Housing Accommodations

Step 1: Visit the Residence Life and Housing website to review housing options and criteria.

Step 2: Submit the online Accommodation Request Form.
Be as specific as possible explaining the disability and its impact in a residential environment. The explanation will help to ensure that the situation is clearly understood. Incoming students must wait until they have received their Whitman email and ID number to request accommodations.

Step 3: Ask a provider treating the student* to complete the Housing Documentation Form. 

*Provider Qualifications: Documentation must come from a licensed professional with whom the student has an established relationship. 

or 

Provide a letter following the Housing Documentation Guidelines below. 

Step 4: Upload supporting documentation to your Accommodate portal.

Step 5: Schedule intake meeting: After DSS reviews the student’s application and documents, the student will be emailed scheduling information for the required interactive intake meeting with DSS staff to discuss possible accommodations. If the student has not received this scheduling email within seven to ten (7–10) business days of completing an application, the student should email dss@whitman.edu. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule and attend this intake meeting in order to complete the accommodation process. Keep in mind that accommodations may be delayed if documentation is unavailable at the time of the meeting.

Step 6: Attend virtual or in-person intake meeting to assist DSS to learn more about the student’s disability and need for accommodations. 

Step 7: If accommodations are approved, both the Residence Life and Housing Office and the student will be notified via an emailed accommodation letter. Housing accommodations are typically granted for one academic year. 

Additional notes:

1. Please be advised that a diagnosis of a medical or psychological condition does not automatically qualify the student for housing accommodations. After the interactive process with the student, and after a review of the student’s application and uploaded documentation, DSS makes the final decision about whether the accommodation is appropriate and reasonable. In some cases, alternative reasonable accommodations (other than those requested) may be offered.
2. Housing accommodations are specific to the Whitman campus and do not apply to study abroad programs or other off-campus programs. Any housing concerns should be directed to the Off-Campus Studies program director. 

If housing accommodations are needed in subsequent academic years, students must submit an updated online supplemental accommodation request. Documentation may require an annual update, depending on the nature of the condition.

If you are already receiving accommodations through DSS, follow these steps:

Step 1: Log into the Accommodate portal.

Step 2: On the left-hand side, click on “Accommodation” and then “Supplemental.”

Step 3: Click “Add New” and complete the questions on the form. When finished, click “Submit.”

Step 4: Supply Provider Documentation.

You have two options for submitting documentation from your provider:

Preferred Method: Ask your provider* to complete the Housing Documentation Form.

*Provider Qualifications: Documentation must come from a licensed professional with whom the student has an established relationship. 

or

Alternative Method: Ask your provider to submit a documentation letter including the guidelines listed below under Housing Documentation Guidelines for Providers.

Step 5: Upload documentation into your Accommodate portal.

Step 6: Schedule intake meeting: After DSS reviews the student’s application and documents, the student will be emailed scheduling information for the required interactive intake meeting with DSS staff to discuss possible accommodations. If the student has not received this email within seven to 10 (7–10) business days of completing an application, the student should email dss@whitman.edu. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule and attend this intake meeting in order to complete the accommodation process. Keep in mind that accommodations may be delayed if documentation is unavailable at the time of the meeting.

Step 7: Attend the Intake Meeting with the DSS specialist to discuss your disability and need for accommodations.

Additional notes:

1. Please be advised that a diagnosis of a medical or psychological condition does not automatically qualify the student for housing accommodations. After the interactive process with the student, and after a review of the student’s application and uploaded documentation, DSS makes the final decision about whether the accommodation is appropriate and reasonable. In some cases, alternative reasonable accommodations (other than those requested) may be offered.
2. Housing accommodations are specific to the Whitman campus and do not apply to study abroad programs.

To ensure that the student’s request is considered, the documentation should meet the following requirements:

• Provider Qualifications: Documentation must come from a licensed professional with whom the student has an established relationship. 
• Letterhead: The documentation should be on the professional’s letterhead, including their license number with date and signature.
• Content: The document must include the following:

Part One: 

• A diagnosis and diagnosis code(s), a list of the DSM-5 or ICD-10 diagnostic criteria as the basis for the diagnosis.
• Date of diagnosis and length of treatment.
• A description of the disability and its impact on the student in a college residential environment.
• A description of what major life activity/activities are substantially impacted by the condition (e.g., walking, seeing, sleeping, etc.). 
• Severity of the disorder (mild, moderate, severe). 
• Frequency of impact on major life activities. 
• Duration of impact on major life activities. 
• Expected progression of the condition over time. 
• Assessment and evaluation procedures used to determine diagnosis.

Part Two: 

• Information about how the condition affects the student’s daily life, particularly in relation to the housing accommodation being requested.
• An explanation of how the accommodation will help to alleviate the disability’s impact.
• Recommendations from the professional explaining the need for the suggested housing accommodation.
• A description of current and past treatments, therapeutic techniques, assistive devices, medications, etc., used to ameliorate the impact of the disability. 
• Appropriate, specific recommendations for housing accommodations including a clear correlation between impacts on major life activities and requested recommendations for equal access (not success).