Housing and Dining Accommodations

Accessible housing is available to students with disabilities that substantially impact one or more major life activities as they relate to living on campus. The purpose of housing accommodations is to address aspects of the residential experience that may be inaccessible due to a student’s disability, ensuring equitable access to campus housing.

Examples of housing accommodations include, but are not limited to:

• Elevator or first-floor access

• ADA-accessible bedrooms and bathrooms

• Single rooms

• Allergen-related modifications such as central air, air conditioning units, or carpet-free spaces

• Horn strobes or bed shakers for fire safety

Accommodation approvals are valid for one academic year if granted prior to or during the fall semester. Approvals granted after the fall semester are valid for the spring semester only. To continue receiving the same accommodation, students must resubmit documentation each academic year.

Accommodation Placements

• Accessibility Services is permitted to approve medically necessary housing accommodations only. Personal preferences, such as a specific residence hall, are not included or permitted in the accommodations process.
• Residence Life reserves the right to place students in a setting that reflects the approved accommodations. Students will not be given multiple options to choose from. Residence Life also reserves the right to reassign a student to a space that meets the medical need. The change will ONLY accommodate the student with the medical need and not the selected roommates.
• An approved housing accommodation will supersede any preferences or roommate selections previously requested.
• Accessibility Services and Residence Life are not responsible for helping a student move.
• An approved housing accommodation does not guarantee placement, especially after Residence Life deadlines have passed. Placement is on a first come first served basis, and subject to availability

Housing Preferences

Students who may benefit from adjustments to their residential space due to health-related concerns that do not meet the threshold of a significant disabling condition may indicate their housing preference(s) during the Nichols housing process. Examples of preferences include selecting specific roommates, requesting an AC unit, a single room, or suite-style living.

Please note that while some residential buildings and units are equipped with air conditioning, this does not guarantee reduced allergens, improved air quality, or consistent air temperatures. Most Nichols residential and academic buildings do not have individually controlled air conditioning systems.

Residence Life understands that dietary needs play a vital role in student health, safety, and overall success on campus. We are committed to supporting students in managing food allergies and other medical dietary conditions by providing resources and accommodations that promote well-being in both residential and dining settings.

Any approval under this policy is valid for one academic year if granted prior to, or during, the fall semester. Approvals granted after the fall semester are valid for the spring semester only. To continue receiving the same accommodation in future years, students must resubmit an updated ADA request form each academic year.

All Service Animal and Emotional Support Animal documentation must be provided by an external, licensed treatment provider who is directly involved in your care, oversees your diagnosed disability, and maintains an established treatment relationship with you.

Any approval under this policy is valid for one academic year if granted prior to, or during, the fall semester. Approvals granted after the fall semester are valid for the spring semester only. To continue receiving the same accommodation in future years, students must resubmit an updated ADA request form each academic year.

Service Animals

A Service Animal is defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. In limited circumstances, a miniature horse may also qualify as a service animal. Other animals do not meet the definition of a service animal.

The work or task a service animal performs must be directly related to the functional limitations of the person’s disability. Animals whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.

Examples of service animals include:

• Guide Dog: Trained to assist individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation.

• Hearing Dog: Trained to alert individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to sounds such as alarms, knocks on doors, or ringing phones.

• Assistance Dog: Trained to support a person with a mobility or health impairment, such as opening doors, retrieving items, or providing stability while walking.

• Signal Dog: Trained to assist a person with autism by increasing awareness of surroundings, providing calming input, or preventing unsafe behaviors.

• Seizure Response Dog: Trained to assist individuals with seizure disorders by alerting, protecting, or responding during or in advance of a seizure.

This list is not exhaustive. Nichols College will permit service animals on campus as required by applicable law.

Emotional Support Animals

“Emotional Support Animals” (or “ESAs”) is a category of animals that may work, provide assistance, or perform physical tasks, for an individual with a disability and/or provide necessary emotional support to an individual with a mental or psychiatric disability that alleviates one or more identified symptoms of an individual’s disability, but which are not considered Service Animals under this Policy or relevant federal or state laws and regulations.  Some Emotional Support Animals are professionally trained, but in other cases ESAs provide the necessary support to individuals with disabilities without any formal training or certification.  Dogs and cats are commonly used as Emotional Support Animals, but any animal may serve a person with a disability as an ESA.

All Emotional Support Animal Documentation must come from an external, licensed provider who oversees the treatment of your diagnosed disability and has an established relationship with you. It must describe in detail how one or more of your life’s major functions are substantially limited in the residential environment, and how no other means of intervention are available, meaning the ESA is essential to your ability to have equal access to your housing environment.

Please provide current medical records of your ESA (applications without medical documentation will not be approved).

Residence Life recognizes that students with temporary injuries, recovering from surgery, or managing short-term medical conditions may need accommodations to access housing, dining, or campus facilities. Examples include broken limbs, concussions, or recovery from surgery. Residence Life will work with campus partners to provide reasonable short-term support to ensure continued access to the campus experience.