Housing Accommodations

Students with a disability seeking a housing accommodation must provide documentation of their disability and their need for the requested accommodation. This information must be documented by a licensed healthcare provider with competence and expertise in the area of diagnosis.

The following questions should be answered in the provider documentation:

  • What is the problem? Include the diagnosis name and code number (using current DSM or ICD manual)
  • How was the condition assessed?
  • What date(s) was the assessment/treatment provided?
  • How long will the condition continue?
  • How does the problem manifest itself?
  • What aggravates the problem?
  • What makes it better?

Procedure for requesting a housing accommodation

  • Step 1: If this is the first accommodation request (including academic accommodations), submit a First Time Accommodation Request. If this is not the first accommodation request, submit a Supplemental Accommodation Request
  • Step 2: Healthcare provider documentation should be sent to OAR@carleton.edu or faxed to 507-222-5876.
  • Step 3: Contact OAR@carleton.edu to arrange a discussion of your request.
  • Step 4: Office of Accessibility Resources staff will make a decision regarding your request and inform you in writing.

Please note that housing accommodations must be requested and considered annually. Updated documentation may be required.

Dining Accommodations

All students who live in residence at Carleton College are required to take the board plan associated with the building in which they reside unless they choose to select a meal plan with more meals. All first-year students must take the traditional 20 meal plan for their first year at Carleton. This is grounded in both principle — that a major feature of living at a residential college is table sharing — and economic practicality: because we equip and staff a full dining program, we need students to participate in the program to pay for this service.

OAR collaborates closely with Bon Appetit in an effort to provide students with access to foods that meet their dietary needs. Some of the ways that Bon Appetit can support students with navigating campus dining may include:

  • Meeting with chefs and managers to help you develop an individualized plan for navigating your dining options.
  • Introduction to the dining management team, giving you direct access to individuals responsible for food preparation.
  • Tour of dining facilities to provide orientation to stations, ingredient lists, and core icons.
  • Online menus for each dining location

In the event that you have not successfully achieved a dietetic accommodation with Bon Appetit, students may apply for a formal dining accommodation through the Office of Accessibility Resources. This may include a meal plan reduction, adjustment, or exemption. Decisions related to dining accommodations are made solely on documented health conditions that require a special diet that cannot be accommodated by the college’s dining services provider. Requests for dining accommodations are reviewed for renewal on an annual basis.

If a meal plan change is approved, you will be billed a weekly rate for any partial or full weeks you have been on a meal plan. The week is defined as Sunday through Saturday.

The following questions should be answered in the provider documentation:

  • What is the problem/diagnosis (include diagnostic code and name from ICD or DSM manual)?
  • How was the condition assessed?
  • What date(s) was the assessment/treatment provided?
  • What is the history? How long has this been going on?
  • How long will it continue?
  • How does the condition manifest?
  • What aggravates the condition?
  • What food ingredients and/or preparation techniques need to be avoided for health reasons? What food ingredients and/or preparation techniques are recommended?
  • What makes the condition better?

Procedure for requesting a meal plan accommodation:

  • Step 1: If this is the first accommodation request (including academic accommodations), submit a First Time Accommodation Request. If this is not the first accommodation request, submit a Supplemental Accommodation Request.
  • Step 2: Healthcare provider documentation should be submitted to OAR@carleton.edu or or faxed to 507-222-5876.
  • Step 3: Contact OAR@carleton.edu to arrange a discussion of your request.
  • Step 4: Office of Accessibility Resources staff will arrange a meeting with you. This meeting may include a chef and/or the manager of the dining service to consider the needs and how the meal plan can be accommodated.
  • Step 5: A decision on the accommodation request will be provided to you in writing.

Please note that meal accommodations must be requested and considered annually.