Loyola University Maryland recognizes the importance of providing reasonable accommodations when necessary for students with disabilities to access campus housing and fully participate in the residential experience. Residence Life & Housing works closely with Disability Support Services to coordinate housing accommodations for students with documented disabilities.
Procedures and Documentation
Students who require housing accommodations must first register with DSS through their online application system. On the application, students must describe how their disability impacts them in the context of housing, and explain why they require the particular accommodation they are requesting.
Additionally, the student's health care provider must complete the Housing Accommodation Documentation Form. The form must be completed in its entirety, signed, and dated by the student's licensed medical provider. The student can upload the form into their DSS account or scan it and email it to DSS@loyola.edu. If the student or medical provider wants to fax the document to DSS, the fax number is 410-617-2080.
DSS and Residence Life & Housing consider all accommodation requests on an individualized, case-by-case basis. However, as students navigate this process, they should note the following:
- Accommodation recommendations approved by DSS are based on the disability-related need (for example, housing on the ground floor, housing with a low student-bathroom ratio, a wheelchair accessible room/bathroom). Accommodations do not require Residence Life & Housing to place a student in a specific residence hall if multiple buildings meet the stated need.
- While DSS reviews and implements all requests on a case-by-case basis, Loyola’s residential facilities typically do not include rooms with a private bathroom.
- Loyola’s residential facilities include a very limited number of single-occupancy bedrooms – students still share a unit with roommates in other bedrooms. Access to a single bedroom will only be approved as an accommodation in cases where it is clearly documented that a student cannot live on campus without this accommodation.
After submitting their application and documentation to DSS, students will receive a written response from DSS. If the request is approved, the accommodation recommendation will be communicated by DSS to Residence Life & Housing, and a Residence Life & Housing staff member will contact the student regarding their specific housing placement.
DSS does not share the student’s diagnosis or other details of the student’s disability documentation with Residence Life & Housing, unless specifically requested by the student or required to implement the approved accommodation.
Application Deadlines
Initial requests
Requests must be submitted and are reviewed on a yearly basis in accordance with the deadlines posted by Residence Life & Housing for housing selection.
- Incoming first year and transfer students: Students must complete their registration by July 1st in order for their accommodation to be considered before students are assigned.
- Rising sophomores/juniors/seniors: Students must complete their registration with DSS by February 1st in order for their accommodation to be considered before the housing selection process begins.
Disability Support Services will review requests for housing accommodations made after these dates. However, some accommodations may not be available after students have already been placed and residential spaces are full. Students who do not meet the deadlines for applying for a housing accommodation must go through the regular housing lottery process. If a housing accommodation is approved by DSS after the stated deadline, Residence Life & Housing will assess whether it is reasonable to implement the accommodation after the housing lottery process is complete. If the accommodation cannot be fulfilled, the student will be placed on a wait list for the accommodation and it will be implemented if it is possible.
Ongoing Need for Accommodation
Once a student is approved for a housing accommodation, a DSS staff person will email the student at the beginning of each subsequent spring semester prior to the start of the housing selection process to confirm the student’s continuing need for the accommodation. Students must respond to DSS to confirm their continued need for the accommodation by the deadline stated in the email. If the student does not respond to this communication, DSS will assume the accommodation is no longer needed and will not provide any information about the student’s needs to Residence Life & Housing for the subsequent academic year.
Questions and Appeals
Students may contact DSS by email DSS@loyola.edu or phone (410) 617-2750 with any questions related to requesting housing accommodations.
Students with disabilities who believe they have been improperly denied a housing accommodation should consult the DSS Grievance Policy.