The Accommodations Process
The Accommodations and Accessibility Coordinator has been designated to handle inquiries into academic accommodations for students with disabilities. The accommodation process can be lengthy, therefore students are encouraged to reach out to the Accommodations and Accessibility Coordinator in the LDC as soon as possible. The Accommodations and Accessibility Coordinator will review disability application forms on a case-by-case basis within two-three weeks of receipt of all required paperwork.
Accommodations will be tailored to address the nature of the disability and the needs of the individual within the context of the requirements of the program. Accommodations are not retroactive. The Accommodations and Accessibility Coordinator will notify the student of approved accommodations and issue a Certificate of Accommodations (COA). COA are valid for one year from the date on the COA, and then must be renewed by the Accommodations and Accessibility Coordinator.
Once a COA has been issued, it is the student's responsibility to inform their faculty of their accommodations for each course and submit a copy of the COA within the first three (3) weeks of the course. Students must receive new, signed copies of their COA each semester from the Accommodations and Accessibility Coordinator. Faculty are not obligated to accommodate students with disabilities without a COA or retroactively.
Students with disabilities seeking accommodations should review the full Accommodations Policies and Procedures here. All students requesting any form of accommodation (academic, housing, dietary, or any other) must provide the following:
- Completed Accommodations Registration Form
- Release of Information Form
- Relevant verification for the stated disability. Standards of verification are outlined in the full CUS Disability Accommodations Policy linked above.
Dietary Accommodations
Students who have food allergies, Celiac disease, or other diet-related disabilities may request an accommodation using the process outlined above. Accommodations for dietary needs will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Accommodations and Accessibility Coordinator in conjunction with the student and the director of campus dining.
Meal plan reductions or waivers are only approved on the basis of diagnosed allergies or other related disabilities, not on the basis of preference. For many students with dietary preferences or intolerances, the dining services at CCU provide natural accommodations and a wide range of options. For those with more severe needs that cannot be accommodated in this way, students may be able to request an exemption and/or reduction to the requirement to purchase an on-campus meal plan.
Students always have access to the kitchen in their own assigned living space to prepare appropriate foods as needed. Please note, the deadline for fully processed and approved dietary accommodations for each semester is the add/drop date.
Housing Accommodations
Some disabilities may require housing accommodations. CCU provides a variety of housing options for students, and students who need accommodations in their housing should complete the accommodations registration process outlined above.
On the Accommodations Registration Form, students may outline needed housing accommodations, which include but are not limited to: wheelchair-accessible rooms, private bathrooms, or individual rooms. Spaces in accessible rooms may be limited, and so it is important for students to submit any request for housing accommodations as early as possible so that the Department of Residence Life can accommodate the request.
New students entering university housing should submit housing accommodations requests to the Accommodations and Accessibility Coordinator no later than June 1st for students starting in the Fall, and November 1st for students starting in the Spring. Returning students who need housing accommodations for the coming year should submit their requests no later than one (1) month prior to housing assignments.
Service Animals and Assistance Animals (ESAs)
Aside from Service Animals or assistance animals, the presence of animals on campus is strictly limited. Pets are allowed on campus only if they are restrained by a leash and controlled by their owner. No pets, except for fish in 25-gallon or less tanks, are allowed in university housing. At no time are animals, other than Service Animals, allowed in classrooms, event spaces, offices, dining areas, or any other CCU facility. Assistance animals may be allowed in housing areas, but in no other CCU facility. The intentional misrepresentation of a Service Animal or Assistance Animal is a crime in the State of Colorado.
Students wishing to register a Service Animal or assistance animal on campus should first review the full Service and Assistance Animal section of the Accommodations Policies and Procedures. To register an animal, students should complete the following and send all documents to the Accommodations and Accessibility Coordinator at accommodations@ccu.edu.
- Accommodations Registration Form and Release of Information (found above).
- Service Animal/Assistance Animal Registration Form.
- Animal Licensure and Vaccination documentation from veterinarian and applicable local, county, or state government.
- Applicable disability verification as outlined in the accommodations policy. After all documents are received, the accommodations and accessibility coordinator will communicate with the student and with residence life about further steps.