Housing/Dining Accommodations

Students with disabilities may need housing and/or dining accommodations due to the impact of their disability. OARS collaborates with Housing and Residence Life to meet the on campus housing needs of students with disabilities. Examples of housing accommodations may include, but are not limited to:

  • ADA compliant rooms
  • Single occupancy rooms
  • Private/semi-private restroom
  • Meal plan exemptions or modifications
  • Assistance animals (Service Animals & Emotional Support Animals)

Housing/Dining, accommodations must be reasonable, relate to the impact of the disability, and address their functional limitations. The Office of Accessibility Resources and Services (OARS), Housing and Residence Life, and UCA Dining Services, work closely together to ensure accommodation needs are met for students with disabilities living on campus.   OARS registered students who are currently approved for housing room accommodations prior to and during the Spring semesters must notify Housing of their intent to utilize their room accommodations for the upcoming academic year before the Returner Room Selection Process begins.  April 1st is the deadline for future students to request housing room accommodations for the Fall semesters.  Any requests made after these dates is subject to availability.  In order to begin the process of requesting a housing/dining, accommodation, the following procedures have been established:

Housing/Dining Accommodation Procedures:

To begin a request for housing and/or dining accommodations, including assistance animals, students should do the following:

  1. Submit a new student registration online with the OARS office. When filling out the online registration, please be detailed in your request by completing the additional note or comment section at the bottom of the application.  Please detail disability-related limitations and accommodations needed.
  2. Obtain documentation from a qualified health or other provider in support of your requested accommodation. Documentation should include the diagnosed disability, functional limitations, along with recommended accommodations. Note: If the request is for an Emotional Support Animal, see information under Emotional Support Animal.
  3. Submit both the online application and documentation to OARS. You can upload the documentation to your registration application online. If you do not have documentation at the time of online application you can email, fax, mail, or drop off in person the documentation to OARS using the following contact information:

Submit Information to:

Office of Accessibility Resources and Services
University of Central Arkansas
201 Donaghey Ave.
Student Health Building, Ste. 212
Conway, AR 72035

Phone: (501) 450-3613
Fax: (501) 450-5664
Email: oars@uca.edu

Hours: Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Dining Accommodation Requests

UCA will make every attempt to meet a students’ disability related dietary needs. The accommodation process will include a referral to our campus dietitian, who will assist in determining if UCA dining services can accommodate the student. The dietitian will share their recommendation with the student and OARS. Upon review of the recommendation OARS will approve or deny the accommodation request.

If the dietitian recommends meal plan exemption and OARS has received documentation supporting the request, OARS will forward the approval to the appropriate housing staff for processing.

UCA Dining Dietitian Contact Information:

Ethan Baldridge

Email: baldridge-ethan@aramark.com

Phone: (501) 733-6854