Housing and Dining Accommodations
Students who require housing or dining accommodations due to a physical, psychological, or other health/medical disability may request these accommodations through the Student Accessibility Services (SAS) Office. The University has established procedures to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to housing and dining at St. Lawrence University.
Procedures:
1. Submit the General Housing Form:
New students must first submit the general housing form through St. Lawrence University's Office of Residence Life. Returning students must complete the online Housing Contract in the Residence Portal and must not have a financial hold.
2. *Complete and submit the online SAS Housing Accommodation Registration Form
*Make sure to indicate which accommodations you are applying for on the Registration Form
3. Schedule an appointment with a SAS staff member:
A SAS staff member will review your form and send instructions to schedule a meeting with them.
4. Submit Documentation of Disability:
Provide documentation from a qualified provider regarding your housing request. SLU Documentation Guidelines will help your provider draft a letter with the required information. Your provider should pay close attention to item #9, as it relates directly to requests in the housing environment. For ESA Requests, your provider can complete a ‘Request for Information Form’ provided by SAS.
Documentation can be submitted with the Registration Form in ‘Step 2’ or by the following options:
Email: studentaccessibility@stlawu.edu
Fax: 315-229-7453
Directly to the SAS staff member with whom you are working
5. Deadlines:
Completed requests* for disability housing accommodations must be submitted to SAS by the following dates:
June 1st for First year and New Transfer students.
March 7th for Continuing/Returning students.
While applications submitted after these dates will still be reviewed and considered, St. Lawrence University cannot guarantee that it will fulfill housing accommodation requests made after the above deadlines. Housing accommodations depend on availability and the suitability of the requests.
*Completed requests include completing steps 1-4 as outlined in these procedures.
6. Review of Request:
Applications will be reviewed by the Housing/Dining Accommodation Review Committee (hereafter referred to as “the Committee”) through the SAS once all outlined requirements are completed. The submitted documentation and the student’s self-reported information are assessed to evaluate the request. The Committee considers the student’s current symptoms and limitations, the severity of the condition or disability, potential alternative accommodations, and the necessity and fundamental nature of the requested accommodations. The Committee will review the request during the Housing/Dining Accommodation Review Committee Meeting, which occurs monthly. The student will receive notification of the Committee’s decision from SAS via email within 7 to 10 business days following the meeting.
7. Housing Assignment:
Students approved for housing accommodations will receive a housing assignment based on those accommodations. Please note that housing assignments are binding for the applicable housing period. After room assignments have been made, students requesting room changes to another location due to a disability-related concern must contact SAS to request a new accommodation. If new requests for accommodations are approved, SAS will notify ResLife of the new accommodations granted, and room changes will be subject to housing availability. Students requesting a room change to another location for circumstances unrelated to a disability must contact Residence Life.
Students do not need to reapply each year for approved disability accommodations unless there are changes to the requested accommodations or they are temporarily approved. However, students must fill out the online SAS Housing Accommodation Registration Form (available in step 2 of these procedures) to notify Residence Life of their intent to renew their housing accommodations for the upcoming academic year.
Housing and Dining Accommodation Appeal Process*
If the Housing Accommodation Review Committee finds that a requested accommodation is unreasonable or unnecessary, the student may submit a written appeal to the Student Accessibility Services (SAS) Office. Students who receive a denial notification will be provided with information about the appeal process. Students should be made aware that there is only one opportunity for reconsideration: the final decision regarding the request.
Process:
•You must request an appeal within five (5) business days of receiving SAS’s initial decision email.
•The appeal must be based upon one of the following criteria*:
1. Procedural errors occurred in managing the request.
2. The Housing Accommodation Review Committee reviewed the submitted information improperly or unfairly.
• Upon receiving the appeal form, the Executive Director for Advising, Retention, and Student Success will assess all relevant information and provide a written response within seven (7) to ten (10) business days. This response will either involve approving the appeal and altering the initial decision or rejecting the appeal and upholding the original decision.
Nothing in the policy shall prevent a student who believes they may have experienced disability discrimination from utilizing St. Lawrence University’s Section 504 Grievance Procedures or filing a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights.
* Please note that if you have new information that was not available at the time of your original request, you should submit it to the Student Accessibility Services Office for re-evaluation. An appeal would not be suitable in this instance.