Disability Services in the Dean of Students Office strives to ensure that all students feel welcome; that they belong and have access to the full educational experience at Boston College. We provide disability-related accommodations for students with medical, physical, psychological, and temporary disabilities and address issues of accessibility across campus.
Contact
Maloney Hall, Suite 448
Phone: 617-552-3470
Email: disabsrv@bc.edu
Eligibility Requirements
The Office of the Dean of Students closely follows the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when determining student eligibility for accommodations and services through our office. We work to fulfill the needs of enrolled students exclusively.
What is the ADA?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in everyday activities. The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability just as other civil rights laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. The law guarantees that people with disabilities have equal access to their education.
Section 504 of the Rebilitation Act of 1973
"No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States…shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance…"
Both Section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibit the discriminatory assignment of students with disabilities to segregated classes or facilities. These laws are applicable to elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools. In elementary and secondary schools, students with disabilities may only be assigned to separate facilities or special education courses when such placement is necessary to provide equal educational opportunity to them. Any separate facilities, and the services provided in separate facilities, must be comparable to other facilities and services.
To determine what the educational needs of a student with disabilities may be, schools must carry out preliminary evaluation and placement procedures.
Disability Definitions
The law defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. The ADA considers major life activities to be any of the following: walking, seeing, hearing, working, learning, caring for oneself, breathing, digesting food, etc. Though the term “substantially limits” is interpreted broadly, not every diagnosis will meet this standard. For example, a mild allergy to pollen would not be considered a substantially limiting condition.
Temporary Impairments
Temporary impairments are not listed as disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); however, every attempt is made to provide support and assistance to students who experience a temporary disability. Accommodations may include the use of a laptop, extended time on exams, use of the Eagle Escort van service, or having swipe card access to the Government Documents Room in order to bypass the O'Neill Library stairs next to 21 Campanella Way.
Reasonable Accomodations
Under the ADA, individuals with disabilities have a right to certain reasonable accommodations. Accommodation requests must address and clearly connect the specific functional limitations that the disability causes to the needed accommodation. Further, accommodations must not fundamentally alter the nature of a program. For instance, the College does not waive either course or degree requirements based on a disability.
This registration information pertains to students with medical, physical or psychological disabilities. Students with learning disabilities and/or AD(H)D should register with the Connors Family Learning Center.
Complete the registration form.
Students use the same form to request Academic and other accommodations. Please see the guidelines below for additional information around specific accommodation types.
Students must be eligible for housing through Residential Life and must complete any required Residential Life documents in advance of a housing-related Disability Services registration (Housing Application Form, e.g.).
Disability Services may not be able to approve/implement accommodations if you have not gone through the standard Residential Life processes.
Please note that many housing accommodations must be re-requested or renewed each year with updated documentation, to ensure continued medical necessity. This will be noted in your approval letter. Please read it through thoroughly in preparation.
If you wish to request an additional year of housing due to a disability, you will also need to register with the Disability Services Office (DSO). Please note that diagnosis of a disorder/condition alone does not automatically qualify an individual for accommodations under the ADA. The documentation must explain how the disability substantially limits one or more major life activities, and must also demonstrate how the student is unable to obtain access to their education by not living on campus despite the various accessible transportation options available.
If you are applying for an accessibility parking permit on campus, you will need to complete the following Application for Accessible Parking. This must be completed by both the student and an appropriate medical professional. When you submit your registration, please upload this as your documentation.
Please note that if the request is approved, the parking permit must still be purchased, and parking in an accessible parking space is only permitted with a state issued placard.
For any Dining or Dietary related accommodations, please submit a registration form along with corresponding documentation. No intake is necessary through our office.
Upon approval of your registration, you will be referred to the on-campus nutritionist for an intake appointment. They will help you navigate the dining hall and/or help develop a specialized meal plan that meets your needs.
Upload your medical documentation to the registration form.
The documentation serves as the foundation for legitimizing the request for a reasonable accommodation. Please see documentation guidelines in the following dropdown that correspond to the nature of your disability. Your treatment provider will need to write a letter that includes the information outlined in these guidelines.
Schedule an intake appointment using the DSO online scheduling calendar.
Boston College is committed to ensuring and improving physical and technological access on campus. Submissions will be reviewed by DSO and our campus partners.
When should you report an accessibility problem?
Report access issues such as elevators that are out of service or push buttons on doors to administrative or academic buildings that are malfunctioning. The Accessibility Report Form is intended for members of the BC community to report physical access barriers that the Disability Services Office is unaware of, and that it wishes to resolve quickly.
Who receives the report?
The Disability Services Office receives the report and will begin work to resolve the problem as soon as possible.
How are accessibility problems addressed?
The DSO staff will work with various administrative offices such as Facilities Management and Capital Planning to resolve the issue.
Will the reporting party receive a response?
Yes, if you choose to include your contact information on the form, we will get in touch once the problem has been resolved.
This must be completed by both the student and an appropriate medical professional. When you submit your registration, please upload this as your documentation.
This interactive, detailed map contains information on accessibility pathways, entrances, elevators, and parking.
Alumni Stadium: Direct access to Alumni Stadium can be gained at Gates D & E North, and Gate F South via a ramp. There are four elevators in each corner of the stadium that access all levels of the stadium designated for accessible seating.
Burns/Bapst Library: The accessible entrance is located on the west side of the building facing College Road. This door is controlled by library staff and security. Access can only be gained by a key card issued by the Office of Student Development or by intercom (during normal library operating hours).
Campion: Has three accessible entrances. At the main entrance on the east side of the building across from McGuinn Hall, an accessible ramp into the Campus School at the main gate directly opposite the guard shack on the south side, an accessible entrance is also located on the north side across from the service building.
Carney Hall: Has two accessible entrances. An accessible ramp is located adjacent to the Beacon Street bus stop on the south side. A second accessible entrance is located at the basement level directly across from McGuinn Hall on the east side.
Conte Forum: Accessible entrances to Conte Forum can be found at both the North and South Main entrances. The south student athlete’s entrance leads directly to a ramp and elevator that accesses all levels of the building. The north entrance has a lift that allows access the concourse level.
Devlin Hall: The main accessible entrance is in the front, north side of the building facing the quad. A second accessible entrance is located on the south side with exclusive access to a lecture hall.
Fulton Hall: Has two accessible entrances. At the main entrance facing the Academic Quad on the north side, and on the south side facing McGuinn Hall.
Gasson Hall: Gasson Hall has four accessible entrances. Two accessible entrances are located opposite the Academic Quad on the south side of the building, two additional accessible entrances were recently added via a split accessible ramp at the eagle statue on the north side of the building off Linden Lane.
Higgins Hall: The main entrance across from the statue of St. Ignatius is accessible. There is also an accessible entrance on the first floor behind the parking lot to the right of the loading dock, which is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Lyons Hall: The accessible entrance is on the south side of the building, basement level, adjacent to Stokes Hall North.
McElroy Commons: The accessible entrance is located on the south side of the building adjacent to Beacon Street.
McGuinn Hall: Has two accessible entrances. One is located in the front of the building’s east side to the left of the main entrance accessed by a ramped walkway into lecture hall 121 lobby. The second is located in the rear of the building’s east side, directly across from Carney Hall.
Merkert: Has two accessible entrances. One is located at main entrance on the north side facing Conte Forum and the second is located at the upper plaza entrance facing Campion Hall.
O'Neill Library: Access to O’Neill Library main level 3 is from the east plaza side, access to the first level is opposite Maloney Hall and to the right, follow signs to access elevator to other levels.
Stokes Hall: All of the building’s entrances are accessible. One entrance on the west side of the building is equipped with auto door operators, and is located off of the accessible parking area directly across from McElroy Hall.
Dining Hall Accessibility
Accessible entrances to University Dining Facilities:
Carney's, McElroy 3rd floor: Accessible from the first floor lobby elevator
Eagle's Nest, McElroy 2nd floor: Accessible from the first floor lobby elevator
Faculty Dining Room, McElroy 3rd floor: Accessible from the first floor lobby elevator
Hillside Café, Maloney Hall, 1st floor: Accessible from the front entrance
Lower Campus Dining Hall, Corcoran Commons, 1st floor: Accessible from the front entrance
Lyons basement ("The Rat," Welch Dining Hall): Accessible from the basement entrance
The University runs three primary shuttle routes: The Commonwealth Ave. Route loops around Chestnut Hill campus and goes to Cleveland Circle. The Newton Campus Route runs from Chestnut Hill to Newton Campus, where first year residential halls, the Law School, and various athletic fields are located. The Brookline Campus shuttle goes from Messina College to the Chestnut Hill Campus. All buses are wheelchair accessible.
BC community members with a disability or temporary injury may register to use an Eagle Escort Van, which have been specially fitted for wheelchair access.
Students must first contact Health Services in Thomas More Apartments (617-552-3225) or the Dean of Students Office in Maloney Hall 448 (617-552-3470) and ask to be added to the medical transport list for Eagle Escort Services. After this step has been completed, students should contact Eagle Escort through the Boston College Police Department to request transport. Students with mobility impairments can be picked up and dropped off on Middle Campus once a day and are permitted to go to Health Services between classes rather than returning to the residence hall if they need to rest or take a break between classes.
Policies & Procedures
Grievance Policy
Any Boston College student who believes that a disability accommodation has been inappropriately denied, or otherwise believes that the University has discriminated against the student because of a disability, may bring a grievance under the Student Grievance Procedure for Students with Disabilities.
Overview
Boston College is committed to the accessibility of its programs and services to students with disabilities, including accommodating service and assistance animals in accordance with its obligations under federal and state law.
“Service animal” is a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform specific tasks for a person with a disability. Under Massachusetts law, a person raising or training a service dog has the same rights as a person with a disability who has a service dog. Service animals do not include assistance animals.
“Assistance animal” is an animal that assists an individual with a disability or provides necessary emotional support to an individual with a mental or psychiatric disability that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of the disability, but does not meet the definition of a service animal.
Service Animals
Students who require the presence of a service animal at Boston College should inform the Disability Services Office as early as possible before bringing the animal to campus. The Disability Services Office will help ensure that the service animal is appropriately accommodated at the University, and if the student will reside on campus with the animal, help make appropriate arrangements with the Office of Residential Life. If it is not readily apparent that an animal is a service animal, the University may require additional information to determine whether the animal qualifies as a service animal under applicable law. This may include asking whether the animal is required because of a disability and what work or task the animal has been trained to do. For service animals in training, the University requires that the student trainer notify the Disability Services Office about the animal no later than the date set forth in the housing application for making requests for housing accommodations. The Office may request reasonable documentation regarding the animal’s training program.
Assistance Animals
As discussed below, assistance animals may be allowed in University housing, but are generally not permitted in other campus facilities or vehicles. Students who have a disability-related need to live with an assistance animal in University housing must make a request to the Disability Services Office as early as possible, but no later than the date set forth in the housing application for making requests for housing accommodations. The University, including the Disability Services Office and the Office of Residential Life, will determine if the assistance animal is necessary to afford the student an equal opportunity to use and enjoy University housing and if the animal’s presence in University housing is reasonable. The student will be required to submit reliable documentation from a physician, social worker, or other mental health professional that establishes that the student has a disability and a disability-related need for the animal (that the animal in question provides disability-related assistance or support). A request for an assistance animal may be denied as unreasonable if the presence of the animal (i) imposes an undue financial or administrative burden; (ii) fundamentally alters University housing policies; (iii) poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others, or (iv) would cause substantial property damage. If the University approves the assistance animal for housing, the animal must be contained in the student owner’s assigned living space, other than as required to be taken out for natural relief, during which time the animal must be in an animal carrier or controlled by a leash or harness.
A miniature horse that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability may be permitted as a service animal under reasonable circumstances, considering the following factors: (i) whether the miniature horse is housebroken; (ii) whether the miniature horse is under the owner’s control; (iii) whether the University can accommodate the miniature horse’s type, size, and weight; and (iv) whether the miniature horse’s presence will not compromise legitimate safety requirements necessary for safe operation of the University.
Requirements and Limitations
The owner of the service or assistance animal has responsibility for the management and supervision of the animal. Consistent with federal and state law, a service or assistance animal may be prohibited from a facility or program if the animal’s behavior or presence poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. It may be excluded from areas where its presence fundamentally alters the nature of a University program or activity, if the animal is disruptive, if its presence would result in substantial physical damage to property, or if it substantially interferes with the reasonable enjoyment of the program, service or facility by others.
The owner of the animal must abide by all state and local requirements regarding vaccination, licensure, leash control, and all other requirements for animals. The University may require documentation of compliance with these requirements. The owner is responsible for the care, well-being, and appropriate treatment of the animal, and must clean up after and properly dispose of the animal’s waste in a safe and sanitary manner.
Research laboratories, animal facilities, workshops, boiler rooms, or other areas with special safety or logistical considerations may not be accessible to animals under certain circumstances. Animal owners who wish to access specialized facilities of this nature are encouraged to notify the Disability Services Office as early as possible so that the Office can work with appropriate administrators to determine what accommodations are possible. Depending on the nature of the animal and the circumstances, the University may impose additional reasonable requirements for the health, safety and effective functioning of the University community.
Guidance for the University Community
Any questions or concerns regarding the presence of a service or assistance animal on campus should be addressed to the Disability Services Office at 617-552-3470, rather than to the owner of the animal.
Individuals with allergies or other medical conditions that may be affected by the presence of a service or assistance animal should contact the Disability Services Office, which can help facilitate reasonable and appropriate accommodations that address the needs of both individuals.
FAQ
Academic Accommodations
You can find the medical documentation guidelines listed above in the "Requesting Accommodations" section of this page, or below. You can either print these out and give them to your physician during an appointment, or email them to the doctor’s office.
Yes, our registration process for temporary injuries is the same as our standard 3 step registration, requiring the completion of a registration form, the uploading of medical documentation, and scheduling an intake appointment.
Yes, no one will have access aside from the Disability Services Office.
Set up an intake appointment with us using our online scheduling calendar to discuss your concerns and we’ll determine the next course of action during the intake meeting.
Housing Accommodations
Requesting a housing accommodation is a three step process:
- Complete the Disability Services Registration Form online.
- Submit documentation (either attach it with your online registration, or email/fax it to the Disability Services email disabsrv@bc.edu). Please review Documentation requirements.
- Make an initial registration meeting with Disability Services staff.
You can still submit a request; however, we cannot guarantee that we can meet your needs even if we feel your request is medically necessary. It will depend on what housing options are still available after your request has been reviewed.
No, if you are approved for a housing accommodation, you should go through the standard housing selection process either with a group or via the Open Registration unless you have been approved for a single room. In that case, you can expect to hear from Residential Life with a specific assignment.
You would be permitted to bring one other person with you to your housing assignment.
No, you must live with students from your same class year.
Yes, you need to complete a disability services registration form.
Most of the buildings do, but some do not. We can also provide a room on the first floor as an accommodation.
There are many spaces available at O’Neill Library and other academic and administrative buildings throughout campus.
No, students can request housing accommodations that are medically necessary only.
Yes, Residential Life needs to know that you wish to live on campus before we consider your housing accommodation request.
The Disability Services Office will make every effort to provide an approved accommodation; however, housing accommodations are subject to availability.
Please file a report at our Campus Accessibility Reporting Form.
The Accessibility Report Form is intended for members of the BC community to report physical acces barriers that the Disability Services Office is unaware of, and that it wishes to resolve quickly. If you see an access issue, please don’t hesitate to report.
The Office of the Dean of Students receives the report and will begin work to resolve the problem as soon as possible.
Dean of Students staff will work with various administrative offices such as Facilities Management and Capital Planning to resolve the issue.
Yes, if you choose to include your contact information on the form, we will get in touch once the problem has been resolved.
No, the nature of a student’s disability is never disclosed to faculty, unless the student gives written permission to the Assistant Dean of Disability Services to share this information. The student may also choose to disclose this themselves.
You should direct them to submit a registration through us! You may accommodate a student on a case by case basis as you see fit, but a student must be registered through our office to receive long-term, formalized accommodations that will provide consistency and balance to their BC experience. This especially includes accommodations related to testing, which require registration to have exams scheduled at the on-campus testing center through Connors Family Learning Center.
The Disability Services office will send you an email, from our Maxient Database, listing out a student’s relevant academic accommodations. The student is responsible for notifying the Disability Services office of who their professors are each semester - an Accommodation Letter Request Form is sent to collect this information.
You should remind students that the Disability Services Office sends students an Accommodation Letter Request Form several weeks before the start of every semester. Students must fill this out with their course information and professor contact information, in order to have their accommodations properly communicated.
Please save the Accommodation Letters you receive either electronically, or print copies for your records. They apply to accommodations throughout the entire semester, so it’s important for you to refer back to these documents.
Students should always arrange their tests in advance with the Connors Family Learning Center (CFLC). Professors should follow instructions sent by the CFLC to provide them with a copy of testing materials.
If a student is unable to set up a test with the CFLC, either due to a lack of space or a lateness in scheduling, we ask professors to accommodate the student and facilitate the tests as best they can. If you have a TA, they can proctor the exam in your stead. If you are unable to accommodate the test, please contact Disability Services at disabsrv@bc.edu or 617-552-3470.