Documentation Guidelines
All requests for ADA accommodations must be accompanied by documentation. Third-party documentation should be provided by a licensed or otherwise properly credentialed professional who has appropriate and comprehensive training, relevant experience, and no personal relationship with the individual being evaluated.
Please note that the diagnosis of a medical/psychological condition and a physician's or therapist's recommendation do not automatically qualify a student for disability-related housing accommodations. Healthcare providers' recommendations are considered; however, Kentucky State University must evaluate housing accommodations through the lens of what is necessary for the student to access and live-in college housing. Not all medical conditions rise to the level of being a disability that requires accommodation for the student to access the housing program.
Note to incoming or prospective students: Students requesting housing accommodations need to complete the necessary registration and deposit procedures through Admissions and Campus Life before being eligible to request and be evaluated for a disability-related housing accommodation.
Single Rooms for Disability Access vs. Single Rooms as a Preference
Kentucky State University has a limited number of single rooms available. Single rooms are one of the most requested accommodations. Any student may request a single room as a preference during the scheduled housing selection process that occurs before the fall and spring semesters. Only when a student's clinical history and professional records clearly show a history of significant limitations and offer justification for their requirement for a separate living/sleeping space in order to access and utilize housing can a single room be considered a disability accommodation.
An example of accommodation that would be approved due to need for equal access:
A student who needs extra space to utilize specialized medical equipment may need extra space or a certain size bathroom that is only available in a single room. This is an access need because, without extra space to utilize medical equipment, the student would not be able to participate equitably in the housing program.
ADD, generalized anxiety disorder, and depression are common diagnoses used to justify a student's need for a private room. However, these diagnoses rarely serve as genuine impediments to access. Here's why a single room may not be considered a necessary and reasonable barrier accommodation for access.
All students living on campus are expected to find places where they can be alone to decompress outside of the room where they sleep. Students living on campus can discover places on campus and within the city to decompress, relax, and process their emotions outside of the place they sleep. Residence halls and student housing are designed as living areas. Therefore, they do not qualify as quiet study areas for those with disabilities that impact their ability to concentrate, focus, or be distracted. Given how many people live close to one another, it is illogical to think that having a private room would offer a more peaceful, distraction-free environment than a typical double room.