Housing Accommodations

The Center for Accessibility Resources & Disability Services (CARDS) works closely with Residential Life & Housing to respond to the individual needs of Barnard students with disabilities.

Housing options for Barnard students include rooms in traditional corridor-style and apartment suite-style residence halls in the neighborhood surrounding campus. Students in campus housing are expected to follow all College and Res Life policies.

In addition to filling out the Housing Accommodation Application linked above to request an accommodation, students must register with the Center for Accessibility Resources & Disability Services by having an intake meeting and supplying CARDS with supporting documentation of their need for a housing accommodation from a current doctor or treatment provider prior to their respective deadline. 

Students must submit disability documentation that follows the CARDS Disability Documentation Guidelines (DDG) requirements. Please remember that documentation must meet the guidelines to be accepted.

• Documentation should be submitted to CARDS@barnard.edu or faxed to 212-280-8768.  We highly recommend scanning and/or emailing documentation to cards@barnard.edu.
• Documentation must be recent within the past 4 months for housing applications
• Updated and/or additional documentation may be required on a case by case basis
• It is important that the documentation establish a direct connection between the disability and the requested housing accommodation(s).
• Students with Service Animals or requesting permission to have a Support Animal within their designated housing assignment should refer to our Service Animal Policy or Support Animal Policy. Information about the distinction between the two is below: 

  Service Animals are usually dogs who have been trained to perform a specific task that assists the individual with a disability. Service Animals are allowed in public spaces on campus, but should be approved by CARDS if a student is requesting access for their animal in classroom spaces and/or other spaces not open to the public. Please review the Service Animal Policy for more information.

  Support Animals are other animals that have not necessarily been trained for a specific purpose, but that provide comfort and/or emotional support for an individual with a disability. Support Animals are allowed on a case-by-case basis for students with disabilities within their living space in the Residence Halls, with appropriate approval from CARDS. Support Animals are generally not permitted in public spaces on campus, such as rooms of any other students in College housing, campus housing common spaces, or other areas of the College without prior approval through the CARDS’s reasonable accommodation process.  Students seeking approval of a Support Animal must first review the Service and Support Animal Policy, secure supporting documentation (this should include how the support animal fits into an ongoing treatment plan), and then schedule a meeting with their CARDS coordinator to begin evaluation of the request. The process for evaluating a Support Animal request can take up to six weeks, depending on the time of year that the request is received. Please review the Support Animal Policy for more information.

Note: accommodations must be re-requested each academic year and/or summer. Previously approved accommodations are not automatically renewed (unless they have been previously approved for the same academic year). Updated documentation may be required.

The Disability Housing Committee evaluates housing applications and the necessity of the requested accommodations(s). The Committee includes staff from the Center for Accessibility Resources & Disability Services, Counseling Services, Residential Life & Housing and Primary Care Health Services.

All students are expected to evacuate immediately upon the sounding of the building fire alarm. Students with disabilities who need assistance evacuating from their residence hall are asked to self-identify to CARDS by filling out our Disability Evacuation Assistance Registration Form.

If you do not have a physical, visual, or hearing disability, but also still have a need for assistance in an emergency situation (i.e. unable to hear fire alarm as a heavy sleeper), please contact CARDS to discuss. Students with temporary disabilities are also strongly encouraged to fill out the Disability Evacuation Assistance Registration Form if there is any anticipation of difficulty with exiting the residence hall in the event of an emergency.

All students unable to self-evacuate will be required to meet with Barnard Public Safety for an individual training and drill. In an emergency situation, students unable to evacuate must call Barnard Public Safety at (212) 854-3362 at the sounding of a fire alarm and provide their name and location. In the event of an actual life-safety emergency which necessitates total evacuation, trained New York City Fire Department (NYFD) personnel will be dispatched and take responsibility.

Barnard Dining Accommodation Process:

1. Students who are requesting dining accommodations must first register with CARDS. This process involves submitting an application, supporting documentation (see below for specialized guidance), and having an intake meeting with a CARDS coordinator. 

Documentation guidance for food allergies:  this documentation should be from an Allergist or ENT and should detail the severity of the allergic reaction, along with any recommended dining or housing accommodations. It should also include a list of food(s) the student is allergic to, potential foods that may induce an allergic response, and the severity of the allergic reaction to each. 

Documentation guidance for other dietary restrictions:  this documentation should be from a licensed medical specialist (such as a gastroenterologist) and should outline the medical necessity of the specified diet, including foods that must be avoided, foods that may induce an adverse reaction, and foods deemed ‘safe’ based on the student’s condition, and an outline of what adverse reactions may occur if prohibited food is consumed. Further, any recommendations for housing accommodations should be suggested.

2. During the CARDS intake process, the student’s coordinator will contact Chartwells’ registered dietitian for a joint consultation between the student, CARDS, and Dining Services, as needed. During this consultation, possible options for dining safely on campus will be discussed, as well as possible accommodations that can be made. In rare instances, Barnard may make the determination that the student’s needs are unable to be accommodated through Dining Services, and in this case we will discuss alternatives with the student. 

3. As needed, CARDS and Dining Services will schedule a walk-through of the dining hall(s) with the student so that they are familiarized with dining options, stations, and the appropriate persons to talk to if they have any questions. 

Please be advised that the above procedure only applies to dining-specific accommodations. Housing related accommodations (such as access to a kitchen) are considered through a separate Housing Accommodation Process. Please refer to this link to view applicable deadlines and procedures.