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Housing Accommodations

Students with qualifying disabilities may request housing accommodations to have equal access to University housing.

What is a housing accommodation?

A housing accommodation can be requested if a student experiences a disability and a housing policy limits their ability to enjoy on-campus housing. For instance, a student with a disability may require a wheelchair accessible room or private room in order to manage disability related needs. DS will review any housing accommodations and determine whether the requested accommodation is reasonable and necessary.

Assistance Animals in Housing

There are two types of assistance animals allowed in on-campus housing:

  1. Service animals
  2. Other Assistance Animals that do work, provide assistance, or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, or provide emotional support that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability.

A Service Animal is allowed in housing if they are a dog and specifically trained to perform a task related to the owner's disability. Service Dogs are allowed in all on-campus residences and do not need to be registered. General Rules for Animals on campus must be followed. This includes current vaccination and licensing with the local municipality.

An Assistance Animal, sometimes referred to as an "Emotional Support Animal," does not have to be professionally trained and is not considered a service animal as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Assistance animals are not pets. An Assistance Animal is allowed in University housing when a student registers with DS, provides documentation recommending an assistance animal, and DS approves the use of the animal as a reasonable accommodation to afford the Owner an equal opportunity to use and enjoy University housing.

An animal that does not qualify as a service animal or other type of assistance animal is a pet for purposes of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and may be treated as a pet for purposes of the lease and the university housing rules and policies.