Special Needs
Room Selection
Questions regarding Special Needs Housing should be directed to the Director of Disability Services in the Dean of Students Office, or the Associate Director for Residence Life.
General Information
Students with a documented medical need will need to have appropriate medical documentation reviewed by Lisa Colligan the Assistant Dean of Students for Disability Services, Campus Center 109 as soon as possible (x12510). Students must also pay the $200 Room Reservation Deposit before the designated room selection deadline at the Cashier's Window in Blow Memorial Hall. If approved, the student will be guaranteed a space in the residence halls for the next academic year. This approval must be renewed each year. All paperwork must be completed prior to spring break to be protected in the room selection process.
- Those students with an approved need of special accommodations will select their rooms on in early April by appointment with Residence Life.
- Eligible students will be called to schedule an appointment with the Associate Director (x14314) in Residence Life during that time. (Seniors will choose first, followed by juniors and sophomores.)
- Roommate of approved special needs students will be protected from the wait list process of Room Selection as long as Residence Life has the roommates name by Wednesday, March 13.
- Students and their roommates must meet with the Associate Director and sign a Housing Agreement. All students must be present (or have a proxy).
Single Room Housing
Single room requests will be considered when accompanied by appropriate medical documentation indicating that such an assignment will assist a student in his/her self management of disability. Specific documentation criteria applies and letters from professionals who are blood relatives of the student will not be accepted. Decisions regarding single room accommodation are made by the Assistant Dean of Students for Disability Services in consultation by the Medical Review Committee. A letter from the student explaining why a single room is believed to be medically necessary will also be expected. The College reserves the right to make final decisions regarding all single room requests for accommodation purposes and to request additional information when a request is insubstantially supported.
In general, the following diagnoses do not lend themselves to single room accommodations:
- Migraine Headaches
- Crohn's Disease
- Arthritis
- Allergies
- ADD/ADHD
- Asthma
- Eating Disorders
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Specific Learning Disability
- Depression
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Bi-polar Disorder
Documentation Supporting Single Room Requests
A letter from a qualified professional (e.g., physician, psychiatrist, psychologist) must describe the date of diagnosis, assessment (labs, etc.), treatment plan, patient response, and prognosis. The Assistant Dean of Students or his/her designee may request further office notes when deemed necessary. In addition, the professional must specifically describe why s/he believes a single room is necessary for his/her patient's health. Students must provide written release for William and Mary officials to discuss any such medical recommendations with the recommending professional(s). In all cases, the College expects students to adhere to the treatment recommendations of professionals helping them manage their disability. To this end, a single room accommodation is not automatically transferable from one academic year to the next and new medical documentation stating student progress is necessary at the time of each request.
For more information, contact:
Lisa Colligan
Assistant Dean of Students
757-221-2510
757-221-2538 (fax)
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