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
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.