Christendom College is committed to providing accommodation services to students with diagnosed disabilities or impairments in order that they may have equal access to the education and formation available to our students. A disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Disclosing a student’s disability is voluntary and optional; however, if the student wants to receive accommodations, it is the student’s responsibility to provide medical documentation from a diagnosing medical professional that includes both a diagnosis as well as recommended accommodations for the student’s success in a college environment.
Academic Accommodations
Christendom College is dedicated to helping each student reach his or her full academic potential. Committed to this goal, the College offers reasonable academic accommodations for students with diagnosed disabilities or learning impairments, including:
- 50% extended time for examinations (with proctor)
- Access to a reduced distraction environment for examinations (with proctor)
- Peer note-taker
- Seat preference in classroom
- Priority in registration
- Use of a laptop/word processor for examinations and writing assignments
- Permission to use alternative book formats (e.g., audio books, large print, etc.)
To request academic accommodations, please fill out the Academic Accommodation Request Form with a diagnosing medical professional and submit it to the Director of Student Support Services to review. After a one-on-one interview with the student, the Director will provide you with an eligibility letter if your request is approved.
After a request is approved, it is the student’s responsibility to communicate with professor(s) concerning the utilization of accommodations throughout the semester. We advise the student to show the professor(s) the eligibility letter as proof of the approved accommodations within the first two weeks of the semester. Then, the student may arrange to utilize the approved accommodations for particular assignments throughout the semester. If a student does not make a request for a specific assignment or give the professor sufficient time to work out the details of the request (3 business days), then the student cannot expect the accommodation.
Dietary Accommodations
Christendom College is committed to providing safe and healthy dietary accommodations to students with food allergies, food sensitivities, and unique dietary needs. Students are free to navigate the dining Commons themselves, as menus are displayed in each food line listing ingredient information for main allergens. If a student is ever in doubt about ingredients or allergens in a meal, he should ask our Executive Chef or a Kitchen Staff member. If the student requires specially prepared meals, the College offers the following dietary accommodations:
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
- Egg-free
- Soy-free
- Shellfish/fish-free
- Other food sensitivities and intolerances (in consultation with our Executive Chef)
While Food Services offers these accommodations, please note that we review each request on a case-by-case basis, taking into account a variety of factors including the severity of the allergy and the level of concern regarding cross-contamination. To request specially prepared meals, please fill out the Dietary Accommodation Request Form and include a prescribed dietary plan from a medical professional for us to review.
If Food Services can accommodate your dietary needs, the Director of Student Support Services will provide you with an eligibility letter and meet with you and our Executive Chef to plan your personalized menu. If we cannot meet your dietary needs, then you qualify for meal plan exemption and may be provided with other accommodations, such as access to a campus kitchen and permission to have a larger refrigerator in your room.
Please note: While we make every effort to prepare all allergen-free menu items as safely as possible, we are a facility that uses allergens in other areas of our space, and no kitchen is guaranteed to be completely allergy-free.
Note for Students with Severe Allergies: If you have a severe allergy, such as anaphylaxis, you qualify for meal plan exemption and may live on-campus in a residence hall that has access to a kitchen so you may prepare your own meals. Please note that no kitchen is guaranteed allergy-free, so you are eligible to live off-campus should you feel more comfortable in a more controlled environment. If you do choose to live on-campus, we recommend that you:
- Bring your own pots/pans/cookware. Label them and keep them in your room.
- Bring food-storage bins for your room if you are concerned about cross-contamination in cupboard space.
- Bring a dorm-size (or slightly larger) refrigerator if you are concerned about cross-contamination in public fridge space.
- Always clean up the kitchen space before and after you prepare food.
Housing Accommodations
Christendom College is committed to providing a safe, healthy, and positive residential experience to our students, including those with diagnosed disabilities. Students are encouraged to complete our Housing Accommodation Request Form with a medical professional, which would include a diagnosis, an explanation of how the disability affects daily life, and recommended accommodations for the student’s residential accessibility. The College offers the following housing accommodations:
- Ground floor housing in select residence halls (no stairs)
- Handicap accessible rooms in select residence halls (ground floor with wider doorways that allow for easy access and mobility)
- Priority in the housing selection process
- Special housing assignment with access to a kitchen
Please note: Kitchen privileges are associated with the residence hall in which they are located. If you are exempt from the meal plan and intend to use a kitchen for meal preparation, you must reside in the residence hall where you will be preparing your meals.
Please note: Christendom does not grant an accommodation for single-room occupancy solely based on the need to have a quiet and undisturbed living space. Requests for single-room occupancy must include documentation from a diagnosing medical professional that indicates how sharing a residence with another individual would significantly limit the student’s equal opportunity to residence living. Even with this documentation, the College reserves the right to review requests on a case-by-case basis, taking into account a variety of factors including the severity of the student’s diagnosis and space availability on campus.
Temporary Accommodations
If you have a temporary disability, please fill out the academic, dietary, or housing form depending on the nature of your request. The application process for a temporary accommodation is the same as for those with permanent disabilities, except that the medical professional must also indicate an end date for when he or she expects your condition to be resolved.
Examples of temporary disabilities include a broken hand or arm which limits your ability to write, a broken leg or foot which impedes your mobility, short-term medical conditions, concussions, and surgical procedures.
Please note: A temporary accommodation is not the same as a sick note. Temporary accommodations are for temporary disabilities, whereas sick notes are for the common cold, flu, or other illness which, while temporary, do not meet the legal definition of a disability. If you need a sick note for one of these illnesses, please contact our campus nurse: nurse@christendom.edu.
How to Request Accommodations
Step 1: Complete the form pertaining to the nature of your request and submit it to Mrs. Maribeth Martin, the Director of Student Support Services at maribeth.martin@christendom.edu. Please submit your form by July 1 (for Fall semester), November 1 (for Spring semester), or as soon as you are aware of your need during the semester.
Step 2: Participate in a one-on-one interview with the Director of Student Support Services. This conversation serves as the student’s opportunity to share the more specific details of his or her needs in developing a personalized accommodation plan. When processing your request, the College will consider two factors:
- Your medical documentation as provided by a diagnosing medical professional on the accommodation request form
- The one-on-one interview between the student and the Director of Student Support Services
Step 3: If your accommodations are approved, you will receive an eligibility letter from the Director of Student Support Services. At this point, the Director will discuss with you the implementation of your accommodations on a personalized path to your success.
Please note: Approved accommodations are effective for one academic year. To renew your accommodations, please contact Mrs. Maribeth Martin, the Director of Student Support Services. She will meet with you to reassess your needs, make any necessary adjustments, and issue an updated eligibility letter for you.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact:
Mrs. Maribeth Martin
Director of Student Support Services
maribeth.martin@christendom.edu
540.551.9172