On Campus Housing Accommodations

Occasionally a student may present medical disability which warrant consideration for housing accommodations outside of the regular housing selection/assignment processes. In such situations, the student will be asked to provide detailed documentation which supports the request, and which demonstrates how the condition impacts the student's ability to succeed in his or her current living environment. 

Students requesting housing accommodations based on a disability must first contact the Assistant Director of Academic Services for Accessible Education at aes@roanoke.edu.

Any documentation submitted should be current and relevant, including that of a medical provider.

The provider MUST be a reliable mental health or medical professional in Virginia or your home state who has personally seen you and can verify:

1) The presence of a mental health disability (not just a diagnosis) that severely limits one or more major life activities.

2) What are the functional limitations of that disability (how it limits you).

3) A description of how the accommodation is necessary to alleviate or mitigate symptoms or impact of that disability. This determination should be based upon access (equal opportunity for participation) and not on a perceived benefit to the student.

All requests will be handled on a case-by-case basis by the Accommodative Housing Committee. Requests and supporting documentation must be turned in by the deadlines below. You will be notified after the deadline with the status of your request. 

DEADLINES:

March 15th for Fall Housing Accommodation requests for Returning Students

April 15th for Summer Housing Accommodation requests

June 15th for Fall Housing Accommodation requests for New Students

November 15th for Spring Housing Accommodation requests

Please Note:

Temporary Housing Requests for use of a specific room for medical reasons for under 30 days do not require documentation from a healthcare provider.

Neither the presence of a disability nor approval for a housing accommodation guarantees a specific location or a specific roommate. At times, students may have to forgo a preferred building and/or roommate to receive a housing assignment that meets their approved accommodation.

SERVICE ANIMALS:

A Service Animal is defined by the law as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. The Service Animal must be trained to recognize and respond to the person's environment and actions.

The job or task MUST be directly related to the person's disability.

Service Animals must be allowed to go anywhere the
person with a disability is allowed to go, including classrooms and dining facilities.

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL:

An ESA is an animal that has a therapeutic relationship with a person with a disability. It is NOT a way to get a pet—established or new--to live with you in on-campus housing. Therefore, approval is for a specific animal that is 6 months or older. Blanket approval for ANY ESA will not be given. ESA’s must be a common household animal and must not be a threat to the health and safety of the campus living community. Certain species are known to carry zoonotic diseases and, as such, are restricted. If you have questions about the type of ESA you would like to request, please contact AES.

Please consider the on-campus living environment and your specific residential space as you consider your request for an ESA. ESA’s are approved for the student’s individual living space only and are not allowed in common areas except as they are being taken out for natural relief, and all ESA’s must be confined by a crate, cage, habitat, or other means when the student is not in the room. Not all animals are suited for such an environment and if your ESA is stressed, unhappy, and unhealthy, it will be unable to provide you with the therapeutic support and symptom control you may need.

Approval through Accessible Education Services is NOT the end of the process. AES has additional requirements (such as vaccination requirements and a responsibility agreement). The ESA is NOT to be in on-campus housing until AES has given final approval.

SERVICE ANIMAL/ESA REQUESTS:

Students interested in bringing a Service Animal on campus or requesting an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) should reach out to Accessible Education Services, aes@roanoke.edu, to begin that process.