beckwith residents pose with their personal aids for a group photo outside nugent hall
Accommodations and Assignments Considerations
If you need a special living accommodation, below is important information for you!
How do I notify University Housing of my disability, medical, dietary and additional requests?
When applying for housing, there is a specific Assignment Considerations link within the Personal Contact & Details section of the online contract where you can provide disability, medical, dietary and/or additional needs information. Students should indicate any assignment considerations when completing their contract.
Do I need to apply for services with the Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES)?
If you would like to request housing accommodations due to a documented disability-related condition, we strongly encourage you to apply for services with the Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES), in addition to submitting assignment considerations within the Housing Contract. DRES is responsible for providing services to students with disabilities and is available to consult with other areas of campus regarding ADA accommodation requests.
If a student is issued a letter of accommodation for housing, it is the responsibility of the student to submit the letter to the Housing Information Office. We can then work towards addressing the accommodation request(s). Please note that DRES will not share letters of accommodation with us due to privacy reasons.
What residence halls are fully accessible?
University Housing offers several accessible rooms with communal or semi-private baths in many of our residence halls and a select few apartments. Our newest/newly renovated undergraduate and Graduate Upper-Division residence halls listed below are fully accessible.
• Bousfield Hall - Ikenberry South (sophomores and above)
• Daniels Hall - (Graduate Upper-Division Residence Hall)
• Nugent Hall - Ikenberry North (first-year and above)
• Townsend Hall - Urbana North (first-year and above)
• Wardall Hall - Urbana North (first-year and above)
• Wassaja Hall - Ikenberry North (first-year and above)
• Weston Hall - Ikenberry North (first-year and above)
What furniture is provided in an ADA accessible room?
All ADA rooms (outside of the Beckwith Residential Community) are equipped with the standard room furniture which includes a bed, desk, chair, bookshelf, chest of drawers and a closet. Students have the option of providing their own hospital bed and/or desk, if needed. We are not responsible for providing or storing these items, but will gladly remove and store the furniture designated to that room if it does not meet the student’s medical needs. Rooms in the Beckwith Residential Community (Nugent Hall – first floor only) are equipped with a medical bed with detachable side rails, a wardrobe (no closet), bookcase, nightstand and desk. This furniture is all adjustable height.
Plan to employ a Personal Assistant (PA)?
Students who require a personal assistant (PA) and are NOT part of the Beckwith Program must employ and provide training for their PA staff regarding their specific care needs. Ongoing PA training from each student is critical to the delivery of safe and effective PA support services.
We strongly encourage students to start the PA interviewing/hiring process as early as possible. For new, incoming residents, we recommend hiring PAs early enough to submit the PA registration forms by August 1 every year.
Steps for Personal Assistant registration and access
A PA must have the following items submitted before being granted access to any of our properties: A completed current employment contract with the resident; A completed PA Registration Form; and successfully completed a criminal background check. A background check may take 4 – 8 weeks to complete.
1. PA is interviewed and hired, pending criminal background check.
2. PA Registration Form is submitted.
3. Housing Information Office (HIO) submits PA’s information to Housing Human Resources to request a background check.
4. Housing Human Resources sends Hireright email to PA requesting authorization to conduct criminal background check.
5. PA authorizes criminal background check.
6. Criminal background check process begins. Process may take a few days to 8 weeks.
7. Criminal background check results come back and, if approved, Housing Information Office will proceed with arranging access.
8. The Housing Information Office will then seek appropriate access levels for the PA.
What if I need emotional support animal or service animal?
In accordance with ADA and Illinois 775 ILCS 30/ or “White Cane Law,” we will provide an exception to our pet policy for residence hall/ apartment facilities for residents who present a documented need for a service or emotional support animal accommodation.
Registration for emotional support animals
Students who require an Emotional Support Animal must complete the Emotional Support Animal Registration Form to ensure that their animal is registered with us. The registration form will ask for the DRES letter of accommodation and the most recent vaccination records. If the Emotional Support Animal does not require vaccinations, please submit a letter from a licensed veterinarian. Once you have submitted the registration form for approval, you will receive the list of ESA owner responsibilities for your review and signature.
Information records for service animals
If you intend to bring a service animal to live with you in the residence halls, you are welcome to complete a Service Animal Information Record.