Housing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Residential living is central to the learning environment for all Cornell College students (read the residency requirement policy or meal plan requirement policy for details). Virtually all student needs can be met through the standard room selection process and the standard meal plan options. However, students who believe that they have conditions such that their needs cannot be met through this process may request special housing or meal plan consideration.

Examples of housing-related considerations

Though not an exhaustive list, the most common requests we receive include:

• A residence hall with an elevator
• A residence hall with an accessible washroom
• A single residence hall room

Process for requesting special consideration

Students work with the Office for Disability Services to request special consideration. The form is the Documentation of Medical and/or Psychological Conditions (PDF). Individuals requesting the use of a service or assistance animal should refer to the service and assistance animals policy for complete details of definitions, procedures and handler responsibilities.

All documentation will then be reviewed by a committee (as detailed below). Any member of the committee may contact the health care provider for additional information or clarification. The final decision for accommodation rests with the Coordinator of Disability Services. Every effort is made to meet students' special needs within our housing system and dining service plan using the alternatives available.

The Committee Reviewing Housing and Meal Plan Requests

The committee consists of:

• The Coordinator of Disability Services
• The Director of Residence Life
• The Director of the Student Health Center
• The Director of the Counseling Center
• The General Manager of Dining Services
• The Dean of Students

The Coordinator of Disability Services will review all documentation. Other members of the committee will be consulted only when the documentation or request is related to the committee member's area of expertise (as an example, General Manager of Dining Services will be consulted only when the request is related to a student's dietary needs).

In the event of extended absences or staff vacancies, a designee for any of these positions may be consulted.  Also, the Director of Facility Services is not a regular member of the committee.  However, this person may be consulted if the health care professional's recommendation has an impact on existing facilities. In such cases, the Director will have limited access to the information provided in the documentation.

Once the review of the documentation is complete the Coordinator of Disability Services will email the student to notify them of the outcome of the review.  Should a housing-related accommodation be approved, the Director of Residence Life will then work directly with the student to finalize the implementation of the accommodation.

Temporary medical conditions

Temporary medical conditions (such as select injuries, surgeries, or illnesses) are likely not considered a disability. However, Cornell College recognizes that some temporary conditions may impact a student's ability to live comfortably in certain buildings or on certain floors (such as a student on crutches who is assigned to the top floor of a building that does not have an elevator). Any student with a temporary condition who may wish to have special consideration is encouraged to contact Residence Life to explore any available options (such as a temporary space on a lower floor or in a different building). The availability of alternatives is not guaranteed. In cases where alternatives are available, the student may be asked to obtain supporting documentation from a health care provider, though the documentation requirements will likely be less detailed than the requirements outlined in the process above.

Students with temporary medical conditions who wish to explore alternate parking options should refer to Campus Safety's Student Parking Regulations.

Academic accommodations

The process outlined here is specifically for considerations related to housing and/or meal plans. Students wishing to explore academic accommodations should refer to the information provided by the Office of Disabilities Services for documentation guidelines and expectations.