Program Accommodations

Kenyon believes that a major feature of attending a residential college is the opportunity for all students to live with one another. As such, all students enrolled at Kenyon  are required to live in College housing and enroll in the meal plan. Given the logistical challenge related to preparing housing assignments for the entire student body, Kenyon requires students with disabilities who require a reasonable housing accommodation to affirmatively request a housing accommodation within the established deadlines.

The Office of Student Accessibility and Support Services (SASS) works closely with the Office of Residential Life to provide students with reasonable housing accommodations. Reasonable housing accommodations currently available include, but are not limited to:

• Single or double room with the following features: First floor accessible room with accessible semi-private restroom room (RR) ensuite.

• First floor accessible room with proximity to accessible RR.

• Visual strobe alarm

• Allergen specific space (AC and/or no carpet)

• Animal free space

• Proximity to classes   

• Proximity to dining

• Proximity to parking

• Proximity to RR 

• Access to gender neutral RR

• Access to semi-private RR

• Access to semi-private Kitchen

Students who may need a housing accommodation because of a medical dietary disability and/or condition, other than access to a community kitchen, must also follow the process for requesting a meal plan accommodation.

Related form: Housing Accommodation Verification (PDF)

An ESA is an animal selected to play an integral part of a student’s treatment process, providing emotional support that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a student’s disability. An ESA does not perform work or tasks that would qualify them as service animals as defined by the ADA. Emotional support animals are not considered pets. To preserve student health and safety, pets are prohibited in all College residences, with the sole exception of fish in bowls or tanks that do not exceed 10 gallons. Having an ESA is considered an exemption to the College’s Pet Policy and is an approved animal. As such, the College requires that students with disabilities who require an ESA to affirmatively request an emotional support animal within established deadlines. In general, only one ESA per student is allowed.

An ESA must remain in the student’s assigned residential living space (bedroom) at all times, except when being transported outside in an approved manner. ESAs are not permitted in shared residential spaces, such as bathrooms, kitchens, hallways and/or lounges. A student may not take an ESA to class, or into any other building on campus. When an ESA is outside a student’s assigned residential living space, it must be in an animal carrier, or controlled by a leash or harness. The Office of Housing and Residential Life will work with a student to identify appropriate spaces for that student’s ESA to exercise and relieve itself, based on where the student resides. The student is responsible for cleaning up and properly disposing of all of the ESA’s waste.

Each student is responsible for the control, care and supervision of their ESA at all times, as well as for ensuring that the animal does not unduly interfere with the routine activities of the residential facility or any of the students who live there. If that student leaves campus for a period of time, they must take the approved animal with them and may not leave the animal on campus overnight or longer, even if under the care of another person.

Students who receive approval for an ESA will select their residential living space through the regular room selection process or lottery. Students will be required to complete an ESA agreement two weeks prior to bringing an animal to campus and must submit an ESA roommate agreement to residential life.Students are advised that in order to ensure that an ESA does not interfere with the equitable enjoyment of housing by other students who may have animal allergies or aversions, the College will identify certain residential spaces across campus as animal-free spaces, and they will not be able to live in these spaces with their approved animal. Students needing break housing should select a residential living space that is open during break periods, or make arrangements to stay in a residential living space that is not designated as animal-free.

Accommodation requests for an ESA must be reasonable. An ESA should demonstrate a good temperament, reliable and predictable behavior, and be able to live with others in a reasonable manner. The ESA’s behavior, noise, odor and waste may also not exceed reasonable standards for a well-behaved animal. A specific animal may be prohibited from serving as an ESA in residential living spaces if that animal’s behavior or presence poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others; would cause substantial physical damage to the residential living space and/or property of others; may force another student(s) from their residential housing space(s); and/or creates unreasonable disruptions for other community members, including their right to peace and quiet enjoyment. Prohibited animals may include venomous animals and exotic or non-domesticated animals. Reptiles as ESAs are discouraged due to their requirement of heat lamps and UVA/B lights, which are prohibited in residential living spaces.

Students must comply with all Village, county and state ordinances, laws, and/or regulations, as well as College and Housing and Residential Life policies, pertaining to animals. These include, but are not limited to, Ohio animal cruelty laws. The ESA must have all veterinarian-recommended vaccinations to maintain its health and prevent contagious diseases. Proof of vaccination is required before moving the ESA into any residential living space. Kenyon reserves the right to request an updated health record at any time during the ESA’s residency. In addition, dogs will need to be licensed in accordance with local ordinances. Dogs and cats must receive monthly preventative flea and tick treatments.

The resident is financially responsible for the actions of the ESA, including damage to College or personal property or harm to others. Any extra cleaning charges that result from the ESA’s presence will be the student’s responsibility. All spaces must be returned to an allergen-free level and a third-party, College approved pest control/cleaning service may be used. The student will also be responsible for any costs incurred should the ESA need to be removed for any reason by College personnel or animal control professionals.

Students must complete the ESA request process and receive approval before engaging in any behaviors related to the requested ESA. Additional and more detailed information can be found in the College’s ESA agreement, which must be signed before an ESA will be permitted in a student’s residential living space.

This does not include Service Animals, as defined by the ADA. This does not include Emotional Support Animals, as defined by HUD.

Related form: Emotional Support Verification (PDF)

The College believes that a major feature of attending a residential college is the opportunity for all students to live with one another. As such, all students enrolled at Kenyon are required to live in College housing and enroll in the College meal plan. Given the challenges that would be related to preparing an individualized dietary plan for the entire student body, the College requires students with medical dietary disabilities and/or conditions who require reasonable meal plan accommodation to affirmatively request such meal plan accommodation within the established deadlines.

Since there is only one College meal plan and facility (Peirce Hall), the Office of Student Accessibility and Support Services works closely with the College’s food service vendor to provide students with reasonable meal plan accommodations. Most medical dietary conditions and/or allergies can be addressed in a meeting with SASS and AVI staff to discuss dietary restrictions and alternative options that are available to the student. 

Reasonable meal plan accommodations currently available include, but are not limited to, gluten-free and lactose-free food options, meals for medically-required vegan diets, and the option to request alternative meals when necessitated by a documented disability or dietary need.

Submitting a request for a reasonable meal plan accommodation does not guarantee a specific accommodation. Additionally, meal plan exemptions are generally based on documented disabilities and/or conditions that are medically necessary and that cannot be accommodated by the College’s food service vendor. 

After students complete the meal plan accommodation request and submit the verification form from their health provider, SASS staff will arrange a meeting with AVI staff to discuss reasonable accommodation options available through Kenyon’s food service vendor.  If AVI is unable to provide a reasonable accommodation and the student is requesting to be exempt from the meal plan, SASS will review the request to be exempted from the College meal plan with the Associate Director of the Health Center and send a written response approving or denying the request within 10 calendar days. Students may appeal this decision. Please see the appeals process for program accommodation.

Students who may need housing accommodations because of a medical dietary disability and/or condition, other than access to a community kitchen, must also follow the process for requesting housing accommodations (see above). Dietary restrictions requested during the academic year will be reviewed on a case by case basis, independent of housing accommodations which must be received by the program accommodation deadlines.

Please note that meal plan accommodations are not available for students during the summer as the College food vendor service is closed during the summer months.

Related form: Meal Plan Verification (PDF)

Transportation assistance:

Temporary health conditions requiring transportation: Temporary conditions refer to a short time period in which a person is impacted by an injury (i.e., concussion, fracture, sprain), a surgical procedure (i.e., hernia repair, ACL reconstruction), or an illness (i.e., mononucleosis). Health Services can authorize transport assistance from Campus Safety. Campus Safety offers transport assistance to get to/from classes, meals and residences.

Disabilities requiring transportation assistance: Students with chronic or long term disabilities can register with SASS to discuss options for transportation during the academic year.  

Proximal parking options: 

Proximal parking to academic buildings is not an option as there is no parking available near academic buildings for students. Proximal parking can be requested as a part of a housing accommodation request.

Proximal parking to college residences consists of both permanent (semester long) and short term ( 2-6 week) parking and is entirely contingent upon AVAILABILITY. Students with temporary conditions can contact Health Services regarding proximal parking availability,  When proximal parking space is not available, students will be offered transportation with Campus Safety.

Semester or year-long proximal parking requests:

Students registered with SASS can request proximal parking as part of the housing accommodation process (see above). Proximal parking requests must be submitted at the time of the housing accommodation request. Students who are approved for proximal parking will be assigned a parking space after vehicle registration in August.

Students requesting temporary or long term medical parking must first register their vehicle with Campus Safety and secure a parking permit through the on-line registration process. There is a fee for vehicle registration.

Decisions regarding semester or year long parking requests will be based on medical documentation and the availability of designated medical parking spaces on campus. 

Disability placards: Students can park in any of the marked accessible parking spaces on campus with a disability placard from their home state or the state of Ohio. The application for disability placards in the state of Ohio can be found here.