ADA Compliance

Access Mission Statement

Housing and Residence Life is committed to providing reasonable housing accommodations to students with disabilities as well as minor modifications for health-related needs. In collaboration with Student Accessibility Services, Housing and Residence Life will partner with students to identify reasonable accommodations to promote academic and personal development on campus and enhance a successful residential experience. Eligibility for housing accommodations or health related needs is determined by:

• The impact of the student’s disability or medical condition as it pertains to residential housing
• Available housing options at the time of the request

Housing and Residence Life is pleased to offer texting capabilities to our main phone line. Please text us at 740.593.4090.

Guide to Housing Accommodation Requests

In the event that you have a disability that warrants reasonable housing accommodations or you have a medical condition that requires minor adjustments within the residential facilities, register with the office of Student Accessibility Services and complete their registration process.

Once registered, and documentation is provided, Student Accessibility Services will determine the most appropriate accommodation based on the need of the student. Although preference of green and hall may be requested along with your accommodation request, not all preferences can be met. Once a determination has been made by Student Accessibility Services, Housing and Residence Life will contact the student to review options in support of specific needs and to finalize housing details.

Should you disagree with the housing accommodation determination, you may contact Student Accessibility Services (disabilities@ohio.edu) to appeal the accommodation decision. 

Incoming Students

If you are an incoming undergraduate student and are required to reside on campus for the first time at Ohio University:

• Complete the "First Year Student Contract" via Housing Self-Service to confirm your intent to enroll
• For students starting during the spring semester, register with Student Accessibility Services, beginning October 1, but no later than December 1 to be reviewed prior to spring move-in.
• For students starting in the fall semester, you are able to register with Student Accessibility Services after being admitted, but no later than early May to be reviewed prior to first year room selection. Accommodation requests can be made after early May, but the available inventory of spaces to help accommodate students may be reduced based on rooms selected in the room selection/assignment process.

Please note, requests may take several weeks to receive a decision once all appropriate documentation has been received.

Returning Students

Returning students with disabilities who are required to reside on campus must complete the following:

• Complete the "Second Year Student Contract" or "Upperclass Student Contract" via Housing Self-Service to confirm your intent to reside on campus
• As a returning student, if you have not previously submitted a request for reasonable accommodation register with Student Accessibility Services beginning January 10 but no later than February 1 to be reviewed prior to returning student room selection. Accommodation requests can be made after February 1, but the available inventory of spaces to help accommodate students may be reduced based on rooms selected in the room selection/assignment process.
• Additional and/or updated documentation may be requested if there is a change in disability impacts or if the student requests new or additional housing accommodations than what had been previously approved.

Please note, requests for new and/or additional accommodations may take several weeks to receive a decision once all appropriate documentation has been reviewed.

Roommate Requests

It is the goal of Housing and Residence Life to provide reasonable accommodations for all students who submit a request due to a documented disability or medical condition. Housing and Residence Life also values the importance of roommate connections. To ensure that we meet both the need for an accommodation and to maintain a connection, any student approved for an accommodation will be able to pull in one desired roommate provided that the request was submitted by the appropriate deadline and spaces are available.

Please note, due to spacing limitations in Housing and Residence Life this opportunity does not apply to suites and apartments.

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Who To Contact

Housing and Residence Life

Jacob Hesse, Associate Director Business Operations

• E-mail: hesse@ohio.edu
• For general questions, call or text our main line at 740.593.4090.
• Address:
  Housing and Residence Life
  Living Learning Center 215
  111 South Green Drive
  Athens, OH 45701

Student Accessibility Services

Accommodations and services for students with disabilities

• Phone: (740) 593-2620
• Address:
  Student Accessibility Services
  230 Alden Library
  Ohio University
  Athens, OH 45701
• E-mail: disabilities@ohio.edu

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