Housing Accommodations

Housing Accommodations

Accommodations in Campus Housing

Housing Accommodations

PASS is committed to meeting the needs of its students and striving for inclusion and access to all Pitzer classes, programs, and activities. This is done through determining reasonable accommodations or by redesigning aspects of the campus experience, including housing.

If you would like to establish accommodations or determine your eligibility, please submit a request as early as possible. Please note that term “accommodations” is used throughout this website to include not only disability-related accommodations, but also access related services and/or auxiliary aids.

Requesting Housing Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations are determined following an individualized assessment of each request. Among the factors considered in determining reasonable accommodations for students are:

• The nature of the student’s access needs
• Accommodations utilized by that student in the past
• Whether the requested accommodation will allow the student to effectively access and participate in campus life
• Whether the requested accommodation will alter the essential requirements of campus housing

The steps to request and establish housing accommodations are as follows:

Step 1: Complete the Housing Accommodations application and Submit Documentation

During the annual Housing Selection process, students can find the Housing Accommodations Application in their MCR Housing portal to complete. Otherwise, please contact Residence Life at housing@pitzer.edu to request an application. The Housing Accommodation application will be enabled on the student’s Residence portal. Students must complete the application and include supporting documentation when prompted to do so in the application.

Supporting documentation should include:

1. A specific diagnosis

2. A description of how the diagnosis was reached, methods and procedures, test results and evaluation of test results; relevant medical, psycho-social and educational history

3. Licensure and experience of health care professional

4. What and how any major life activities are limited by the disability/condition

5. Address how housing/campus life activities may be impacted

6. A list of any and all accommodations, which might be needed to facilitate the student’s participation in campus housing

Note: All information/documentation that is submitted by students will be considered confidential and held in Academic Support Services.

Step 2: Follow Up on Accommodation Logistics

Follow up with PASS and housing if you have not heard back on the status of your application as deadlines draw near. If there are any concerns, questions, or difficulties that need to be addressed, please contact PASS academicsupportservices@pitzer.edu as soon as possible. We will quickly do our best to facilitate the accommodation process and offer support.

Step 3: Renew Your Housing Accommodations

Each academic year, students with housing accommodations will need to reapply with PASS to renew accommodations, if needed for the upcoming school year and will need to be done before the Room Draw Process. Please not that this process can vary and is reviewed on case-by-case basis.

In compliance with applicable state and federal laws, some students with disabilities/access needs may receive consideration regarding their housing placement. Such considerations may include placement in specific residence halls or rooms. All accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis and will only be considered for students with physical, medical, psychological, or sensory disabilities that are appropriately documented and determined to impact a major life activity.

Note: Documented and approved accommodation requests which include access to a single room will be charged the double room rate.

Service Animals

Pitzer College permits individually trained dogs that qualify as service animals on campus. A service animal is defined as: Any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. The work or task that the dog performs must be directly related to the individual’s disability.

The following animals are not considered service animals under titles II and III of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA);

• Any animal besides dogs (though there are special provisions permitting miniature horses in some cases);
• Animals that serve solely to provide a crime deterrent effect, and
• Emotional support, comfort, or companion animals.

The regulations also provide that Pitzer College need not accommodate a service animal if it poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others, the owner cannot effectively control it, or if the animal is not housebroken.

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)

In accordance with the Fair Housing Act, an individual with a documented disability may have the right to have an animal in campus housing if the animal qualifies as a ‘reasonable accommodation’ that is necessary to afford the student equal opportunity to use and enjoy the housing; (assuming that the use of the animal does not pose a direct threat). Approval from PASS is required before the animal is allowed on campus.

Process for Requesting an ESA Accommodation

1.    Submit a completed Housing Accommodation Request Form through the student  portal.

2.    Prepare to have a reliable third party (a verifiable, licensed professional with whom you have an established therapeutic relationship) provide a letter verifying need for an emotional support animal. The letter will need to include: verification of disability and the need for this accommodation. A reliable third party is someone who is familiar with the student’s disability, the necessity for the accommodation, and the nexus between the student’s disability and the therapeutic relief of one or more symptoms of the student’s disability provided by the ESA. 

3.    Documentation should be from a provider who you have had at least a 30-day relationship with per updates to California ESA laws.

Requests for an emotional support animal are evaluated on a case-by-case. PASS will consider different factors when reviewing the request, such as whether the animal could pose a direct threat, inflict harm, or cause substantial property damage.

• The student must demonstrate that they have an established relationship with the animal, and that they have ability to properly provide the care required to maintain the health and safety of the animal.
• ESA’s should not be brought to campus prior to approval being granted. A request must be submitted each academic year.

Upon submitting a request and documentation, staff will review the information provided and will contact the student to communicate decision. If approved, student will be asked to sign an ESA Agreement outlining guidelines and student responsibilities as well as potential causes for removal of the ESA from campus housing. If a non approved ESA ( a pet) is discovered in campus housing the animal will need to be removed immediately and will not be considered for approval.

Additional Resources

Student Disability Resource Center

Department of Education Office of Civil Rights

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