Housing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Muscatine Community College recognizes the importance of providing reasonable accommodations in its housing policies and practices where necessary for students with disabilities to use and enjoy student housing. A reasonable accommodation is an exception to the usual rules or policies that a resident with a disability may need to have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy student housing. 

The MCC Disability Service Provider, in conjunction with Residential Life staff, works with students who have disabilities in an effort to coordinate support services that enable equal access to our campus residential living. 

To request any type of housing accommodation, including Emotional Support Animals (ESAs), complete the following steps outlined in the Accommodation Requests in Housing document.

Steps to Request Housing Accommodations

1. Read the MCC General Housing Accommodations webpage


To fully understand the policies and procedures for requesting and obtaining accommodations in housing, it is important to start by reading the about the procedures for MCC General Housing Accommodations. 

If you have questions after reviewing the information, please feel free to reach out to Jill Holler, MCC Disability Service Provider, at 563-288-6013 or jholler@eicc.edu.

2. Apply for Housing Accommodations

PART 1: Complete the Student Disability Services Application.

If you are a current student who is already registered through EICC Disability Services, then you can skip Part 1 and move on to Part 2.

PART 2: Complete the Disability Accommodation Request Form for Student Housing.

This form should be completed no fewer than 60 days before you intend to move into college housing. Requests will be considered at any time, but in these cases, MCC cannot guarantee it will be able to meet the individual’s accommodations needs during the first semester or term of occupancy.

3. If Requesting an Emotional Support Animal, Read about the ESA Process


Carefully read and review the entire policy here: MCC Emotional Support Animal Procedure and Agreement. 

You will be held responsible to all terms and guidelines listed in this document.

4. Check your EICC Email Account for Information Regarding Your Application Status


Once the disability service provider (DSP) has received and reviewed your Student Disability Services Application and Disability Accommodation Request Form for Student Housing, the DSP will send you an email message inviting you to schedule an initial meeting to discuss your accommodation request.

Please note that the DSP will use only your EICC email for communication—not your personal email.

5. Attend Your Initial Meeting with the Disability Service Provider (DSP)


During this meeting, the DSP and you will discuss your request for housing. The general policies and procedures related to your request will be discussed, along with the next steps in the process.

The DSP will also provide you with a both a digital and print copy of your completed “Disability Accommodation Request Form for Student Housing,” which you will need for Step 6. 

6. Request Verification from Your Healthcare Provider


In order for your accommodation request to be considered, there must be verification of your disability and an explanation of how it impacts you in the housing setting. This information must be provided by a qualified, credentialed healthcare professional.

(The only exception to this requirement is if your disability and the necessity for the accommodation are obvious; for example, an individual with a physical disability using a wheelchair needs an accessible room.)

There are two things you must provide to your healthcare provider:

Your healthcare provider must return the completed verification form, along with the Disability Accommodation Request Form for Student Housing form, to MCC Student Disability Services. (Contact information is on the verification form.)

7. DSP Review of Documentation/Verification


The DSP will carefully review the verification form provided by your healthcare professional to consider if the request is reasonable and verified by legitimate documentation. 

8. The DSP and the Residential Life Staff Meet to Discuss the Request


Next, the DSP will meet with the Residential Life staff to discuss if the requested accommodation is reasonable within the housing setting.

At this point, the DSP will decide to deny or approve the request. 

9. Check your EICC Email Account for Approval Status


The DSP will send you an email message stating whether or not your request has been approved. 

If your request is not approved, a written explanation will be provided in the email, and this will be the last step in the process. However, feel free to contact the DSP with any questions you have.

If your request is approved, the DSP will work with the Residential Life staff to discuss the implementation of your accommodation. This may take some time as there are many aspects to consider when implementing an accommodation that may affect other students.

10. Meet with the DSP and Complete Any Remaining Steps or Paperwork


At this meeting, the DSP will inform you about any other steps you need to take regarding your housing accommodations.

For ESAs, you must submit the following items before you bring your ESA to campus:

11. Stay in Contact with the Disability Service Provider as Needed


At any point during your stay in housing, please feel free to reach out to the DSP with any disability-related concerns or questions!