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Special Housing Requests

The learning environment and residential living are central to the Willamette University experience and mission. On campus residences provide out-of-class living/learning spaces where socializing occurs. They are not the primary resource for studying. (See www.willamette.edu/dept/cla/ler/ for quiet and study areas.)

When a request is made for special housing, Residential Services forwards all medical, psychological, or disability related needs to the Office of Disability Services where the information is kept confidential. Disability Services seeks to ensure consistency in evaluating requests while simultaneously exploring each individual situation before making recommendations to Residential Services.

Conditions only rise to a level of a disability as it pertains to the Americans with Disabilities Act if the circumstances create a functional limitation in the environment; i.e., a student with ADD does not automatically qualify for accommodations. For example, if a student with ADD has a GPA of 3.5 and it drops to a 2.5, the question arises whether there are mitigating factors (environmental or other) contributing to the decline. A review of the student's medical treatment, study habits, stress factors, etc. is made by the Disability Services Director (egg., Did the living circumstances directly contribute to the decline?) before making recommendations to the Office of Residential Services.

Requests for special housing accommodations must include:

1. Documentation that consists of an evaluation by an appropriate professional (outside the Willamette community) that relates the current impact of the condition to the request (See Disability Policies /Procedures: Documentation Guidelines or pick up the applicable form from the Disability Office.);
2. A clear description of the requested housing accommodation;
3. Possible alternatives if the recommended accommodation is not possible;
4. An interview with the Director of Disabilities.
5. Consultation with the counseling and medical staff in the Bishop Wellness Center.

In the review process, the following factors are considered:

1. Is the impact of the condition life threatening if the request is not made?
2. Is the request an integral component of a treatment plan prescribed by a medical professional (outside the Willamette community) for the condition in question?
3. What impact has the current living situation made on the student's academic progress?
4. What impact may this condition have on a roommate?
5. Are there other effective methods or housing accommodations that would achieve the similar benefits as the requested accommodation?
6. Was the request made as soon as possible after identifying the need? (Date of diagnosis, receipt of housing assignment, change in status, etc.)

Once the review is completed, Residential Services will be notified if a special housing accommodation is recommended. If there are not enough spaces for the number of special accommodation requests, students being recommended for accommodation will be ranked by Disability Services according to the severity of need. When need is fairly equitable, the date of request will be used for priority. As with all residential assignments, students are subject to their residential contractual obligations regardless of whether there is a disability or medical need for accommodations.

Terms & Conditions for Room & Meal Plan (Residential Services)

Students requesting special accommodations due to a disability must submit acceptable documentation to the Disability Services Office to be certified prior to the assignment deadline. Residential Services will review the recommendation made by Disability Services and make an assignment based on the availability of space, the student's needs and the University's ability to reasonably accommodate the student. Any time a student requests and is assigned a single room, regardless of circumstances, the single rate will be charged. In the event that a single room is not available and it is necessary to convert a multiple occupancy room to single occupancy to accommodate a special need, the student may be charged the single room rate.

Willamette University Greek chapters all have a live-in requirement and it is their responsibility to inform new affiliates of this obligation. As part of this live-in requirement, these organizations will make every effort to provide special housing accommodations for their members. Students who request special housing accommodation per the above guidelines are not granted a release by Residential Services from their chapter's live-in policy in exchange for an accommodation elsewhere on campus. Once a housing exception is approved per the above process, it is then necessary for Greek students to follow the internal process if the chapters cannot accommodate within the house. The process for housing exceptions in the Greek system has two components; getting approved as described above and then getting approval from the chapter.