Housing Accommodations

Agnes Scott College (ASC) provides housing accommodations for students with a documented qualifying medical, physical or psychological disability on a case-by-case basis. To be considered for a housing accommodation, you must register with the Office of Accessible Education.

Important Dates

Important dates for requesting housing accommodation are as follows:

• November 1: Returning students for spring
• January 30: Returning students for fall
• July 1: First year and transfer students for fall

After these dates, applications are accepted, but ASC cannot guarantee your accommodation request can be met, even with proper documentation. Also all housing accommodation requests are subject to room availability. If an accommodation request cannot be met due to room availability, ASC will make a good faith effort to discuss and provide alternative accommodations/arrangements.

Registering with the Office of Accessible Education

The following steps are required when registering with the Office of Accessible Education:

1. Complete the New Student Application. Only one application is required even when applying for multiple accommodations, ie. academic & housing.
2. Complete and upload documentation and the Housing Accommodation Request Form to AIM. Students may also email documentation directly to  accessibility@agnesscott.edu, hand-deliver to Buttrick Hall, Room G13 or fax to 404-471-6083.
3. Once OAE receives the Housing Accommodation Request Form and Documentation, staff will contact the student, in writing, to set up a meeting to discuss the requested housing accommodation to ensure that the need and scope of the request are fully understood.

Documentation Requirements

Documentation must:

• Be in the form of a letter or report from a physician, psychologist, psychiatrist or another medical provider who is qualified to make the diagnosis and is currently treating you for the disability for which you are requesting a housing accommodation. For example, a psychiatrist would not be an appropriate clinician to provide documentation for a gastrointestinal condition.
• The documentation must be on official letterhead and should be signed and dated within the last year.
• 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.
• State the current impact of (or functional limitations) imposed by the condition on your living situation.
• Explain how the condition relates to your request for housing accommodation. There must be a direct link established between the condition and your requested housing accommodation.
• Clearly state a specific housing accommodation recommendation as a result of the condition.
  Include possible alternatives if the requested accommodation is not available.
• Provide evidence the provider is currently treating you for the condition for which the accommodation is requested.

Examples of disabilities that may qualify for a housing accommodation:

• Physical impairments requiring a wheelchair and/or adaptive equipment
• Medical conditions requiring extensive medical equipment and supplies
• Visual impairments
• Severe medical or psychological conditions

Housing Accommodation Review & Decision

Once the Housing Accommodation Request Form and Documentation has been received the Housing Accommodation Committee will review. We evaluate all requests for need-based housing assignments carefully. The following factors are considered when evaluating housing requests:

Severity of the Condition

• Is impact of the condition life threatening if the request is not met?
• Is there a negative health impact that may be permanent if the request is not met?
• Is the request an integral component of a treatment plan for the condition in question?
• What is the likely impact on academic performance if the request is not met?
• What is the likely impact on social development if the request is not met?
• What is the likely impact on the student's level of comfort if the request is not met?

Timing of the Request

• Was the request made with the initial housing request?
• Was the request made before the important dates for housing requests for the semester in question?
• Was the request made as soon as possible after identifying the need? (Based on date of diagnosis, receipt of housing assignment, change in status, etc.)

Feasibility and Availability

• Is space available that meets the student's needs?
• Can space be adapted to provide the requested configuration without creating a safety hazard?
• Are there other effective methods or housing configurations that would achieve similar benefits as the requested configuration?
• How does meeting this request impact housing commitments to other students? Unless there are exigent circumstances, The Housing Accommodation Committee will provide a written response for all completed requests, as defined above, within 15 business days of the next application due date (March 1, June 15 or November 1). Also upon approval, designated housing staff will notify students of their specific Resident Hall information. Upon denial, see the appeals process below.

Housing Assignment

If your housing request is approved, the Housing Accommodation Committee will notify Residence Life staff specifying a housing recommendation. Housing will then determine a specific room assignment for you. Your accommodation will remain on file for as long as you live on campus, you will not need to reapply for an approved housing accommodation unless you are receiving accommodations for a temporary disability. Your room assignment may change from year to year. The Office of Accessible Education has no influence on a specific room or residence hall assignment. Housing should be contacted with questions or concerns about your room assignment and/or your housing contract.

Agnes Scott College is unable to:

• Provide a low-distraction living environment accommodation based solely on a diagnosis of ADHD or a learning disability.
• Provide a dust, mold, or allergen-free housing accommodation.

Appeals

If the Housing Accommodation Committee finds that a requested accommodation is not necessary and/or unreasonable, the student may file a written appeal to Yves-Rose Porcena Vice President for Equity and Inclusion/Section 504 Coordinator within five (5) business days of the denial. The appeal will be considered only on the basis of written materials, information and/or documentation only.

The appeal must be based upon one or more of the following criteria:

• Procedural error(s) made in the consideration of the request
• New information unavailable at the time of the request (i.e. updated medical information)
• The decision was clearly erroneous based on the written record

Upon receipt of the appeal staff will review all of the relevant information and provide a written response within ten business days either granting the appeal and modifying the initial decision, or denying the appeal and maintaining the initial decision. This decision shall be final.

Nothing in the policy shall prohibit a student who believes that they may have been subjected to disability discrimination to utilize the College’s Grievance Procedures and/or to pursue a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights.