The Office of Disability Services is committed to ensuring all students have access to ATU classes, programs, and services, including residential living and dining. Our goal is to help students participate in the same campus living opportunities as their peers by removing barriers inherently related to a disability. Students with disabilities will also be included in the extracurricular learning that takes place for all college students who navigate shared spaces, roommate interactions, adjusting to the schedules of others, prioritizing their own needs when necessary and using the resources available to meet them, and setting appropriate boundaries with peers. Access may not be granted in the method preferred by the student making the request, but will be evaluated through the lens of inclusion as the ultimate goal- whether in one of our various facility layouts or locations, or through our dining services or meal plans. Regardless of diagnosis, students benefit from learning to navigate shared living. Residence hall life can be challenging, but it also builds skills in compromise and negotiation alongside the opportunity to learn from a wide range of people, cultures, and perspectives.
When a student requests a housing or dining accommodation, Disability Services engages in an interactive process, asking questions about the nature of the condition and its symptoms, and considers all available accommodations and supports when making final accommodation decisions.
A single room is one of the most frequently requested housing accommodations. It's important to understand the difference between a single room granted as a disability accommodation and one selected as a personal preference.
A single room qualifies as a disability accommodation only when clinical documentation clearly establishes a history of substantial limitation and explains why a separate living/sleeping space is necessary for the student to access housing. For example, a student needing extra space for specialized medical equipment may require a single room's larger bathroom. An accommodation would be granted to make sure the student has a room assignment that allows for this space. For students with a preference for a private space, they may request a single room through the regular housing selection process, with assignments based on seniority and availability.
Diagnoses such as ADHD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Depression are commonly cited reasons for requesting a single room. However, these diagnoses alone typically do not constitute a barrier to accessing the housing program, since students have access to a wide range of alternative strategies and campus resources to manage their needs.
Students who are considering bringing a Service Animal or Emotional Support Animal to live with them on campus should review the policies and information published on our Service and Emotional Support Animal Policies page.
There are many food preferences and optimal diets for a variety of health conditions. Here’s the good news: Chamber’s Cafeteria was created with this in mind and the buffets can easily be customized to fit many eating styles, with a large salad bar, several hot buffet options including an Asian-inspired grill station, a Tex-Mex bar, American and Italian-inspired food lines, a specialty allergen-free zone with items prepared away from the 8 most common food triggers, and more. These options can easily be adjusted for eating plans to control calories, macros, high-protein, whole food, or plant-based eating.
When considering a dining or meal plan accommodation request, remember that our goal is access, so the available options will be reviewed before consideration of canceling a meal plan requirement. An accommodation that is often effective when working with food allergies is for Disability Services to arrange a consultation between the student and the food service provider to make sure safety needs are understood and establish direct communication so the student can be served safely and equitably throughout their stay on campus.
ATU’s policy that students live on campus until they have 60 earned hours or turn 21 years old, with exceptions for students who live near campus, are taking fully online coursework, etc. is intended to promote the safety, stability, and personal growth of our student population. There are very rare cases when a student who does not meet the general residency policy exemptions through Res Life may request to live off campus. As with all accommodations, all on-campus options will be reviewed to include the student in our programs and services before an exclusion is granted. A diagnosis or medical provider recommendation alone does not guarantee the request will be approved. We value the medical and psychological expertise of providers making recommendations, but also recognize that our housing and meal service staff are the experts on what we can provide to meet the needs of students within the residential community, and it is exceedingly rare for a student’s needs to be able to be met in an off-campus house or apartment but not in a campus apartment or residence hall.
Residence halls are living spaces, not study spaces, so a single room wouldn't necessarily offer more quiet than a standard double. Campus offers many quiet, low-distraction alternatives: designated study rooms in residence halls, art studio spaces, music practice rooms, computer labs, private library study rooms, and outdoor spots like hammock stands, benches, and patio seating. Noise-canceling headphones or white noise apps can also help as students use these resources to meet their need for appropriate study spaces.
Wanting private space to decompress generally doesn't rise to the level of a disability-based need for a single room. Students can decompress in many places beyond their bedroom, including:
Sharing space is part of many college experiences- classrooms, dining halls, athletic facilities, and more. Each student is assigned their own bed, dresser, closet, and floor space, even in a shared room. Learning to navigate a shared living space (communication, compromise, boundary-setting) is a normal part of the residential experience, and Residence Life staff are available to help students work through roommate concerns.
Roommate conflicts are common and rarely qualify as a basis for a single-room accommodation. Support is available through:
While Disability Services will ensure students can access the room configuration needed to address their diagnosed disabling condition(s), the fear of a potential roommate’s preferences or concerns is not, by itself, an adequate reason for an accommodated room assignment. Res Life has resources available to assist roommates in handling differing preferences, schedules, etc.
All students are encouraged to secure their belongings, including medication, through the following strategies:
You can explore your options in Disability Services by reviewing the Appeal Process for Reasonable Accommodation Decisions or work with The Department of Residence Life to see if there are options available or ask to be placed on a waiting list. Single rooms often open up after the semester begins.
If you're unsure whether your situation might qualify for a housing accommodation, or you'd like to start the interactive process, reach out to the Office of Disability Services. We're here to help you understand your options and find the right path forward.