Housing Access

Services for Students with Disabilities collaborates with Housing to help students get their access needs met. Housing accommodations do require health provider documentation (such as our Health Provider Verification form). This helps us ensure that we accurately tease out preferences from access needs. 

The access needs can range depending on the disability type. Just a few request types are a fully wheelchair accessible room, a single room, an emotional support animal, air conditioning, and many others. Interested students should complete the housing accommodation application to get started.

After completing the application and uploading health provider documentation, students will meet with one of our access team advisors. The advisors will pass their recommendations to the SSD Housing Accommodation Committee for second review. The second review happens weekly and allows SSD to connect with members of housing, dining, facilities, etc. to determine the best way to meet the access needs.

Below is a non-exhaustive list of the broad categories where we offer support. 

Animals

Assistance Animals (service animals and emotional support animals) need to have a Care plan in place before joining the on-campus residential environment. The same applies to assistance animals who will be living in a residential space owned or leased by Virginia Tech. Please review the information on Assistance Animals for more details. 

Dining

Generally less common than other forms of housing accommodations, dining modifications may be the best way to meet a student's access needs. Some of the examples are support for a reduced meal plan or exemption from a meal plan. These accommodation requests are reviewed by qualified representatives from Dining Services in addition to the SSD Housing Committee.

Environmental Controls

Many disabilities require a more controlled living environment. One of the most common is a need for air conditioning to challenges related to breathing and chronic health conditions. There could also be a need to be closer to certain services to support a student's environmental needs. Common request include proximity to the kitchen or restroom. It could also take the form of allowing students to bring a personal refrigerator or microwave. Students will recieve information about anything they should bring or do when they receive the accommodation decision notification. 

Physical Access

Physical access needs are met based on a student's specific needs. A few common examples are an unlofted bed, acces to the elevator, more accessible furniture, bed shakers, and emergency light flashers. Some fixtures such as bed shakers and flashers are owned and installed by Virginia Tech. Upon some occasions, like a particular type of matress, facilities will remove the inaccessible item and allow a student to bring their own. Students will be given additional instructions when they receive the accommodation decision notification. 

Restroom Access

Many disabilities are connected to gastrointestinal needs. When this is the case, SSD may specify restroom accommodations. Some examples include proximity to a restroom, access to a single-stall restroom, or in rare cases access to a private restroom.

Room Type

Given the complexity of some disabilities, SSD may determine that a specific type of room is the best way to meet an access need. This might include priority placement in a suite-style room or perhaps a single room as an accommodation.

Contract Changes

On few occations, where there are complex disability issues, the housing committee may determine that providing on-campus housing/dining cannot address a student's access needs. This may result in a contract release, modification, or exemption.