Washington College affirms the educational benefits inherent in the residential aspect of the undergraduate experience. A meal plan is required of on-campus students to develop a sense of community that arises from table sharing in this environment. 

Students with disabilities and/or health conditions with medically necessary dietary needs may request meal plan modifications. The first step in the process is to contact Dining Services to meet with their staff to see if they are able to accommodate your specific needs. If they are unable to provide reasonable meal plan modifications, the student may be granted an exemption and released from the meal plan. The student may be partially or fully reimbursed for the meal plan costs depending on the circumstances. All requests for meal plan accommodations are made through the Office of Academic Skills (OAS). Information regarding requesting accommodations.

The specific process for requesting a meal plan accommodations is as follows:

1. The student must complete the Public Accommodation Request Form found at this link: https://washcoll-accommodate.symplicity.com/public_accommodation/.
2. Along with the form, the student must provide supporting documentation by having their health care provider** complete and submit the Accessibility Accommodation Documentation*form directly to the Office of Academic Skills using the contact information below:
   
   The Office of Academic Skills Washington College
   300 Washington Avenue
   Chestertown, MD 21620
   Phone: 410.778.7860 | FAX: 410.778.7884 | oasFREEwashcoll 
3. After receipt of the form and the supporting documentation, you will be contacted via email with instructions for scheduling an initial meeting.
4. At this meeting, the student’s accommodation request and documentation form will be discussed and additional information may be requested.
5. After the initial meeting, the student will receive a decision letter.

If the meal plan modification/exemption accommodation request is denied, the student has the right to appeal the decision in writing to the Section 504/ADA Coordinator at the contact information below:

The Office of Academic Skills Washington College
300 Washington Avenue
Chestertown, MD 21620 
Phone: 410.778.7883 | FAX: 410.778.7850 | oasFREEwashcoll 

*A copy of this form can be found at this link: www.washcoll.edu/people_departments/offices/disability-services/files/accessibility-accommodation-documentation.pdf.

** The form must be filled out by a licensed physician who specializes in the field consistent with the diagnosis, i.e. the College will not accept documentation from a psychiatrist for a diagnosis of a gastrointestinal disorder.  To avoid any conflict of interest, documentation must be provided by non-family health care providers. 

Assistance animals are animals which provide active or passive support that alleviates or at least partially mitigates an impact of a person’s disability allowing them to benefit from the programs and services at Washington College.  

Service Animals

A service animal is adogthat has been trained to perform anactivetask that mitigates or partially mitigates the impact of the handler’s disability. Service animals may accompany the person (handler) at all times and in all campus locations (exceptions may exist in sterile environments and areas requiring protective equipment or clothing for access).  Service animals are not pets, therefore laws that restrict pets from public places (e.g. restaurants, housing, theaters) are not applicable to service animals. If a service animal’s role is not apparent by observation you may be asked “Is that a service animal for a disability?” and “What service does it perform for you?”

Service Animal Etiquette

• Address the handler when approaching a service animal.
• Remember that service animals are working and are not pets.
• Do not touch the service animal, or the person it assists, without the handler’s permission.
• Do not make noises at, or deliberately startle the service animal; this action could distract the animal from performing its job.
• Do not feed the service animal; this could disrupt his/her schedule.
• Do not attempt to separate a service animal from its handler.
• Do not feel offended if a handler does not wish to discuss his/her disability or the assistance their service animal provides. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA | U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division

Emotional Support Animals

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are animals which provide passive support for individuals with disabilities. The use of an ESA can be a reasonable accommodation to “no pet” policies in some circumstances. Like all accommodations, an individual must request an ESA using the Accommodation Request Process found at this link -https://www.washcoll.edu/people_departments/offices/disability-services/for-students.php.

Visiting Therapy Animals

Animals in the company of their handlers that have been trained to make wellness, stress reduction, or therapeutic short-term visits on a transient basis in specific locations. 

All animals are the responsibility of their handlers and should be under their control (in proximity to the handler and responsive to commands, in harness, leashed or in a carrier).