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 Residential Life Manager 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.

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

Differences Between High School and College Requirements

	High School	College
Class Time	Six hours a day for 180 days = 1080 total hours	Twelve hours a week for 32 weeks = 384 total hours.
Study Time	One or two hours a day (much homework is done in class).	Two hours of study per credit hour = three or four hours per day.
Tests	Given weekly or at the end of a chapter; frequent quizzes.	Given two to four times per semester or at the end of a chapter unit.
Grades	Passing grades guarantee you a seat.	Satisfactory academic standing = C’s and above; entry into programs is competitive.
Teachers	Often take attendance; may check notebooks; put information on board; impart knowledge and facts.	Rarely take attendance or teach from the textbook; often lecture non-stop; require library research. The student is responsible for information from books, lectures and research.
Freedom	Usually structured; limits are set by parents, teachers or other adults.	The student must decide: Should I go to class? Can I make it on four hours of sleep? Can I skip studying today?
Reading	The reading requirements for most classes can be done with minimal outside work.	College is a reading-intensive environment; analytical reading skills are necessary. If books in alternative format are needed, the student must communicate with the disability services office.
Disability Services	The school has the responsibility to find those who need services and provide those services.	The school has the responsibility to provide services after the student presents documentation of need and requests specific services.
Self-Advocacy	Few opportunities; legal structure makes it difficult for students to take control of their services.	Required: The Office of Civil Rights has ruled that colleges can ask students to assist in the setting up, maintenance and day-to-day management of services.
Tutoring	Often provided as part of support services during the school day; free, individualized and personal; often reiterates or re-teaches class material.	By law, tutoring is considered homework assistance, and colleges are not financially responsible; most colleges provide limited tutoring or drop-in labs; not individualized; the best use of these services requires the student to attempt the homework then come to the lab or tutor with specific questions.
Consistency of Services	Most high schools offer similar services, and the way to access those services is the same.	Each college or university has its own mission, and the services offered reflect the mission; some colleges offer more student support than others; students should shop wisely for the institution that not only offers the courses they want but also offers services with which they feel comfortable.

Adapted from Promoting Postsecondary Education for Students with Learning Disabilities, by Loring Brinkerhoff, Stan F. Shaw, & Joan M. McGuire; p. 6; 1993; PRO-ED, Texas, USA.

Advising

All 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 for their major 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.