Accommodations

The Student Accessibility Services Office (SASO) serves as Washburn University's and Washburn Institute of Technology's primary point of contact in initially reviewing student’s disability related to academic accommodations. SASO will consult with other campus offices during the exploration portion of the accommodation process when addressing student concerns regarding the decision made to student requests.

If/when an accommodation request is denied by the SASO, we will provide you with a written notice of why the requested accommodation was not approved as well as a possible alternative accommodation(s) if applicable. Should you not agree with the determinations made by SASO, you may choose to follow these steps:

1. Should you wish to have your original request reconsidered, you will need to provide a written explanation and a request for reconsideration to the SASO Director.
2. After receiving the request, the office may request additional clinical documentation and/or a consultation with university officials who can further inform the request.
3. The SASO Director will meet with you to learn more about your request. The decision will be shared in writing following the meeting.
4. If the process does not produce an agreement, you may choose to appeal, in writing, to Washburn’s Title IX/ADA Coordinator by contacting eodirector@washburn.edu.
5. If the above does not produce an agreement, you may appeal in writing to our Title IX/ADA Coordinator by contacting them at eodirector@washburn.edu or 785.670.1509.

If you require Housing Accommodations, please make sure to thoroughly fill out the questions related to housing in the Student Accommodation Request form. We ask that housing accommodation requests are made one semester prior to attending as there may be additional steps in completing your request.

If you are requesting an Assistance Animal (such as an emotional support animal or therapy animal) as an accommodation, please indicate that information on the form as well. Note, you cannot bring your animal to campus until all steps of the process have been completed by SASO and a member of the Residential Living professional staff.  

Dietary Considerations – Our professional staff will work with you to identify your dietary needs and implement accommodations that will provide a safe and accessible dining experience as required. On rare occasions, our dining services may be unable to meet specific aspects of medically necessary dietary accommodation, and a meal plan exemption could be recommended. Food preferences are not considered as part of an accommodated meal plan. If you are requesting dietary considerations due to religious affiliation, please contact our Equal Opportunity Director at eodirector@washburn.edu.

Per University policy, animals are generally not permitted into university buildings unless they are approved to do so.

Service animals are dogs that perform a work-related task for a person with a disability and the work-related task(s) performed must be directly related to the person's disability. Service animals are not required to register with the Student Accessibility Services Office. If the status of the animal is uncertain, there are two questions that may be asked. The two questions are:

1. Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
2. What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?

Staff are not allowed to request any documentation for the dog, require that the dog demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the person's disability when asking these questions.

An Assistance Animal (also referred to as emotional support, therapy, or comfort animals) is defined by the Fair Housing Act (FHA) as an animal that provides emotional comfort that alleviates one or more symptoms of a person's disability and is necessary for an individual's equal opportunity to use and enjoy housing. An Assistance Animal does not need to be trained or certified as a service animal and may be an animal other than a dog. An Assistance Animal is not a pet; it is a required accommodation for a disability. Assistance Animals require the Student Accommodation Request Form to be completed as well as provide our Assistance Animal verification form (.docx) completed by the student's provider whom has an established relationship with the student. The Student Accessibility Services Office (SASO) does not accept electronic registration documents of an emotional support animal (ESA) achieved from the internet for a cost as documentation per the FHA guidelines.

To request any of the above mentioned accommodations, please follow steps indicated in our Get Started page.

Policy Statement

Washburn University ensures that no qualified person shall, by reason of disability, be denied access to, participation in, or the benefits of any program or activity operated by the University. Each qualified person shall receive appropriate and reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to educational opportunities, programs and activities in the most integrated setting appropriate to the individual situation. This policy is consistent with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990.

Academic requirements will be modified, as necessary, to ensure that they do not discriminate against qualified applicants or currently enrolled students with disabilities. At the student's request. The Student Accessibility Services Office will recommend academic adjustments in compliance with state and federal mandates. Academic requirements essential to programs of instruction are not considered discriminatory. Modifications shall not affect the substance of the educational program or compromise educational standards. Modifications may include changes in the length of time permitted for the completion of degree requirements (including course-load), substitution of specific courses required for academic programs, and adaptation of the manner in which specific courses are conducted.