ACCESS

Housing Accommodations 

Students with documented disabilities can request specific housing accommodations through the ACCESS office. The presence of a medical or psychological diagnosis alone does not guarantee a housing accommodations. Recommendations from healthcare providers are considered but do not determine eligibility.  Housing Accommodations are different from academic accommodations, therefore the presence of academic accommodations do not automatically qualify you to receive housing accommodations.

Please be sure to include housing accommodation requests on the online Accommodation Request form. Our team will work with any student who requests housing accommodations on an individual basis. 

If you submit an accommodation request after the preferred deadline, it will be filled as space allows. Our team will review completed requests with our campus partners in Housing and provide an outcome to your SIUE email address. If you are offered an accommodation after our preferred deadline, our team will work to meet your accommodation as space allows. 

Common accommodations may include, but are not limited to:  

• Wheelchair-accessible rooms 
• Private room assignments due to medical conditions 
• Proximity to elevators or common areas 
• Appliances needed to meet or address functional needs, (i.e. access to a kitchen, an approved small appliance, etc.)
• Emotional Support Animals   

Procedures for Requesting Housing Accommodations

IMPORTANT: Please complete your housing contract PRIOR to requesting housing accommodations. Please refer to the University Housing website for deposit deadlines and requirements.

1. Complete University Housing Contract: Early engagement in the housing contract process is crucial to the ability to honor accommodation requests. The earlier the contract is submitted, the better the opportunity to have requests for specific rooms, types of rooms, or location of rooms to be honored as available housing space allows.
2. Register in Accommodate: Students qualified as having a disability as defined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Fair Housing Act (FHA), and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA ), (i.e., have a physical or mental impairment(s) that substantially limit one or more major life activities), should complete the online Accommodation Request form through ACCESS if they have not already done so. If academic accommodations are already in place, please submit a supplemental request in Accommodate.
3. Complete Housing Accommodation Request Form: The Housing Accommodation Verification Form must be completed by a licensed healthcare provider from the field of specialty pertaining to the disability. Submit the completed Housing Accommodation Verification form by email to myaccess@siue.edu by fax at 618-650-3726, or deliver to the ACCESS office in the Student Success Center, Room 1203. The information provided by the student and healthcare provider must:
   1. Document a disability, and
   2. Establish a direct link between the disability and the need for the requested housing accommodation
4. Determination: In consultation with SIUE University Housing staff, ACCESS will determine whether and what housing accommodations are appropriate to meet the student's needs.
   
   1. A determination email will be sent to the student's SIUE email address.
   2. Approved housing accommodations will be communicated to University Housing.
   3. University Housing will determine student room assignments based on the approved accommodation(s) and current availability.
   4. Students will be placed on a waitlist if their housing accommodation request is approved, but not available at this time. Once a vacancy occurs, they will be notified by housing to discuss options and moving.

PLEASE NOTE: There is a separate process for requesting an Emotional Support Animal in housing. See Service and Support Animals for additional information. If you have a severe allergy or another physiological condition requiring dietary restriction or accommodation, please see Dietary Accommodations for more information.

Submission Deadlines

Housing accommodation requests can be submitted to ACCESS at any time, however, in consideration of space availability, students should submit their housing accommodation requests before preferred deadlines:

• Fall-Spring Application Preferred Deadline: May 1
• Spring Only Application Preferred Deadline: December 1
• Summer Application Preferred Deadline: April 1

*ACCESS Students with existing Housing Accommodations will be contacted by housing prior to the deadline to offer assistance, but should still engage with the returning student application. 

Private Room Accommodations

When reviewing housing accommodation requests, we will consider your specific needs, but we must also explore alternative solutions to private-room assignments. Private-room accommodations are generally provided only when significant barriers to access are identified that would otherwise make your living experience inequitable. Please note that there is limited availability of private rooms, and as such, we may not be able to fulfill every request for such accommodations.  

Accommodation vs. Preference

Private rooms are limited and available as either a preference or an approved accommodation.

• As a Preference: Students can request private rooms during the housing selection process, subject to availability and an additional fee.
• As an Accommodation: Private rooms are provided as a disability accommodation only when professional documentation demonstrates a significant access barrier requiring a private space. For example, medical equipment or conditions requiring specialized living arrangements may qualify.

Common Concerns Raised

1. Needing a Quiet Study Space: 
   Living in a residential community is a key component of the college experience. As part of this experience, students should expect varying levels of noise, activity, and interaction with peers. Due to shared spaces, resources, and the number of individuals living in each building, it is often challenging to provide entirely quiet or private environments for living and studying. That being said, residence halls are designed as living spaces, not study areas. Quiet study locations are available throughout campus, including the library and other academic buildings.
   
   
2.  Requiring Space for Decompression: 

   Anxiety or depression generally does not warrant a private room for disability accommodation. Students can decompress in various quiet campus locations, such as SIUE Gardens or Nature Preserve, library study areas, or secluded campus spots.

3. Control Over Shared Space:
   Living with a roommate offers valuable skills like communication and boundary-setting. University Housing staff can facilitate roommate agreements to address concerns.
   
   
4. Theft Concerns:
   Students should secure valuables, including medications, in a secured lockbox or small safe and lock room doors whenever unattended.

Residency Requirement Exemptions

All first-time, full-time students who graduated high school within the last 12 months and are not commuting less than 60 miles from their legal parent/guardian home address must live on campus. Students requesting an exemption from the residency requirement due to medical need must register with ACCESS and submit an exemption request. For more information, please see the exemption request and policy.

Adjusting Housing Accommodations

If you find that your housing accommodations are not meeting your needs, or if your condition changes, please contact the ACCESS office immediately. You may need to provide updated documentation, and ACCESS will work with the Housing office to make any necessary adjustments. Prompt communication is key to ensuring your needs are met.