Reasonable Accommodation for College Housing Requests

St. Olaf College Housing Policy

Section I. Introduction and Background

St. Olaf College recognizes the importance of providing reasonable accommodations in its housing policies and practices where necessary for individuals with disabilities to fully participate in the College housing program. This Policy explains the specific requirements and guidelines that govern requests for reasonable accommodation in campus housing. St. Olaf College reserves the right to amend this policy at any time as circumstances require.

Section II. Procedure for Requesting Reasonable Accommodations
(Excluding Requests for Service Animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act)

The Office of Disability and Access (DAC) is responsible for evaluating whether to grant or deny requests for reasonable accommodation in College housing. In evaluating the request, DAC will consult with Residence Life, the St. Olaf College ADA Coordinator or the St. Olaf 504 Coordinator, as necessary, to determine whether the requested accommodation is necessary and reasonable. Individuals with a disability who reside or intend to reside in St. Olaf College housing who believe they need a reasonable accommodation must contact DAC.

Requests for reasonable accommodation in College housing policies and practices are governed by the following requirements:

Requesting a Housing Accommodation

An individual with a disability must complete the Campus Life Accommodations (Housing, Parking, or Dining) form (the “Request Form”) to request a reasonable accommodation. Copies of the Request Form are available from DAC. If the individual requires assistance completing the Request Form because of their disability, DAC staff will provide assistance in completing the form.

St. Olaf College will accept and consider requests for reasonable accommodation in campus housing at any time. The individual making the request for accommodation should complete and submit the Request Form to DAC as soon as practicably possible before moving into campus housing. However, if the request for accommodation is made fewer than 60 days before the individual intends to move into campus housing, St. Olaf College cannot guarantee that it will be able to meet the individual’s accommodation needs during the same term of occupancy.

If the need for the accommodation arises when an individual already resides in campus housing, they should contact DAC and complete the Request Form as soon as practicably possible. St. Olaf College cannot guarantee that it will be able to meet the accommodation needs during the semester or term in which the request is received.

Information That May Be Requested for Housing-Related Reasonable Accommodation Requests

DAC shall limit its requests for information to only the information necessary to verify whether the individual making the request has a disability and/or to evaluate if the reasonable accommodation is necessary to provide the individual an equal opportunity to fully participate in College housing.

Obvious Disability: 

If the individual’s disability and the necessity for the accommodation are obvious (e.g. an individual with a physical disability using a wheelchair needs an accessible feature in their room), the individual need only explain what type of accommodation they are requesting. No verification of disability and/or necessity is required under these circumstances.

If the disability is obvious but the need for the accommodation is not obvious, the College requires the student to provide documentation from their relevant healthcare provider or other professional who can provide details as to why the requested accommodation is necessary for providing the individual an equal opportunity to fully participate in College housing.

DAC recommends the relevant provider to complete the Reasonable Accommodation Verification Form (“Verification Form”) to verify that the requested accommodation is necessary to provide the individual an equal opportunity to fully participate in College housing. If the provider prefers to write a letter, please instruct them to include the same level of information as asked for in the Verification Form

Non-Obvious Disability/Necessity:

If the disability is not obvious but the need for the accommodation is not obvious, the College requires the student to provide documentation from their relevant healthcare provider or other professional who can verify that the requested accommodation is necessary to provide the individual an equal opportunity to fully participate in College housing.DAC recommends the relevant provider to complete the Reasonable Accommodation Verification Form (“Verification Form”) to verify that the requested accommodation is necessary to provide the individual an equal opportunity to fully participate in College housing. If the provider prefers to write a letter, please instruct them to include the same level of information as asked for in the Verification Form

A reliable third party is someone who is familiar with the individual’s disability and the necessity for the requested accommodation. A reliable third-party includes, but is not limited to someone who provides medical care, therapy or counseling to persons with disabilities, including, but not limited to, doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychiatrists, psychologists, or social workers.

Absent exceptional circumstances, within ten (10) business days of receiving the necessary information and completing a meeting with an Access Specialist, DAC will determine if the accommodation is necessary to provide the individual an equal opportunity to use and enjoy College housing.

If the information provided through the interactive process is not sufficient for DAC to determine whether an accommodation is necessary, DAC will inform the individual of the insufficiency and may request additional information, within ten (10) business days (absent exceptional circumstances) of completing the eligibility process.

The individual making the request for accommodation must cooperate with DAC in a timely manner* in providing all information needed to determine whether the requested accommodation is necessary.

*The spring college housing season moves swiftly in preparation for the upcoming academic year. Accommodations requested after the spring housing season may not be able to be met for the semesters originally requested

Determination of Reasonableness 

DAC may deny the requested accommodation if it is unreasonable. DAC shall consult with Residence Life to determine if implementing the requested accommodation is reasonable.

An accommodation may be unreasonable if it: (1) imposes an undue financial and/or administrative burden; (2) fundamentally alters College housing policies; (3) poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others or would cause substantial property damage to the property of others, including College property; and/or (4) is otherwise unreasonable to the operation of the College or is not a relevant accommodation necessary to ensure equal access; (5) the diagnosis does not meet the legal definition of a disability.

Approval of Accommodation 

If, after going through the interactive process, DAC determines a requested accommodation is necessary and is not unreasonable, it will contact the individual within ten (10) business days (absent exceptional circumstances) of its determination.

Denial of Accommodation

If DAC determines a requested accommodation is not necessary or appropriate for the stated impacts, DAC will contact the individual within ten (10) business days (absent exceptional circumstances) of its determination.

If DAC denies the requested accommodation but determines that an alternate accommodation is necessary, DAC will contact the individual within ten (10) business days (absent exceptional circumstances) to discuss alternative accommodations.

If the student does not follow through or engage in the interactive process in a timely manner, despite repeated communications from DAC, the accommodation request will not be approved, and the application will be archived.

Housing Accommodation Request Timeline

Deadlines are established each semester to allow application review and accommodation considerations prior to the general housing selection process. The application deadlines are in the chart below.

Students are advised to start the process early to allow adequate time to obtain the needed documentation by the stated due date. Obtaining documentation from a health care provider often requires advance notice and could take several days or weeks for your provider to prepare. Incomplete application materials will delay the eligibility determination and could result in a denial of the accommodation request. St. Olaf College will accept requests for reasonable accommodations in housing at any time, but such requests will be reviewed and considered according to the following due dates. The accommodation requests of students who miss the deadline or submit incomplete information may not be able to be met for the semesters requested.

If the need for the accommodation arises when an individual is already residing in housing, they should reach out to DAC and submit the request form and relevant medical information as soon as possible. St. Olaf College will promptly review the request, though cannot guarantee that it will be able to meet the accommodation needs during the semester in which the request is made.

Housing Accommodations requests and all necessary documentation for the following academic year are due to DAC via the Campus Life Accommodations (Housing, Parking, or Dining) form by 4:30PM on the date listed above.

The College reserves the right to modify this policy as needed.  For additional information concerning the use of a Service Animal or other accommodations and services, please contact Disability and Access at (507) 786-3288 (TOH, room 153) or visit the DAC website at
https://wp.stolaf.edu/academic-success/dac/