Housing Requests

Wheeling is committed to supporting students with disabilities in all aspects of University life, including residential life. This policy describes the process for requesting disability-related reasonable housing accommodations. Housing accommodations must be requested and approved each academic year.

Wheeling views the residential experience, including living with others, as integral to the University’s educational mission, enrolled students are generally required to live in on-campus housing. Given the significant logistical work related to housing assignments for the entire student body and other aspects of the housing supply, Wheeling requires students seeking disability-related housing accommodation to submit their request and documentation by the established deadlines, which are set out below.

Requests and questions about accommodations should be routed through the Student Success Center (SSC), which assesses and coordinates student disability services across a range of needs. Residence Life does not determine eligibility for disability accommodations.

Process for Requesting a Housing Accommodation

1. Students wishing to be considered for reasonable housing accommodations must submit to the Student Success Center (SSC) current documentation from appropriately licensed physicians, psychologists, or other qualified professionals, as well as supporting historical materials. To receive a reasonable accommodation at Wheeling, an individual must have an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, consistent with disability law. A diagnosis does not necessarily equate to a disability or special housing need.
2. All requests and documentation will receive individualized review by SSC in consultation as appropriate with others such as student health center and housing staff. Documentation must provide a comprehensive review of the disabling condition (not just a prescription pad note supporting a specific housing request). Learn more about what type of information suggested health professionals.

While health providers do not have to use these specific forms, they provide guidance to the provider regarding the extent of the information they should provide to best articulate the nature and severity of the disability and the need for reasonable accommodation.

• Verification of disability based on medical/chronic condition form

• Verification of disability based on mental health disorder form

Documentation may be delivered to the Student Success Center (SSC) via US Mail, Fax, or email attachment by the established deadline. Incomplete forms or those without documentation of a disability will not be considered. Questions about documentation can be directed to 304-243-2328

US Mail:
Student Success Center,
Wheeling University,
316 Washington Ave
Wheeling, WV 26003

E-MAIL: DS@wheeling.edu

Determinations as to housing accommodation requests will be shared with the student by the Student Success Center, and approvals will be shared with Residence Life.

Students who believe they have a need for air conditioning based on a qualified disability should follow this process for requesting air conditioning as a housing accommodation. Students requesting air conditioning for medical reasons that are not disability related should follow the separate process for requesting air conditioning described below. A disability-related request for air conditioning that is deemed ineligible for a disability accommodation will automatically be directed to the other process for further consideration under those separate procedures.

Housing Accommodation Request Timeline

Deadlines are established each semester to allow application review and accommodation considerations prior to the general housing selection process.

• Fall Semester must be submitted no later than August 1
• Spring Semester must be submitted no later than by December 1

Students are advised to start the process early to allow adequate time to obtain the needed documentation by the stated due date. Obtaining documentation from a health care provider often requires advance notice and could take several days or weeks for your provider to prepare. Incomplete application materials will delay the eligibility determination and could result in a denial of the accommodation request. Wheeling will accept requests for reasonable accommodations in housing at any time, but such requests will be reviewed and considered according to the following due dates. The accommodation requests of students who miss the deadline or submit incomplete information may not be able to be met during the requested semester.

If the need for the accommodation arises when an individual is already residing in housing, they should reach out to the Student Success Center and submit the request form and relevant medical information as soon as possible. Wheeling will promptly review the request, though cannot guarantee that it will be able to meet the accommodation needs during the semester in which the request is made.

Housing Accommodations requests and all necessary documentation for the following academic year are due to Residence Life no later than two weeks before the start of the semester.

Additional Housing-Related Requests

Students interested in seeking approval for an Emotional Support Animal in the residential space should review the Wheeling ESA Policy.

Important to Note

• Wheeling is deeply committed to meeting the disability-related needs of our students. As a result, it is important that we reserve special housing assignments for students with such needs. Requests based on student preferences, and not grounded in a disability warranting a reasonable accommodation, are not appropriate to this process. Students should pursue room preferences unrelated to disability-related needs through the normal housing process.
• Diagnosis of a medical condition does not, in and of itself, automatically qualify a student for a housing accommodation. Wheeling will do an individualized review of every request in making determinations about special housing eligibility.
• Reasonable housing accommodations are defined by the appropriate accommodation(s) and are provided for an individual student. Accordingly, Wheeling may not be able to meet other preferences along with the housing accommodation (such as preference for a particular location, hall, or roommate(s)).
• Some students may have a disability that can be reasonably accommodated through the established housing selection process. In those cases, the student will be so advised and Residence Life will be able to address questions related to that process.
• A student has the right to decline an offered assignment. However, Residence Life cannot generally provide an alternative assignment once the housing selection process is underway.