Student Accessibility Support

You may be able to use documentation already on file with SAS, however, it would need to speak to the housing accommodations you are requesting. If you think your documentation may work, fill out the student request form, and then reach out to housingaccommodation@brandeis.edu and ask whether paperwork already on file adequately supports your request.

Unfortunately no- Rising Juniors and Seniors are not guaranteed Brandeis Housing even with approvals for specific features in housing as a disability accommodation. Offers of accommodated housing are dependent on housing selection numbers, and some rising Junior and Seniors with disability-related housing accommodations will not receive housing offers during the initial housing selection period. When this occurs, those students will be placed on a waiting list for a spot in housing that meets their approved accommodations, but all approvals are contingent on housing inventory and availability.

For any questions regarding disability accommodations in campus housing you should email housingaccommodation@brandeis.edu. Staff from SAS and Community Living work together to answer questions to this email.  For questions about campus housing that are not about the accommodations request process, you should contact DCL@brandeis.edu. These include:

• Inquires about the MyHousingPortal and the forms within

• Questions about housing selection numbers

• Questions about applying for campus housing

• Room changes

• Roommate concerns

• Questions about housing inventory/features of spaces on campus

• Questions about moving to campus, move in times, and other general Community Living timelines.

Brandeis is able to offer housing to students based on the available, open rooms on campus. Room availability is consistently monitored; if you already have a housing assignment that does not meet newly approved accommodations, you will be contacted by Community Living if and when an appropriate space becomes available. This means that there can be a delay between an accommodation being approved and a room change being offered, especially when Brandeis residence halls are at full capacity.

We understand that it can be frustrating to wait for a new space. When a student is approved for housing accommodations outside of the usual housing selection cycle, there are several moving pieces before a change can be made, which may include waiting for an appropriate space to become vacant. We appreciate your patience and kindness as we move as quickly through this process as possible.

Students are required to abide by the Service Animal and Emotional Support Animal Policy.

Service Animals

Students with disabilities who require the use of service animals are permitted to bring such animals on campus. Students should notify Student Accessibility Support and Community Living in order to ease the animals' transition onto campus and into the residence halls.

While service animals do not need to be approved through the accommodations request process, a Service Animal/Emotional Support Animal Housing Agreement should be completed before the animal joins the student in the residence hall. Please email housingaccommodation@brandeis.edu to notify our offices that you will be bringing a Service Animal.

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)

Students who wish to bring an emotional support animal to campus must complete the accommodation request process. Due to the proliferation of websites and individuals selling ESA support letters without establishing therapeutic relationships with their clients, documentation for an ESA must be from a provider who has an established relationship with the student beyond one or two sessions. The Brandeis Counseling Center and Brandeis Health Center cannot provide documentation for ESAs.

Documentation must come from a provider who can confirm the presence of a diagnosis and symptoms necessitating ESA support. Documentation must describe the disability-related symptoms the animal helps mitigate and the length/extent of the provider's established therapeutic relationship with the student. The provider's license or NPI number is required. Providers can either fill out the Medical Provider Verification Form or submit a separate letter by emailing HousingAccommodation@brandeis.edu to receive a secure upload folder link.

If approved, the student will work with members of Student Accessibility Support and Community Living to complete the Service Animal/Emotional Support Animal Housing Agreement. Once the request is approved and the agreement is submitted the animal may move into the residence hall.

The animal must not be in residence before receiving approval from the Housing Accommodations Committee. The approval of a request is animal-specific, is not transferable to another animal and must be renewed every year. Approval to have an ESA in campus housing does not extend to having the animal elsewhere on campus; if the animal needs to be with you outside of the residence halls you must be approved for that additionally through SAS.

Requesting accommodations for religious purposes is separate from the disability accommodations process. If you are seeking housing accommodations for religious purposes and a medical condition/disability, please complete both the processes for disability housing accommodations and the process outlined below for religious accommodations. It is helpful to indicate in both processes that you are also engaged with the other, so we can ensure all of your needs are met.

Those seeking religious accommodations inside the Residence Halls are asked to submit a letter with their specific requested accommodations and how that connects to their religious practices. To submit religious accommodations please complete the Religious Accommodation Student Request Form as this is a separate process managed directly by Community Living.

Requesting accommodations for Title IX/Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) purposes is separate from the disability accommodations process. If you are seeking housing accommodations for Title IX/OEO purpose and a medical condition/disability, please complete both the processes for Disability Housing Accommodations and the process outlined below for Title IX/OEO Accommodations. It is helpful to indicate in both processes that you are also engaged with the other, so we can ensure all of your needs are met.

Title IX / Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) is available to assist students with housing accommodations for those seeking support. The Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) is responsible for addressing all issues of discrimination, harassment and sexual violence within the Brandeis community.

Brandeis University is committed to providing its students, staff and faculty with an environment conducive to learning, and working, and where all people are treated with respect and dignity. OEO helps the University comply with laws regarding discrimination, harassment and sexual violence, including Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, ADA, and the Rehabilitation Act Section 504.

Please email oeo@brandeis.edu to request an appointment.

If your medical/mental health care provider cannot complete the online Provider Verification Form, please contact us at housingaccommodation@brandeis.edu to discuss alternatives. We can send a PDF version of the form and provide you with a secure upload folder link or a fax number.

Using the form is highly encouraged as the questions on the form have been written to try and ensure a detailed response.Without a detailed response, the Medical Housing Accommodation Committee may not have enough information to approve a requested accommodation.