Dietary Accommodations

Whitman College has a team of culinary experts and on-campus resources available to help accommodate most types of dietary restrictions, including soy-, gluten- and dairy-free. We also have staff who are available for complimentary one-on-one consultations to help students plan for their individual needs. For more information, please visit the Bon Appétit website.

Whitman recognizes that some students who are required to have a dining plan may not be able to get their nutritional needs met on campus due to a medical condition. Students interested in dining accommodations may submit their request to Disability Support Services (DSS).  Requests based on dietary preferences are not considered for accommodation.

Note: Bon Appétit is able to work with most students to meet their dietary restrictions, and DSS will assist with necessary dining accommodations; therefore, removal from the meal plan requirement is rare.

Dining Accommodations When Due to a Disability

Removal of a student from the mandatory meal plan will only be approved for disability-related reasons after alternatives have been deemed unable to meet the student’s documented needs. Please see Whitman’s academic catalog for more information and meal plan requirements.

If you are a student with a relevant disability who has not registered with Disability Support Services in the past, you can use this link to apply. Please provide enough details to allow us to understand the nature of your disability.

If you are already registered with DSS, you can log into Accommodate to complete a Supplemental Accommodation form. 

• Log into the Accommodate portal.
• Click on “Accommodation.”
• Click on “Supplemental.”
• Click “Add New.”
• Pick the semester from the drop-down menu.
• Complete the form with as much detail as needed to allow for understanding.
• Submit. 

Once you have completed the application, upload any relevant documentation to support your application. (See documentation requirements below). You may ask your healthcare provider to complete this documentation form and you may upload this into your Accommodate portal.

After a DSS specialist has reviewed your application and documentation, you will be invited to set up a meeting to discuss your dietary needs. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule an appointment and attend the interactive intake meeting. 

Disability Information and Definitions:

An individual must demonstrate that their condition meets the definition of a disability under the Rehabilitation Act (1973) and/or the Americans with Disability Act (ADA, 1990, amended 2008). The ADA defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

• “Substantially limits” under ADA refers to significant restrictions as to the condition, manner or duration under which an individual can perform a particular major life activity as compared to most people. Whether a condition is substantially limiting to support an accommodation request is a decision made by DSS Specialists based upon multiple sources of information. 
• A clinical diagnosis is not synonymous with a disability. Evidence that these symptoms are associated with substantial impairment in a major life activity is required for provision of accommodations. A detailed description of current substantial limitations in the academic and living environment is essential in order to identify appropriate accommodations or modifications, auxiliary aids and services. Specific requests for accommodations need to be tied to the student’s current functional limitations, and the rationale for each recommendation clearly stated. 
• In other words, we need to understand the current impact of the condition and identify a connection between the disability and the requested accommodation using the documentation and information provided by the student in an individual intake meeting.

Documentation Guidelines and Specifics

• The documentation must be from an individual who is qualified by education and experience to diagnose the specific disability/condition.
• It is not appropriate for professionals to evaluate members of their own families for the purpose of documentation of a disability.
• All reports should be typed or legibly written on letterhead. They must include the professional license number and be dated and signed. 
• The documentation needs to include the instruments and standards used to evaluate the student, the official diagnosis (with appropriate DSM-5 code), and should describe the manner in which the student is substantially limited in one or more major life activities.
• The documentation should be current and relevant to the condition, preferably within five (5) years for learning disabilities, and within one to three (1–3) years for most other disabilities. There is more leniency when it comes to permanent medical conditions or physical disabilities, but you may want to be aware of documentation guidelines for graduate exams and other assessments.
• The report can list recommended accommodations; however, the staff in DSS determine whether an accommodation is appropriate and reasonable after the interactive intake meeting has been completed.
• In certain circumstances, the Meal Plan Committee will meet to discuss reasonable accommodations prior to approving any meal plan accommodations. The Meal Plan Committee consists of staff from DSS, Housing and Residence Life, and Bon Appétit. 

Following a committee meeting, students with pending requests will be contacted with a formal decision.