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Housing Accommodations

The ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ is committed to the full participation of students with disabilities in all aspects of college life, including Residence Life.

Housing accommodations are based on disability-related need for qualified students on a case-by-case basis (for example, housing on the ground floor, housing with a low student-bathroom ratio, a wheelchair accessible room/bathroom).  It is the policy of the ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ to provide comparable, convenient, and accessible housing to students with disabilities at the same cost as to others. The ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ makes reasonable modifications to its housing policies, procedures, and practices unless doing so would result in a fundamental alteration of the ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ’s housing program. Submission of documentation does not automatically qualify students for housing accommodations.

Student Housing

The ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ houses students by matriculation status (social class). First-year students are housed in traditional double rooms and share a community restroom.  Sophomores have suite-style housing, in which two double rooms share a restroom.  Upper-class and graduate students are offered apartments and houses with single or double bedrooms and shared kitchens, living rooms, and restrooms.  Visit Residence Life and Housing for more details.

Applying for Housing Accommodation

  1. To request an accommodation, a student must submit the appropriate documentation through Accommodate.  If this is the first-time using Accommodate, please follow the process outlined in the guide to complete the intake form. For returning users, follow the steps outlined in this guide to submit updated documentation.
Students with disabilities who wish to request a reasonable modification to the ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ’s housing policies, procedures, or practices should complete the Request for Housing Accommodation Form. Download the form, fill out the student section only, save the form and forward it to their licensed  healthcare professional to complete.
2. Medical documentation must include the following:
a. A clear diagnosis from a licensed healthcare professional who is qualified to evaluate and diagnose such conditions. This professional may not be a member of the student's family. Terms such as "indicative of" or "suggests" a disability are not acceptable.
b. Description of the student's history with this diagnosis.
c. Description of the functional impact and limitations of the disability/condition relevant to a housing setting. The description should provide a clear presentation of substantial limitation to housing or other major life activity.
d. Current treatment plan, including medications.
e. Recommendation for accommodation(s) and the justification for why recommended accommodation is medically necessary. There must be a very clear connection between the functional impact of the condition or disability. The recommendation must also indicate why other reasonable accommodations are not appropriate. (e.g., If a first-year student is seeking air conditioning because of a disability, the recommendations must indicate why an air purifier, fan or other mechanism is not a viable option to mitigate symptoms.).
f. Demonstrate how the specific room design and/or living environment which is identified above will help to mitigate the student’s symptoms (e.g. requests for singles must include why other reasonable accommodations, such as changing roommates, utilizing other quiet study spaces, etc. are not reasonable to accommodate the student’s disability).
g. Whether the specific housing request is a preference, recommendation, or a medically required accommodation because other reasonable accommodations are not appropriate, and why.

h. Documentation relating to the need for this accommodation must be provided by licensed medical provider who has completed an evaluation of the student within the last 12 months.

The ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ reserves the right to request additional documentation.

 3. The medical provider can email the completed form to non-academic-accom@scranton.edu or return the form to the student to upload it to the  Accommodate system. If the medical provider submits the form via email, the form will be uploaded to Accommodate by an OED staff member.  If the student receives the form from the medical professional, they must access Accommodate and upload the Housing Accommodation Form.

Deadlines

All paperwork must be submitted through Accommodate as follows:

  • First-year students, no later than July 1st.
  • Transfers students, no later December 31st
  • Upperclass students, no later than March 1st. Students who are requesting housing accommodations during the Housing Selection Process should follow the standard selection process protocol to avoid random placement in the event the accommodation is not approved.

If a housing accommodation need arises outside of the above timelines, students should follow the same request process.

OED will make every attempt to implement approved accommodation(s) based on availability. Availability for certain types of accommodations may be limited for applications submitted after the above noted time frames.

Once all documentation is submitted, OED will review the application, generally within 10 business days. During high-volume periods, OED may need up to 30 business days to complete our review., Please keep in mind that documentation that is incomplete, outdated or missing information may delay our review of your request.

OED will review the information received from the health care provider and decide to grant or deny the accommodation. If the housing accommodation request is approved, the student will be notified by email of their decision.

Additional Information for Applicants

  • The requests for particular housing assignments which are based on student preference, rather than need, such as a specific building location, or specific roommates, will not be honored.
  • Requests for a single room due to wanting a quiet place to study may not meet eligibility criteria for a single room based on disability. Residence halls are designed as living spaces. Students who need very quiet environments for study should seek other places on campus that are designated as quiet study areas.
  • Requests for a single room due to or attributed to a roommate conflicts may not meet the eligibility criteria for a single room based on a disability. In instances where a roommate conflict causes or contribute to a disability, the student must reasonably work with Residence Life to identify a new living arrangement prior to applying for a single.
  • Other examples of conditions that ordinarily do not warrant a medical single are:
    • Asthma
    • Allergies
    • Learning disorders / ADHD
    • Insomnia and sleep problems
    • Orthopedic problems
    • Depression
    • General Anxiety

Scranton residential facilities include a very limited number of single-occupancy bedrooms – students still share a unit with roommates in other bedrooms. Access to a single bedroom will only be approved as an accommodation in cases where it is clearly documented that a student cannot live on campus without this accommodation.

Students with environmental allergens will be permitted to purchase and bring allergen-proof fabric covers for bedding, a dehumidifier and/or HEPA filter air purifier. Generally, housing accommodations are not granted for environmental allergens. Students with allergies are encouraged to visit the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology website for specific tips & support at: .

OED and Residence Life may collaborate to determine what arrangements would be appropriate to meet the student’s needs based on availability, and if necessary, will work to provide reasonable alternatives if the student’s specific request cannot be met.

Please note that the OED does not assign specific housing locations. We validate the need for and determine the housing accommodation(s) necessary for accessibility and make the recommendation to the Office of Residence Life, who then determines the location where the accommodation will be met.

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