The Fair Housing Act requires housing providers to make reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications for individuals with disabilities. At the University of West Florida (UWF), Student Accessibility Resources (SAR) works in partnership with Housing and Residence Life (HRL) to ensure equal access to all students within University housing. Individuals with disabilities may request a reasonable accommodation, including, but not limited to, an ADA room, single room, private bathroom, room on the first floor, use of a locked medical refrigerator, lighted doorbell, assistance animal or a Personal Care Attendant. Students requesting reasonable accommodation will engage in an interactive process to find the best accommodation to meet the student's needs on a case-by-case basis.
Deadlines to submit Housing Accommodation Requests to SAR
- Fall: May 1
- Spring: November 1
- Summer: April 1
Requesting Accommodations for Service/Assistance Animals in Campus Housing
Students requesting a Service or Assistance Animal for campus Housing will need to complete the following steps:
- Complete the Housing and Residence Life contract.
- Submit the appropriate documentation:
- Request for Assistance Animal in University Housing OR Request Service Animal in University Housing
- Owner's Rights & Responsibilities for Assistance Animal OR Service Animal, which should include two emergency contacts who reside off-campus and agree to take possession of the animal in the event of an emergency.
- Veterinary records and identifying information about the animal (proof of ownership for the animal, species, breed, weight of animal, color, name of animal, age, gender/evidence of spay/neuter, vaccinations/good health).
- Once the Accommodation Request has been reviewed and approved, SAR will notify the student and HRL staff.
- HRL staff will contact roommates (if applicable) and determine if there are any conflicting medical conditions that would be impacted by the presence of an animal.
- HRL staff will notify the student via email once they are approved to bring the animal to campus.
Please Note
- Late requests will be considered but cannot be guaranteed. Students should expect an average of a 30 days review period for animal requests to allow adequate coordination between SAR and HRL and proper notification of roommates.
- Animals should not be brought to campus until final approval is received and the accommodation request is approved. Students could be subject to fines for unapproved animals per UWF Housing and Residence Life policies and procedures (UNIVERSITY POLICY P-19.02-06/21).
Requesting Reasonable Accommodations (Non-Animal) in Campus Housing
Students requesting reasonable accommodations in Housing and Residence Life, such as a single room, private bathroom, room on the first floor, use of a locked medical refrigerator, lighted doorbell, or a Personal Care Attendant, will need to complete the following steps:
- Complete the Housing and Residence Life contract.
- Submit a completed Housing Accommodation request for Request for Reasonable Accommodations to the SAR office (sar@uwf.edu, fax 850.474.2250, or in-person in Building 19, Room 100D).
- Contact Student Accessibility Resources with any questions at 850.474.2387 during this process.
- Once the Accommodation Request has been reviewed and approved, SAR will notify the student and HRL staff.