Request Accessible Housing at PSU

• Sign up for PSU Campus Housing
• Register with the Disability Resource Center
  • Fill out our Application for Accommodation form in DRC web portal
  • Schedule an initial appointment to meet with an Access Counselor & Consultant (AC&C) to discuss your accommodation request.
  • Provide any additional information if requested by your AC&C.

We recommend that you complete these steps before the deadlines posted below. Completing the steps after the deadlines may result in an appropriate room no longer being available or a delay in assigning your housing.

• New students coming in Fall Term: The priority deadline is May
• Returning students living in PSU Campus Housing who do not yet have Housing accommodations: The priority deadline for next Fall is February 28th.
• New students coming in Winter, Spring, or Summer Term: The priority deadline is 60 days prior to the start of the term you plan to be on campus.

After the priority deadlines, we will do our best to provide housing accommodations as quickly as possible.

Before you bring an assistance animal to campus, you should familiarize yourself with PSU's Assistance Animal Policy so that you understand the difference between a service dog and a support animal, and the rules that pertain to each type of animal.

Service Animal

Your service dog is welcome at PSU, and you do not need to register with the DRC to have a service dog in PSU Campus Housing or anywhere else on campus.

A "service animal" means a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the person's disability. Although it is not required, you may wish to notify Housing and/or your roommate that you have a service dog in advance of moving in so that they know what to expect and so your transition to campus housing is more likely to be smooth.

Note: Miniature horses can also be considered service animals but must go through an approval process with the DRC similar to that of a support animal (see below).

Support Animal (SA or ESA)

A "support animal (SA)" is an animal that provides emotional or other support that ameliorates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person's disability. Per the Assistance Animal policy, which references "support animal" (singular), not "support animals" (plural), students may request one SA in PSU Campus Housing. Requests for multiple SAs will be considered in exceptional circumstances.

Unlike service animals, a SA is not required to be trained to perform work or tasks. A SA is generally not allowed to accompany persons with disabilities in all public areas of PSU, but a SA may reside with you in University Housing. Before you can bring your SA into campus housing, you need to register with the Disability Resource Center and have the accommodation of a SA in campus housing approved.

Requests for a SA for Fall Term need to be completed before August 31st. Requests that are made and/or completed after August 31st may result in a waiting period of up to ten days before the SA can be brought into your dorm room.

Communication With Roommates

Once your accommodation request for a SA is approved by the Disability Resource Center, your roommate will be notified that you are bringing a SA into the room. There may be a waiting period of up to 10 business days before you will be allowed to bring the SA in while we communicate about the change with your roommate. We recommend that you talk with your roommate about your decision to request a SA early on. You do not have to talk about your diagnosis or disability or why you need a SA. You can simply tell your roommate you're in the process of requesting a SA and ask them if they have any concerns.

If your roommate has allergies or concerns  about having an animal in the room, they can talk with PSU Housing and Residence Life about their concerns, and PSU Housing and Residence Life will work with them.

Additional Information About Assistance Animal Requests

Please keep in mind that per Multnomah County regulations, it is illegal to harbor or own certain exotic animals. Visit the link for more information.

It is also important to note that PSU does not permit live feed for SAs (e.g. mice, cockroaches, crickets, etc.). It will be important to consider this when requesting an SA accommodation.

Please note, University Housing and Residence Life (UHRL) maintains pertinent animal health records including vaccination and county licensing information (when applicable). We also request that you provide information for someone who may be able to take care of your animal if you are unable to do so in an emergency.

Resources

• Multnomah County Licensing Information
• Multnomah County Low Cost Services List

PSU Campus Housing has a small number of single rooms and many students request a single room. This means you may be placed on a waitlist for a single room if none are available.

PSUEats can accommodate vegan, vegetarian, no soy, no peanuts, no tree nuts, no milk, no egg, no fish, no shellfish, and no wheat diets. However, PSUEats cannot guarantee no cross-contamination, and therefore cannot accommodate severe or complex food intolerance or allergies.

If you believe you have a medical condition or disability for which the First Year Experience (FYE) Meal Plan meal plan presents a barrier, you need to register with the Disability Resource Center

• Fill out our Application for Accommodation form in DRC web portal
• Schedule an initial appointment to meet with an Access Counselor & Consultant (AC&C) to discuss your accommodation request.
• Provide any additional information if requested by your AC&C.

Requests for religious exemptions should be directed to University Housing and Residence Life.

Examples of accessibility features in PSU Campus Housing:

• Buildings with elevators
• Roll-in showers
• Wheelchair accessible units
• Grab bars
• Door knockers, bed shakers, and strobing alarms
• And more..

Guidance Regarding Personal Care Attendants (PCA)

Portland State University (P.S.U.) is committed to making the learning and living environment accessible for all students. A Personal Care Attendant (PCA) assists the student with their activities of daily living and enables the student to function independently in their daily routines. The Disability Resource Center (DRC) has the responsibility to verify that a PCA is a reasonable accommodation. Students with disabilities who require the services of a PCA to accomplish activities of daily living are permitted to have that person accompany them on the PSU campus and in Campus Housing.

PCAs in Campus Housing

• Sign up with PSU Campus Housing if you have not already.
• Register with the Disability Resource Center
  • Fill out our Application for Accommodation form in DRC web portal
  • Schedule an initial appointment to meet with an Access Counselor & Consultant (AC&C) to discuss your accommodation request.
  • Provide any additional information if requested by your AC&C.
  • The DRC will notify University Housing and Residence Life (UHRL) that you are eligible for a PCA and work with you and Campus Housing to ensure the living environment is suitable.
• Students need to complete the Care Giver Registration Form with UHRL, which requires a signature from the student and PCA.
• The PCA must abide by all applicable provisions of your Housing Contract.
  • Should a PCA violate any policies, rules, or regulations, the PCA may be required to leave the residence hall.
• The DRC will make appropriate arrangements with UHRL for your PCA to be able to do their work.
• The student will only be responsible for paying their own room charge. There will be no charge for a PCA who lives with the student and provides full-time care.
• As long as the student is eligible to live in campus housing and they need full-time assistance from a PCA, the PCA may stay in the residence during short absences when the student leaves campus for school breaks or weekend visits.
• PCAs will need a PSU ID card if access to residence halls is required as part of their work. UHRL will help facilitate this process.
• Students are responsible for making contingency plans if or when their PCA is not available to provide assistance. This plan must be in writing and a copy provided to UHRL.

Housing assignments are based on disability-related need and room availability, not requests to live in a specific residence hall. University Housing and Residence Life will take your preferences into consideration. Placement is dependent upon availability of rooms that meet your specific need.

If you need a housing accommodation that is not listed here, schedule a meeting with the DRC to discuss.