Services for Students with Disabilities
Assistance Animals
Although it is Southwestern’s policy that students are generally prohibited from having animals in University housing, students with a disability may be entitled to an assistance animal as a reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for such an accommodation, the assistance animal must be necessary to afford the student an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling or to participate in the housing service or program. Further, there must be a relationship, or nexus, between the student’s disability and the
assistance the animal provides.
Emotional Support Animals: Emotional support animals (ESAs) are not pets and are restricted to a residence. A student may not bring an animal to campus and claim it as an ESA without having first gained approval and followed the proper procedures outlined here .
Service Animals: Southwestern University recognizes the importance of service animals as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) and follows the federal regulations regarding service animals. Anyone using a service animal is encouraged to register with the Associate Director of Academic Success. For more information, please see the University’s Service Animal Policy .