Document Number:
ACSP-0007
Policy Owner:
Academic Support
Revision #:
v1.0
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 modifications 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:

All Trinity University students are covered by this policy. 

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 housing needs. Note: Disability-related housing needs will take precedence over specific residence hall and/or roommate requests.

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 modifications for housing and dining obligations at the university must register with Student Accessibility Services 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 Student Accessibility Services has approved the student for housing and/or dining accommodations. 

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

This may include information on the specific modifications being made to a meal plan, a summary of dietary needs, or details such as room/building type and accessibility features of a residence (i.e., strobe alarms, roll-in shower, automatic door opener). 

Student Accessibility Services will collaborate with Residential Life and/or Dining Services staff to determine an assignment or reasonable modifications for each student who is granted an accommodation.

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 ollaborate with SAS staff to determine an assignment for each student who is granted an accommodation.

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

Facilities and other area staff may be consulted on the assignment on a need-to-know basis if necessary. 

Dining Services is expected to work collaboratively with SAS staff and students to determine reasonable modifications that can be made for each student who is granted an accommodation.

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 modifications to your residential and dining obligations.

The student must complete a 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. However, a student’s accommodations will remain on file for as long as they live on campus and do not need to reapply for an approved housing accommodation.

Students must follow all contractual obligations established by Residential Life regardless of their disability. Housing accommodations are only applicable for those terms in which a student has a complete housing contract. A student must have a valid housing contract on file to receive housing accommodations through SAS.

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. The specific type of room (i.e., single, double, apartment-style, private bathroom) must in the available inventory of housing assignments and not currently occupied in order for the student with the approved accommodation to receive that type of assignment.

Trinity University is unable to:
  1. Provide a low distraction living environment accommodation based solely on a diagnosis of ADHD or a learning disability,
  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 priority deadlines 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 Residential Life for deadlines that should be met for contracting purposes.

If a student requests to be released from a Residential Life 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, a student may file for a University Housing contract release for medical or mental health purposes.

When requesting a contract release, supporting documentation must:
  1. Be in the form of a letter or report from a physician, psychologist, psychiatrist, or other qualified, licensed clinician who is qualified to make the diagnosis and is currently treating you for the disability for which you are requesting the release from the Residential Life contract.
  2. Be on official letterhead and should be signed and dated within the last two years.
  3. Include evidence the provider is currently treating you for the condition for which the release from the Residential Life contract is requested.
  4. Include a specific diagnosis, a statement of your current condition, the date, and a summary of your most recent evaluation, and the expected duration of your condition.
  5. State the current impact of (or functional limitations) imposed by the condition on your living situation.
  6. Explain how the condition relates to your request to be released from the Residential Life contract. There must be a direct link established between the condition and the need to be released from the Residential Life contract. It should include information about which symptoms are exacerbated by living in the residence halls, and why release from the contract is necessary to mitigate the effects of the condition.
  7. Clearly state a specific recommendation for a release of the Residential Life contract as a result of the condition.
Students must include a personal statement of how the medical/mental health condition affected their place of dwelling.

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 Students approved for accommodations are held to the same standards as their peers and must continue to meet all course objectives and expectations as set by their instructors in the syllabus. "Reasonable and appropriate" refers to the nature of an accommodation, adjustment, and modification made that reflects the student's ability to still meet the university's standard objectives and expectations for students. 

Related Documents

Revision Management

Revision History Log:

Revision #:

Date:

Recorded By:
v1.0 8/1/2019 8:39 PM Katharine Martin

 

Vice President Approval:

Name:

Title:
Andrew Wells Vice President for Student Affairs