Requesting Accessible Campus Housing

The learning environment and residential living are central to the Purchase College experience. The Office of Disability Resources (ODR) collaborates with the Office of Residential and Student Life to coordinate accessible campus housing for students with disabilities that impact one’s living situation. When requesting a housing modification, applicants are expected to have already applied for Purchase college housing and have met all eligibility requirements and payment deadlines.

Reasonable and appropriate modifications depend upon the disability, the housing environment, and the steps necessary to create equal access for one’s living situation. Requested modifications will not be granted if it is deemed unreasonable or unwarranted. Requests for housing modifications should be made to the ODR as soon as possible. Students that qualify for disability-related housing accommodations under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the subsequent Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 as amended in 2008, will receive any such accommodations without any additional charge. The college reserves the right to request updated documentation every academic year to verify the continued need for accessible campus housing. 

To properly evaluate how Purchase College can best meet the student’s need for reasonable modifications in college housing facilities, the College requires information from both the student submitting the request and their treatment professional. To begin this process, please complete a Public Accommodation Request Form. If a student has previously requested accommodations through ODR, they must follow the steps to submit a supplemental accommodation request. 

Required Submission Dates

Housing spaces at Purchase College are limited. In order to assure availability, requests for housing modifications are asked to adhere to the below submission dates. However, if the request for accommodation is made after the below submission dates, Purchase College cannot guarantee that it will be able to meet the individual’s accommodation needs during the first semester or term of occupancy.

Summer Semester (for all students) submit by: April 1st 
Fall Semester (for current students): February 15th

Fall Semester (incoming students) submit by: June 1st

Once a student initiates their accessible housing request via the completion of a Public Accommodation Request Form or a supplemental accommodation request, the accessible housing application will be sent to them through their Purchase e-mail account. The individual making the request for an accessible housing accommodation should complete and provide both Sections A and the Student Acknowledgement form, as well as part B of the Request for Accessible Housing form as soon as practicably possible before moving into College housing. 

If the need for accessible campus housing arises when an individual already resides in College housing, they should contact ODR and complete the steps to request a housing accommodation as soon as practicably possible. Purchase College cannot guarantee that it will be able to meet the accommodation needs during the semester or term in which the request is received.

Personal Care Attendants in Campus Housing

Students who seek to live in Purchase College residential facilities and require the services of Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) must follow the above Accessible Campus Housing request process and Policy on Personal Care Attendants for Students with Disabilities.

Emotional Support Animals in Campus Housing

Students seeking a modification to have an emotional support animal (ESA) in their residence and who are new to requesting accommodations through ODR are required to first submit their disability-related information via a Public Accommodation Request. If a student has previously requested accommodations through ODR, they must follow the steps to submit a supplemental accommodation request. Once received, the ODR will then e-mail the student via their Purchase College e-mail account to discuss the next steps regarding the College’s Emotional Support Animal Procedure and Guidelines.

Please note that emotional support animals are not allowed in campus housing until the modification is approved by the ODR and all steps in the Emotional Support Animal Procedure and Guidelines are completed.

Recommended Submission Dates

Requests for Emotional Support Animals are asked to adhere to the below submission dates in order to ensure that there is sufficient time to process the accommodation (if approved). If the request for accommodation is made after the below submission dates, Purchase College cannot guarantee that it will be able to meet the individual’s accommodation needs during the first semester or term of occupancy.

Summer Semester submit by: April 1st
Fall Semester submit by: June 1st