Housing Accommodations

Residence Life and Student Accessibility Services coordinate to provide reasonable housing accommodations to students with a disability. Buffalo State University recognizes the importance of accommodated housing accommodation to provide students with disabilities equal access to the benefits of on-campus housing. With this consideration the university has established a Housing Accommodation Review committee. This committee, comprised of professionals from counseling, medical, residence life and accessibility services, meets to discuss the validity and thoroughness of the documents submitted by students and their providers. 

Important Deadlines for Housing Accommodations

Spring Semester

Newly Admitted Spring Students: 5:00PM First Monday in January (January 2nd, 2024)

Fall Semester

Returning Fall Students: 5:00 pm, Second Monday in June (June 10th, 2024)

Newly Admitted Fall Students: 5:00 pm, Second Monday in July (July 15th, 2024)

How to Apply for Housing Accommodation

Apply for On Campus Housing (Residence Life)

If a student has not already done so, and they are seeking disability-related housing on campus, they should first complete their housing application. Instructions to complete the housing application can be found on the Residence Life website.

Complete Student Information form

Students should complete the Student Information and Provider Authorization Form. Please complete the information accurately and to the best of your ability. Please clearly state your request. 

Send your provider the link to the provider authorization form

During the completion of the above form, students will be have access to the link to Documentation of Disability Form to forward to their medical or mental health provider. Their provider should use this link to complete the disability/medical information of the student as it relates to their housing accommodation request. 

Monitor your Buffalo State email 

The Housing Accommodation Review committee will evaluate the information provided to make a decision of approval or denial of the request. SAS will inform the student about their decision by email. This process may take up to 10 days. Students should monitor their Buffalo State email regularly. Once the approval process is complete, Residence Life will communicate directly with students about their room assignment and provide guidance on bringing their service/assistance animal on campus. 

Housing requests submitted after the deadline (Please see below for dates)

Requests for housing accommodation submitted after the deadline will be subject to availability of space. Requests submitted mid-semester may be considered for the next or upcoming semester. 

Recommended - Register for support services with Student Accessibility Services

Students should register with Student Accessibility Services for disability-related housing and/or service/assistance animals. It is also recommended that they seek out other support services on campus that will provide them support during their transition to a higher education institution.

Important Information and Definitions

The dates below provide Residence Life the opportunity to provide students the accommodations approved by the Housing Accommodation Review committee. Student Accessibility Services will inform the student about their decision. An accommodation request submitted and approved after the deadline is subject to availability of space.

Returning Fall Students: 5:00 pm, Second Monday in June (June 10th, 2024)

Newly admitted students:

Fall Semester Deadline: 5:00 pm, Second Monday in July (July 15th, 2024)

Spring Semester Deadline: 5:00 pm, First Monday in January (January 2nd, 2024)

A service animal refers to any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the person's disability, including, but not limited to:

  • Assisting individuals with low vision or blindness
  • Alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing
  • Assisting with a wheelchair or stabilizing a person’s gait
  • Retrieving items such as medicine, food, or a telephone
  • Recognizing and assisting a person having a seizure or hyperglycemia/hypoglycemia
  • Assisting individuals with trauma

Service animals may accompany students throughout campus. Buffalo State University does not require documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal. If the student is not seeking additional accommodations they are not required to register for services through Student Accessibility Services.  

The ADA states that the student should be able to answer the following two questions appropriately:

  • Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
  • What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?

Please visit the ADA website for guidance for Service Animal on campus. 

Service animals must conform to all requirements of the ADA regulations.

 
Assistance animals do not qualify as service animals.

An assistance animal provides emotional or other support that minimizes one or more identified symptoms or effects of a student's disability. This includes therapy animals, emotional support, or comfort animals. Unlike service animals, assistance animals are not required to be trained to perform work or tasks, and they include species other than dogs and miniature horses.

Please visit the ADA National Network guidance for further information on Emotional Support Animals in postsecondary education settings. 

Students who wish to utilize an assistance animal on campus housing must refer to both the Reasonable Accommodation Policy for Assistance/Companion Animals and the Buffalo State University Assistance/Companion Animal Agreement for further details. Students will be asked to submit disability-related documentation to support their request.

Assistance animals do not qualify as service animals.

Applying for Assistance or Companion Animal for Residence Hall

Students must complete the Student Information and Provider Authorization Form and wait for approval before bringing the animal on campus. Provider documentation is required to evaluate the students' need for this request.

Deadline for application is the same as listed above. 

Upon review of all supporting documentation, the student will be notified of the committee's decision.

When approved, the students are required to complete a "Assistance/Companion Animal Agreement Form", the link to which will be provided in the approval letter sent to the student.

Students should monitor their Buffalo State email. The review process may take up to 10 business days.