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Housing and Dining Accommodations

Students must request housing/dining accommodations based on the impact of their disability in advance of housing assignments. Examples of housing accommodations might include limited use bathroom, ADA modifications, or a request to live on an elevator floor. Accommodation requests are reviewed on an individual basis.  Please note, while documentation may be sufficient to establish a disability and is always considered, documentation alone does not inform whether accommodations are reasonable.  We consider a multitude of factors when exploring reasonable accommodations.  

Steps to Request Housing/Dining Accommodations

  1. The student must submit a Request for Housing/Dining Accommodations.

    A request for accommodations submitted after the priority deadline (Refer to Request Deadlines below) will be filled only as space allows.

  2. Once a request has been received, a coordinator will reach out to the student to discuss their request and next steps in the process.

  3. The student must provide documentation from their health care provider. Documentation should be typed, dated and signed on the provider's letterhead.

    • Identify a specific, current diagnosis, indicating original diagnosis date, frequency and severity of symptoms for the individual.
    • Describe how the student's diagnosis impacts/limits the student in a post-secondary housing/dining setting.
    • Provide recommendations for specific accommodations with explanation and support including why these are pertinent to the housing/dining situation.
    • Medications and any important side effects to note, if applicable.
  4. When all required documentation is submitted and the student has spoken with a Coordinator, the request for accommodations will be reviewed by the Document Review Committee to determine eligibility.

    • Students that are approved for a housing accommodation will be placed in a room that meets their required accommodations.
    • Please understand that not every residence hall room will meet the approved accommodations.
    • Preferences will be considered when available and for applications completed by the priority deadline.

    Students must follow all of University Housing Services deadlines regarding contracts, deposits, meal plan choice, etc. Once your housing placement is finalized, University Housing will release details to all students via their portal by the date stated on the housing website (Typically the end of July).

  5. Once documentation has been reviewed by the Documentation Review Committee, the student will be notified of the outcome.

Things to Keep in Mind About Housing Requests

It may be helpful to note that due to the nature of living in a residence hall community and university apartments, a request for a quiet space may not be a reasonable accommodation. Additionally, because a residence hall is shared by hundreds of students participating in various activities throughout the day, living in a single room does not necessarily provide a student with a quiet, distraction-free environment. There are spaces on campus where students may go outside of their living space to reduce distractions.

  • Being approved for a housing accommodation does not guarantee placement in your first-choice residential hall or with your preferred roommates/friends.
    • Roommate requests submitted in addition to an approved housing accommodation by the required deadline will be considered and fulfilled as space allows.
  • A request for a specific roommate in itself is not considered a disability related housing accommodation. It is understandable that you may feel more comfortable when living with a person you are familiar with, but such an accommodation is not reasonable because the University cannot guarantee that your chosen roommate is capable of supporting your disability and it would impose an extra requirement on another student.

SAAS utilizes a review process for each accommodation request An appeal process is available for students who do not agree with the initial determination.

Request Deadlines

Priority dates for consideration are:

Fall 2024/2025

  • June 1, 2024 –  if you were a student admitted Fall 2024 or prior and are applying for the 2024/25 school year

Spring 2025

  • November 1, 2024 – if you are an incoming Spring 2025 transfer student applying for Spring 2025

Fall 2025/2026

  • February 1, 2025 – if you are a current ISU student applying for Fall 2025/26

  • May 1, 2025 – if you are a new Fall 2025 admitted student applying for Fall 2025/26

Requests will be accepted at any time; however, may be limited by space availability.