Document Number:
ACSP-0007
Policy Owner:
Academic Support
Revision #:
v2.0
Status:
Approved

General Description

Policy Summary:

The learning environment and residential living are paramount to the Trinity University experience. In order to facilitate equal access to residential experiences at Trinity University, this policy covers student requests for reasonable accommodation to residence assignments and dining obligations due to disability-related housing and dining needs. 

Purpose:

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Fair Housing Act amended in 1988, Trinity University is obligated to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to Trinity’s residence halls and all of the programs and services offered within them.

Scope:

Students with disabilities who are otherwise qualified and registered with Student Accessibility Services, and any university employee who is tasked with reviewing such requests and implementing accommodations approved by Student Accessibility Services.

Policy Content

Students may request housing accommodations due to a disability by submitting their request to Student Accessibility Services (SAS). SAS will review requests and collaborate with the Residential Life Office to facilitate accommodations for students with disabilities who have specific disability-related housing needs.

Students must adhere to all policies, procedures, and deadlines for applications set by Trinity's Residential Life office. 

Students must have a complete housing contract for each semester that they intend to live on campus, and must complete the contract during each contracting period as published by Residential Life. 

Students requesting reasonable accommodation for housing and dining obligations at the university must register with SAS following the appropriate procedures. 

For more information on what is required for documentation purposes, please see Documentation Guidelines.

This may include additional meetings and paperwork to complete with Residential Life and/or Dining Services AFTER SAS has approved the student for housing and/or dining accommodations. 

SAS will collect and review all medical documentation related to the housing and/or dining accommodation requests.

This may include information on the specificaccommodation being made.

Residential Life is expected to communicate the proper procedure and timeline for accommodation requests to students who indicate they might need a housing accommodation in any inquiry. 

This may include but isn't limited to singles, first floor rooms, wheelchair accessible rooms, First-Year and Upperclass Division spaces.

Residential Life will determine an assignment that reasonably fulfills the approved accommodation. 

Residential Life may communicate internally between assignments, facilities, residential life staff, and other relevant staff to ensure that the necessary arrangements are made for the student’s arrival.

Dining Services is expected to work collaboratively with SAS staff and students to determine reasonable options for students’ disability-related dining needs.

The following sections include important information to consider when applying for and receiving housing and dining accommodations, and may affect your eligibility for consideration of reasonable housing and dining accommodations.  

The student’s room assignment may change from year to year. SAS has no influence on a specific room or residence hall assignment. Residential Life should be contacted with questions or concerns about a student’s room assignment and/or their housing contract. SAS cannot assist students with these matters.

Trinity University is unable to:
  1. Provide a distraction-free living environment accommodation,
  2. Honor housing accommodation requests for a specific room assignment, residence hall assignment, or roommate assignment,
  3. Provide a dust, mold, or allergen-free housing accommodation.
Below are the SAS priority deadlines to request housing accommodations as established in partnership between SAS and Residential Life. After these dates, applications are accepted, but Trinity University cannot guarantee an accommodation request can be met, even with proper documentation, and the accommodation request is subject to room availability.
  1. Fall:
    1. Returning residents: February 28th
    2. New residents: June 1st
  2. Spring: November 1st
Students should consult the Residential Life deadlines that should be met for contracting purposes.

If a student requests to be released from a Housing and/or Dining contract based on a disability, the University will first work with the student to attempt to identify other possible reasonable accommodations that would allow for their continued residence on campus before approving a contract release. Once all reasonable and appropriate accommodations have been considered and determined inappropriate as it relates to the student’s disability-related concerns, SAS will refer the student to the appropriate offices why they may file for a University Housing contract release for medical or mental health purposes.

Performance Evaluation

Consequences of Policy Violation:

Students who do not pursue housing and/or dining accommodations in accordance with this policy are responsible for all standard housing and dining contractual obligations as outlined by their Residential Board Agreement and/or their meal plan purchasing agreement. 

Terms & Definitions

Terms and Definitions:

Term:

Definition:
Reasonable Modification
 An accommodation may be considered unreasonable if it:
 
  • Imposes an undue burden on the University
  • Fundamentally alters the University’s housing policies
  • Poses a direct threat to the health, safety, and property of self or others.
Fair Housing Act (FHA)       This FHA prohibits discrimination by housing providers whose practices make housing unavailable to persons because of race or color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, programs, and services provided by governments, goods and services provided by private companies, and in commercial facilities

Related Documents

Revision Management

Revision History Log:

Revision #:

Date:

Recorded By:
v2.0 8/13/2025 10:11 AM Pamela Mota
v1.0 8/1/2019 8:39 PM Katharine Martin

 

Vice President Approval:

Name:

Title:
Megan Mustain Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs