Spalding University Library: Center for Accessibility and Learning Equity: Housing Accommodations

Housing Accommodations

Spalding University is a residential college and the residential experience is understood to be an integral part of a Spalding education. Spalding is committed to the full participation of students with disabilities in all aspects of College life, including residential life.

Please be advised that requests for particular housing assignments based on a student’s preference, rather than need, for a particular type of living environment or location will not be honored. (e.g. A student with ADHD or a learning disability seeking a single room to serve as a quiet, undisturbed place to study represents a preference, but not a necessity.) Accordingly, single room accommodations are reserved for individuals whose documentation illustrates clear and substantial needs, and for whom a standard housing assignment with a roommate is not viable.

Students seeking a housing accommodation will need to submit the appropriate documentation to the Center for Accessibility and Learning Equity. Documentation submitted to the Center for Accessibility and Learning Equity will remain confidential.

The process to request housing accommodations is:

Request for Accommodation Application - Students are to complete and submit this online form.
Documentation of the disability - Please refer to our specific guidelines for proper documentation. Please see: https://library.spalding.edu/CALE/Guidelines for documentation verification forms.
Intake appointment: Please email us at [email protected] or use Navigate to set up an intake appointment to discuss your circumstances, and any additional documentation needs.

Please send all disability-related information directly to the Center for Accessibility and Learning Equity, rather than to Residence Life.

Single Room

Be cautioned that single rooms are rare on campus and reserved for disability impacts that are severe and significantly limiting. For students who have trouble concentrating and studying in their room, a single room is not typically warranted. However, the Center for Accessibility and Learning Equity will help you find quiet study spaces around campus and discuss additional strategies for focus and concentration.

Process (Options for requesting a single room)

Student may opt into a single room at the single room rate as reflected on Spalding’s room and board fees for the associated academic year. This remains subject to availability.
Students who have a documented or suspected physical or mental health concern that may warrant a single room should utilize the following process via the Center for Accessibility and Learning Equity:
1. Student emails The Center for Accessibility and Learning Equity (CALE) at [email protected] to request an intake appointment. Student and Center staff will review student’s history and any existing documentation.
2. If student proceeds with accommodation request, student will complete the application for accommodations: https://library.spalding.edu/CALE/Application
3. Student reviews guidelines for proper documentation for documentation verification forms and submits documentation accordingly.
  1. Students who lack a psychological evaluation/assessment:
    - Student emails the Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) at [email protected] and requests a psychological assessment for Covid concern housing accommodation. Assessment via CaPS is provided at no additional cost to the student.
    - Students may opt to use a mental health provider of their choice in the community. Student is responsible for associated costs.
  2. Students with current (psychological evaluation less than 3-years old, documentation for other medical condition) documentation that meets the documentation requirements outlined at library.spalding.edu/CALE/Guidelines may submit documentation as per the process outlined by the Center for Accessibility and Learning Equity.

CALE and CaPS (if applicable) inform student of timeline to process request and copies the Residence Life Operations Coordinator and the Director of Residence Life in that communication.

If accommodations are approved, student receives accommodation letter from CALE outlining housing accommodation. Student is responsible for presenting letter to Residence Life staff.

1. Director of Residence Life informs Bursar and Financial Aid Director of approved housing accommodations and provides the respective confirmation email from CALE. Room options may include:
  1. Residence Life assigns student with a single-occupancy room and processes this accommodation’s standard operating procedure.
  2. A "double' sized room with single-occupancy. This would be warranted in cases where additional space is needed for specialized equipment.
2. Student’s billing statement reflects a room charge at the building’s double-occupancy rate.

If accommodations are denied, student is informed by the Director of the Center for Accessibility and Learning Equity. Student may opt into a single room as permitted by Residence Life policies and availability.

Service and Emotional Support Animals

A Service Animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the person’s disability. Service Animals will be permitted to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the universities facilities.

An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is an animal that provides emotional or other support that ameliorates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability. Unlike service animals, support animals are not required to be trained to perform work or tasks, and they include species other than dogs. According to the Fair Housing Act (FHA) a person with a documented disability is permitted to have an Emotional Support Animal in their individual dwelling when a professional health care provider has deemed it necessary for the individual's emotional well-being.

For more information on the differences between a service and an emotional support animal, procedures for obtaining approval to use such animals, owner responsibilities, and Spalding’s Community expectations, please read carefully the Spalding University Service/ESA Policy.

For a better understanding of Service Animals and ESA's, review the ADA National Network Service Animals Booklet. Spading University's animal policy can be found here.

Housing Exemption Information

Residence life at Spalding University provides students convenience, safety and an overall enhanced college experience. Institutional and National research suggests that students who live on campus are significantly more inclined to remain in college, achieve greater academic success and higher GPAs, experience wellness, gain independence, and develop as a well-rounded individual in comparison to students living off campus. With two residence options—Spalding Suites and Morrison Hall—students can live independently with all the amenities, support and security of a college campus. The housing application goes live on Jan. 15 each year. The Housing form and more information about room options, sizes, and costs can be found here.

Detailed medical documentation from a licensed medical professional must be provided for verification purposes. A completed Disability Verification Form must be included with submission of the exemption application.