Services & Accommodations
Housing and Residence Life is committed to meeting the needs of the student population at UAS and provides Gender Inclusive Housing (GIH) throughout student housing to meet the varied needs of our residents. GIH is an option in which two or more students share a multiple-occupancy apartment or suite regardless of their sex, gender identity, or gender expression. Individual bedrooms throughout Housing are placed according to gender identity, regardless of GIH requests. This option allows for same-gender or other-gender identities to live together in a Student Housing unit regardless of biological sex. The option is available to all students who reside on campus.
Students who are interested in GIH can select it as an option when completing the housing application. Following submission of your housing application, complete the Gender Inclusive Housing Supplemental Agreement.
The roommate selection process mirrors what is provided for all students. Students may request a roommate and are eligible to request a private room within applicable Housing units. If a student does not select a roommate, the space will remain available to be filled by another student who has chosen to participate in GIH and has completed the agreement. Students who request GIH without a roommate request may or may not be placed with someone of another gender identity or expression. The department will make the best match possible, ignoring gender.
No. Student Housing makes GIH placements by disregarding gender during the placement process, not by specifically looking to mix gender identities. This means that we will place you according to the best fit on other housing preferences, including cleanliness level, desire for guests, study habits, willingness to live with an animal, etc. If you desire to specifically live with someone of a different gender identity, request someone specifically using the roommate request on your Housing Agreement or write a note on the Housing Agreement when prompted to provide information about what kind of roommate you are looking for.
Additionally, Student Housing creates GIH units as they are available and as enough residents request them. If there are not enough requests to sustain a GIH unit, you will be placed outside of GIH housing in a matched-gender placement.
It is your choice to communicate with parents or family members about the decision to live in a gender-inclusive housing unit. Student Housing encourages this conversation between parents or family members and students about the housing choice so that they can be in support of the student’s decision. Student Housing will not provide provide any notification to family members about your roommates and/or placement in a gender-inclusive unit.
Note: If you have a FERPA release on file regarding Student Affairs records and the individual(s) with such release ask if you are in a Gender-Inclusive unit, Residence Life would disclose that information.
Residence Life works with students closely who have a need for a service or assistance animal.
Service Animals: If you have a service animal as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, please inform Residence Life. No additional approval process is necessary, although students may wish to register with Disability Support Services as well.
Assistance Animals/ESA's: If you have an Emotional Support Animal or other Assistance Animal as defined by the Fair Housing act, please begin by contacting Disability Support Services. They will work with you to gain approval for your animal, then refer you to Residence Life.
- Service and Assistance Animals
Reasonable accomodations can be made for service and assistance animals under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans wih Disabilities Act (ADA).
The University requres certain documentation to demonstrate a need for said animal, which must be recieved and reviewed by Disability Support Services before meeting with a Residence Life Professional Staff member.
Student Housing will permit a resident's animal to live in their assigned bedroom and, in the resident's presence, within the common areas of Student Housing. Permission is subject to conditions outlined below, which describes specific UAS policies regarding service and assistance animals as well as a resident's responsibility with their animal while living on campus. Failure to complay with the policies outlined within a signed aggreement may lead to the animal being removed from Student Housing.
- Vaccination/Licensing:All approved animals must be properly vaccinated and licensed with the City and Borough of Juneau. All animals must also be spayed or neutered. Required tags must be present on the animal at all times. The owner must submit proof of vaccination and license to Student Housing annually. The University reserves the right to request current records at any time during the animal's residency.
- Changes: A resident who no longer has a service/assistance animal living with them must notify Disability Services in writing when the animal is no longer needed or present. To replace an approved animal, the owner must also request an updated accommodation letter from Disability Services and submit vaccination and license information to Student Housing.
- Financial Responsibility: The owner is financially responsibile for any damage to property or injury to individuals caused by the animal.
- Restrictions: The approved anumal must be contained within the owner's individual unit at all times, except when transported outside the unit via animal carrier, leash, or harness. Service animals are welcome in all buildings on campus in order to perform their work. Assistance animals are not allowed in campus buildings outside of Student Housing. The owner of any approved animal must keep the animal under restraint and under supervision at all times while it is outside of the owner's individual unit. Animals may not be tethered to University buildings, structures, motor vehicles, trees, railings, light poles, benches, posts, or other structures. Animals may not be kept on permanent or semi-permanent "runs" outside of units. "Runs" or other isntallations will be removed by University staff.
- Extended/Overnight Absences: Owners are expected to be with their service/assistance animals regularly. Leaving a service or assistance animal in housing overnight or for an extended period of time without the owner present is inappropriate. If an owner will not be in the residence for more than 10 hours, they must find alternative accomodations for the animal. owners may not leave their animals with another roommate, nor may the animal stay in another unit. The animal should travel with the resident or stay in a local kennel while the resident is away.
- Animal Cleanliness: Owners are responsibile for the cleanliness of their animals. This includes the personal hygiene of the animal (being bathed regularly) as well as the cleanliness of UAS facilities, including the individual unit and exterior walkways, lawn areas, etc. Animal waste (indoor and outdoor) must be removed and properly disposed of immediately -- failure to do so will result in cleaning charges and/or removal of the animal. An owner must arrange for an appropriate cleaning service if the owner is physically unable to remove and dispose of animal waste.
- Roommate Permission: By signing an agreement, the resident acknowledges that Student Housing will contact roommates who will be placed within the same unit in order to obtain their approval to live with a service or assistance animal. Confidential information (such as the resident's name, specific diagnoses, etc.) will not be shared. If a roommate does not agree to leaving with an animal, either the owner and animal or the roommate will be relocated to a different unit.
- University Compliance: The owner must agree to follow all other UAS Residence Life and campus policies. Reasonable accommodation, which is an exception to the UAS pet policy, does not constitute an exception to any other policy.
- Removal of Animal: The University may remove a service or asstiance animal when 1) the animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, 2) when the owner does not comply with the policies set forth within these policies, 3) when the animal or its presence creates an unmaneagble disturbance or interference with the University of Alaska Southeast community, or 4) when the animal's presence fundamentally alters the nature of a program or activity.
The University of Alaska Southeast works closely with students to ensure their dietary needs are met. If you have a dietary need to share, please include that information on your Housing Agreement or reach out to Food Services directly at uas.dining@alaska.edu.
Students with significant dietary restrictions may apply for a meal plan exemption. Exemptions require a doctor's note outlining the specific dietary needs of the student. Residence Life will review exemption requests to determine if those dietary needs can be met by our food service locations. If we cannot accommodate your dietary needs, a meal plan exemption will be approved.
Once approved, student meal plan exemptions are maintained on file so that additional exemption requests are not required.
Filing a Request:
Meal plan exemption requests are accepted prior to move-in and during the first two weeks of classes, prior to the Tuition and Fee payment deadline. Requests received after this deadline may be reviewed, but approved exceptions will not be implemented until the following semester.
To submit a request, please assemble the following items and email them to uas.housing@alaska.edu:
- A personal statement outlining your need for a meal plan exemption
- Medical documentation outlining your dietary needs
Once received, your exemption request will be reviewed by Residence Life. You may be asked to meet with members of the Housing or Dining staff to gather more information prior to a determination being made. While waiting for a decision, you are encouraged to continue to utilize your meal plan.
The University of Alaska Southeast offers accessible Housing Units. Please reach out to us if you experience a disability.