Campus Living Accommodations
The Office of Disability Services (ODS) facilitates auxiliary aids, academic adjustments, and services for students participating in campus living programs. Campus living programs include university housing, meal plans, parking, and residence hall programs and activities. For additional information about requesting accommodations due to disability in these programs, choose one of the links below.
University Housing / Residential Living Accommodations
Students requesting adjustments in university housing need to make accommodation requests to ODS. Because housing assignments are made in advance, ODS and University Housing encourage students to make accommodation requests to ODS when submitting housing applications. For additional information about documenting a disability, go to: Documenting a Disability. To learn more about requesting auxiliary aids, academic adjustments, and services, go to: Requesting Accommodations.
All accommodations in the residence halls are determined on a case-by-case basis. The review of accommodation requests are based on the reasonableness of the request and supporting medical/mental health documentation. Preferences in accommodations are given primary consideration, but when alternative accommodations allow for equal access to programs, activities, and physical environments, ODS reserves the right to make alternative determinations.
It is important for students to distinguish what is an accommodation and what is a personal service/device. Accommodations are modifications to programs, activities, and the physical environments and are determined on an individual basis by ODS. Personal services and devices, such as personal care assistants, telephones, alarm clocks, wheelchairs, crutches, hearing aids, and canes are not accommodations and are not provided by the University. When students use personal care attendants, notification needs to be made to ODS. For additional information about personal services, go to: www.drexel.edu/ODS/resources.
Meal Plans
When accommodations are necessary for participation in the campus living environment, ODS facilitates auxiliary aids, academic adjustments, and services. Adjustments to University meal plans may be a reasonable accommodation due to disability.
When an accommodation is determined by ODS to be reasonable and supported by the medical documentation, students need to follow the rules which apply to all students living in the residence halls. The meal plan provider at Drexel University takes great strides to meet the dietary needs of all students in Drexel University’s meal plans and offers flexible options for students. When personal care attendants accompany students with disabilities to the dining room, the personal care attendant will pay the standard rate for the appropriate meal. For additional information regarding accommodation requests, go to: Requesting Accommodations.
Parking for People with Disabilities
Parking for people with disabilities is an auxiliary aid that is determined on case-by-case basis. Several issues are considered in the determination, including the documentation completed by a qualified healthcare provider and the possession of a disability placard, hang-tag, or license plate from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Transportation, or other appropriate State issued document. For additional information regarding documenting a disability, go to: Documenting a Disability.
Parking lot access is dependent upon whether a lot is private/reserved or open for general use by students, employees, and campus guests. For additional information regarding parking on Philadelphia streets, visit the Philadelphia Parking Authority. Those requesting accommodations for parking should contact ODS well in advance of the need. Additional information about requesting auxiliary aids, academic adjustments, and services can be found at Requesting Accommodations.