many locations on campus provide quiet spaces for studying, including the library and several academic buildings.
Assigning a single room as a disability accommodation occurs when a private living/sleeping space is necessary to remove barriers for the student to access and utilize college housing. A single room is a disability accommodation when a student’s clinical history and professional documentation clearly provide a rationale explaining how the student’s substantial limitations create a need for separate living/sleeping space as the only reasonable means for the student to access and utilize housing.
If a student qualifies for a single room, it doesn't necessarily mean they will receive one. DSS will determine whether or not a student is eligible and will notify Housing and Residence Life. Housing and Residence Life will then evaluate the space available and assign the room if there is available space.
Preferences such as buildings, specific rooms, and roommate/suitemate preferences are not disability accommodations.
Assistance Animal Procedures
A student residing in University housing who requires an assistance or emotional support animal must be registered with Disability Services for Students. Students will need documentation on letterhead from a professional such as a counselor, psychologist, psychiatrist, or general care practitioner.
Documentation must state the following:
- Diagnoses.
- Length of time the student has been working with the professional. (Minimum of three months)
- The symptoms that the assistance animal alleviates for the student
Once Disability Services for Students has received the necessary documents, a meeting with an accommodation specialist should be scheduled. For any requests outside the “Animals on Campus Policy” will be brought to the Disability Services for Students Assistance Animal Committee for consideration.
DSS will provide support of the request to Housing and Residence Life for processing. More information about animals on campus can be found in Western Michigan`s Animals on Campus Policy.
While a student may qualify for an emotional support animal, Housing and Residence Life has specific processes for the safety of the animal and other residents that include but are not limited to:
- Proof of up-to-date vaccination records
- Proof of spay/neuter
- Proof of recent flea treatment
- Other processes specific to the animal could be possible