Housing Accomodations

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Housing Accommodations

Residential Life collaborates with Disability Services to coordinate housing accommodations for students with disabilities that impact one’s living situation. To be considered for housing accommodations, the student must complete a Disability Services Request Form, provide supporting documentation, and meet with Disability Services staff to engage in the interactive process.

Please consider the following when inquiring about Housing Accommodations:

• Any enrolled student who has a disability and would like to request special housing should submit a request to Disability Services as quickly possible.

• Centenary will accept requests for reasonable housing accommodations at any time, but such requests will be reviewed and considered according to the dates (listed below). Due to Centenary’s limited inventory, the accommodation needs of students who miss the deadline or submit incomplete applications may not be able to be met during the requested semester.

• If the need for accommodation arises when an individual already resides in housing, they should register with Disability Services to start the process. Centenary cannot guarantee that it will be able to meet the accommodation needs during the semester in which it is received but will make every reasonable effort.

• Information from a licensed medical professional with a diagnosis and recommendation of accommodations does not automatically guarantee that the accommodation can/will be granted. Not all diagnoses rise to the level of disability. Accommodations are about providing accessibility to on-campus housing, and are not:

  • Based on preferences or finances
  • Prescriptions
  • Treatment for a condition
  • Designed to be a part of a treatment plan
  • Ameliorating a disability

The provision of housing accommodations does not guarantee any request for a specific residence hall. The College will make every attempt to provide the most appropriate housing assignment. Prompt submissions ensure adequate time to assess an accommodations request. Applications and documents received after housing deadlines may affect any assignment provided. Implementation of housing accommodations is subject to available inventory at any given time.


Disability Services staff members consider not only the outside supporting documentation the student shares, but also all the following:

Severity of the Condition

  • Is there a negative health impact that may be permanent if the request is not met?
  • Is the impact of the condition life threatening if the request is not met?
  • Is the request an integral component of a treatment plan for the condition in question?
  • Does the request center on room adaptations necessary for safe and independent occupancy in the residence hall?
  • What is the likely impact on academic performance and/or social development if the request is not met?

Timing of the Request

  • Was the request made along with the initial housing request (through Residence Life)?
  • Was the request made before the deadline for housing request 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 (electrical load, emergency egress, etc.)?
  • 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?

 

Housing Deadlines

Deadlines are established each semester to allow time for reviewing accommodation requests and working with Residence Life staff. The deadlines are in the chart below. For a request to be considered complete, the student must provide documentation and have a meeting with Disability Services staff before the dates listed.

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 requests will delay the determination timeline and could result in a denial of the accommodation request. Disability Services will accept requests for reasonable housing accommodations 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 semester requested.

If the need for accommodation arises when an individual is already residing in housing, they should  submit a Disability Services Request Form. Disability Services will promptly review the request but cannot guarantee that it will be able to meet the accommodation need during the semester for which the request is made.

Student Status Deadline for the Request
Currently Enrolled Student February 28 for fall of next academic year
Incoming 1st Year or Transfer June 1 for fall of next academic year
Student returning from Leave of Absence or Readmits June 1 for fall of next academic year
Student Returning from Fall abroad/away November 15 for remainder of academic year


Housing Accommodation requests and all necessary documentation (including a meeting with Disability Services staff) for the following academic year must be completed by 4:30pm on the date listed above.

Centenary College reserves the right to modify this policy as needed.

Schedule a meeting to discuss housing accommodations!

 

Single Room Accommodations

One of the most requested accommodations is a single room. A single room is a disability accommodation only when clinical history and professional documentation clearly demonstrate a history of substantial limitations and provide a rationale that supports the student’s need for a separate living/sleeping space to be able to access and utilize housing. For example, a student who needs extra space to utilize specialized medical equipment may need extra space or a certain size bathroom that is only available in a single room. This is an access need because, without extra space to utilize medical equipment, the student would not be able to participate equitably in the housing program. ADD, Generalized Anxiety, and Depression are diagnoses commonly presented as reasons a student believes they need a single room. However, these diagnoses rarely present as true barriers to access. Legal precedence shows when a single room is assigned as a disability accommodation to create access, colleges should bill the student at the standard room double rate and not at the private rate.

Living in residence halls, where students live in a community and share space with others, is considered an integral part of the Centenary educational experience. At Centenary, we believe Residence Life enhances student learning and personal growth by planning activities and programs that educate and build community among residential students; promoting diversity and exposure to a breadth of ideas and experiences; teaching responsibility through holding students accountable for their own behavior; training and involving students in significant leadership positions; and helping to foster a campus community that is accepting, supportive, and conducive to academic pursuits.

Below are some examples of requests where an accommodation would not likely be approved when presented. In the following scenarios, a single room accommodation could be desirable or even helpful, but it is not about equal access to our residential buildings and programs as Centenary can accommodate the need through avenues other than a single room that students have access to on campus.

I have anxiety or depression and need a single dorm room as a space to be alone or to retreat to and decompress.

Having a diagnosis of anxiety or depression and wanting a private space to be alone or to decompress generally does not rise to the level of having a disability that requires a single room to remove barriers related to access. In general, Centenary College residence hall rooms are double rooms. Students have access to many places on campus and in the community to decompress, unwind, or process their emotions in places other than the room where they sleep.

Here are some ideas:

  • Enjoy solitary walks on campus grounds or through the Leuck Arboretum
  • Find a private nook in Magale Library or other academic buildings to nestle in and read or think
  • Visit the Zen Room, located within Counseling Services in the lower level of Rotary Hall
  • Find empty classrooms in Mickle, Jackson, or the Magale Basement
  • Work with Residence Life staff to set up and host a Roommate Agreement meeting. They are skilled at working with roommates in a neutral fashion to help with boundary setting and expectation management to create a healthy living environment for each roommate

I need a single dorm room because I get too distracted when trying to study or do homework.

Residence halls are designed as living areas. Thus, they do not fall into the category of needing to be quiet study spaces for disabilities that affect focus, concentration, or distractibility. Because of the number of people who live in close proximity, it is not logical to assume that having a private room would provide a quiet, distraction-free space to any appreciable degree beyond living in a standard double room.

The College provides many, many places on campus where you can study alone in peace and quiet. Here are some recommendations from Centenary students:

  • Carlile Auditorium (Mickle 114)
  • 3rd floor Conference Room - Jackson Hall
  • 3rd floor Computer Lab - Jackson Hall
  • Magale basement study rooms
  • 1st floor classrooms in Smith
  • Music Library in Hurley
  • 3rd floor Computer Lab - Mickle Hall
  • Choir Loft in Hurley

I need a single room because I need to have control over my space.

In typical housing, each student needs to recognize what is in their locus of control in a shared living space. It is unreasonable to expect to be able to control the entire room. However, it is reasonable to expect to be able to control your own belongings and set boundaries and express them with your roommate. This is an extremely valuable skill living in an intensive residential community like Centenary. However, it is a new skill for many students who either have been only children or have never had to share a room with a sibling. It gets easier with practice!

  • Work with your Resident Assistant for guidance on conversation starters and boundary communicating.
  • Speak with Counseling Services to learn strategies and coping mechanisms.

I need a single room because I had a bad roommate before, and I’m scared it will happen again.

Nearly every college alum can recall a less-than-perfect roommate situation. It happens. However, it is possible to move on in a positive way. Taking what you learn from a bad roommate situation and applying those lessons to a new situation is how to utilize a growth mindset to get through adversity.

  • Work with Counseling Services to talk through your past experiences, learn strategies, and receive support for moving into a new roommate relationship
  • Speak with Residence Life staff about your fears and concerns
  • Attend campus events to meet potential new roommates

I have medications I fear might be stolen.

  • All students should consider locking valuables, including medications.
  • Buy a lockbox or small safe to keep tucked away and out of sight.
  • Lock your dorm room door when you leave.

Approval of Accommodation

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

If Disability Services denies the requested accommodation but determines than an alternate accommodation is necessary, Disability Services will contact the individual within ten (10) business days (absent exceptional circumstances) to provide alternative accommodations. The student has the right to appeal the decision. An appeal must be initiated within five (5) business days of the determination notice. To appeal, students must email housing@centenary.edu with a statement to initiate the process. Students can include additional supporting documentation (letters from parents, additional medical information, for example). Appeals are taken on by the Exception Review Committee, comprised of students, faculty, and staff. The committee is anonymous to the student, and the student is anonymous to the committee, so that decisions are based on the circumstances and information at hand. Both the student and Disability Services will be notified of the Committee’s decision once a decision is made.

Contact Info

disability@centenary.edu Disability Services Request Form

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