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Assistance Animals in Housing

The Fair Housing Act and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) defines an assistance animal as an animal that works, provides assistance, or performs tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, or that provides emotional support that alleviates one or more identified effects of a person’s disability. An assistance animal is not a pet. Individuals with a disability may request to keep an assistance animal as a reasonable accommodation to a housing provider’s pet restrictions, including on campus housing. The Fair Housing Act requires a housing provider to allow a reasonable accommodation involving an assistance animal in situations that meet all the following conditions:

  • A request was made to the housing provider by or for a person with a disability.

  • The request was supported by reliable disability-related information, if the disability and the disability-related need for the animal were not apparent and the housing provider requested such information, and

  • The housing provider has not demonstrated that:

    • Granting the request would impose an undue financial and administrative burden on the housing provider

    • The request would fundamentally alter the essential nature of the housing provider’s operations

    • The specific assistance animal in question would pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others despite any other reasonable accommodations that could eliminate or reduce the threat

    • The request would not result in significant physical damage to the property of others despite any other reasonable accommodations that could eliminate or reduce the physical damage

If you require an assistance animal, please contact the Disability Services Coordinator at 307-855-2011. Students with approved animals must then meet with the Director of Residence and Student Life and enter into a contract regarding standards of care for the animal and the place of residence. The allowance of an Assistance Animal in CWC Housing does not pertain to allowance on main campus. Different rules apply to the main campus and any request there should be directed to the Disability Services Coordinator for review. Please request the current Emotional Support guidance document from Disability Services for more information.


Transitioning to College

Coming to college is a big step for everyone, whether he or she has just completed high school or is returning to school after several years. There are several things’ students can do to make the transition easier, and we can help you along the way. Here are some things students must know:

  • The student is responsible for requesting services and accommodations from the Disability Services Coordinator.

  • The student must provide acceptable documentation of his or her disability before any services can be provided.

  • The student is an adult, and all his or her information will remain confidential, even from his or her parents and spouse without written consent.

  • The student is responsible for reporting any problems to the Disability Services Coordinator.

An additional resource on post secondary transition is:

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/transition.html 

Advising

All degree-seeking CWC students are assigned a Success Coach upon registration. Students with disabilities are encouraged to work with both the Disability Services Coordinator and/or their Success Coach when developing semester schedules. 

Selection of courses and course load may be impacted by the student’s disability, and disability is a factor that must be considered. The key is to make course selections that consider strengths and limitations of each student in order to balance the academic demands of each semester. For example, students who must rely on listening to alternative format reading materials should balance their reading-intensive courses with courses that do not require as much reading in a given semester. Students must also consider physical disabilities when planning class schedules to allow for sufficient travel time between classes.  


Emergency Campus Evacuation

Students with disabilities are strongly encouraged to discuss with the Disability Services Coordinator the process for leaving their CWC classroom and/or the CWC campus in the event of a campus-wide emergency evacuation.  If students are in need of physical assistance in the event of an emergency evacuation, they are responsible for notifying a CWC staff or faculty member, or the person nearest them of this need.


Policy

Individuals with Disabilities Requesting Accommodation Services

Central Wyoming College does not discriminate against qualified individuals with documented disabilities in the recruitment, admission, or employment of students; the recruitment and employment of personnel; and the operation of any of its programs and activities, as specified by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008 and the regulations adopted under these laws. Students with documented disabilities requesting accommodation services should do so through the Disability Services Office. Visit https://www.cwc.edu/studentservices/disabilities-support/ for the current handbook and more information.