PROCEDURES FOR REQUESTING SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR HOUSING ASSIGNMENTS, OR RELEASE FROM MEAL PLAN AND/OR HOUSING CONTRACT

Learning—and practicing—to live and work with others is an essential component of the Northwestern University learning experience. There is no better place to do this than in our residence halls.

A variety of medical illnesses, disabilities and/or psychological conditions may necessitate special consideration in the housing assignment process (e.g., an air conditioned residence hall, a residence hall with an elevator and/or a room with an accessible washroom, or a single room) or a release from the meal plan and/or housing contract. Every effort is made to accommodate students’ special needs within our housing system and/or food service plan using the alternatives available. Also, keep in mind that the University meal plan contract does not permit releases based on religious dictates, personal food choice or preferences (e.g., vegetarianism), or other, non-medically-based, dietary requirements.

Requests for special consideration in the housing assignment process or requests to be released from the meal plan and/or housing contract are evaluated carefully by the Room and Board Accommodation Committee. Members of the Committee include the Dean of Students, the Director of Counseling and Psychological Services, the Director of University Health Services, the Manager of Services for Students with Disabilities, the Associate Director and Administrative Coordinator of University Housing and Food Service.

To qualify for special consideration in the housing assignment process and/or to request release from the meal plan and/or housing contract, a student must submit the following documentation to the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD)*. For listings of required documentation for special consideration, please click here. University Housing and Food Service cannot make an assignment or approve a contract release based on a medical or psychological condition or disability without a recommendation from the Room and Board Accommodation Committee.

New students (freshmen and transfer students) must submit their requests for housing accommodations, including the appropriate documentation, to SSD (click here for address) by June 6, 2008. Students submitting requests will be notified via an email to their Northwestern email account by July 7, 2008 whether the Room and Board Accommodation Committee approved their request. Returning students must submit their requests for housing accommodations by the first day of spring quarter. Requests to be released from the residence hall meal plan must be received by August 15, 2008.

*Do not submit the required documentation to the University Housing Office.