Single Room Accommodation

We believe that living in community provides significant opportunities for students to learn and grow during their time at Hope. Student housing has a limited number of single rooms available. For this reason, DAR reserves single rooms for students with documented and substantial needs and for whom a standard housing assignment with a roommate is not viable.

DISABILITY ACCESS VS. PREFERENCE

A single room is a disability accommodation only when clinical history and professional documentation clearly demonstrate a history of substantial limitations and provide a rationale that supports the student’s need for a separate living/sleeping space to be able to access and utilize housing. For example, a student who needs to utilize specialized medical equipment may need extra space. This is an access need because, without extra space to utilize medical equipment, the student would not be able to participate equitably in the housing program. When a single room is assigned as an accommodation, Hope bills the student at the standard room double rate and not at the single room rate. 

ADHD, generalized anxiety, and depression are conditions whose functional limitations are commonly presented as reasons a student believes they need a single room. However, the functional limitations associated with these conditions rarely present as true barriers to access. The following is some of the reasoning for when a single room may not be determined to be a necessary accommodation required for access. 

EXAMPLES

Here are some examples of requests where an accommodation would not be approved. In the following scenarios, the requested accommodation would be helpful or desirable, and could optimize success — especially when the student’s disability makes these situations more difficult. Generally speaking, when no student has access to the opportunity requested, the request is generally regarded as a fundamental alteration to the college housing program.

I NEED A SINGLE ROOM BECAUSE I GET TOO DISTRACTED WHEN TRYING TO STUDY OR DO HOMEWORK.

Student housing is designed as shared living spaces; they do not fall into the category of private, reduced distraction study spaces for disabilities that affect focus, concentration or distractability. Due to the number of people who live in close proximity, you cannot assume that having a private room would provide a quiet, distraction-free space to any appreciable degree beyond living in a standard double room. The residential experience extends beyond the sleeping space so there are multiple settings on campus (study rooms in residence halls, art studios, computer labs, private library study rooms, outdoor hammock spots, etc.) that provide quiet and private places where students can study, relax or be alone. Tools like noise-canceling headphones, white noise devices or phone apps also can help block distracting sounds.

I HAVE ANXIETY OR DEPRESSION AND I NEED A SINGLE ROOM AS A SPACE TO BE ALONE TO RETREAT TO AND DECOMPRESS. 

Having a diagnosis of anxiety or depression and wanting a private space to be alone or to decompress generally does not present a barrier that needs to be mitigated by a single room. The campus provides students spaces to decompress, unwind or process their emotions other than the room where they sleep. Here are some ideas:

• Enjoy solitary walks on campus grounds
• Find a quiet space in the library or other academic building to nestle in and read or think
• Sit in Centennial Park or hang a hammock in the Pine Grove
• Use a white noise machine, phone app or earplugs/earphones to help block out extraneous sounds
• Work with Residence Life for guidance on conversation starters and boundary setting

I NEED A SINGLE ROOM BECAUSE I NEED TO HAVE CONTROL OVER MY SPACE.

On a college campus, students share spaces with peers in multiple settings including classrooms, campus dining, athletic and fine arts facilities, etc. In the standard shared residence, students are assigned their own bed, dresser, closet/wardrobe and desk in residence halls. When it comes to issues like quiet hours, noise levels, visitors, cleaning responsibilities, etc., living with a roommate can help students learn essential skills like communication, compromise and respect for others’ boundaries. However, these may be new skills for many students who have never had to share a room with another person. Sharing space with a roommate will always be inherently more difficult than living alone. Community standards for behavior are listed in the current Student Handbook and housing staff are available to assist students with negotiating concerns.

I NEED A SINGLE ROOM BECAUSE MY DISABILITY-RELATED NEEDS WILL INCONVENIENCE A ROOMMATE. 

Sometimes students share concerns that the tools or strategies they use to manage a disability (e.g. insulin alarms for diabetes, strict adherence to a sleep schedule, need to control room temperature, etc.) will inconvenience a roommate and therefore they need a single room. Hope College has a responsibility to balance accommodation needs with our educational objectives, including promoting social interaction, communication skills and a sense of community. Sharing a room with a roommate is an integral part of achieving these Residential Life student learning objectives. Denying this opportunity to a student solely based on perceived inconvenience or roommate conflict could hinder their social integration and overall college experience. 

I NEED A SINGLE ROOM BECAUSE I HAD A REALLY BAD ROOMMATE BEFORE AND I’M SCARED THAT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN.

Although sometimes lifelong friendships are developed with former roommates, many who have attended college can recall a less-than-perfect roommate situation. However, Residential Life and the Student Handbook have tools and procedures for dealing with roommate concerns. Make an appointment with Residential Life to discuss the situation.

I NEED A SINGLE ROOM BECAUSE I HAVE MEDICATIONS I FEAR MIGHT BE STOLEN.

All students should consider locking valuables, including medications.

• Buy a lockbox or small safe to keep tucked away and out of sight
• Lock your dorm room door when you leave

Requests for single rooms undergo a secondary review by the Housing Accommodation Committee (HAC). HAC is comprised of staff from DAR and Residential Life & Housing. Other offices that may be consulted when appropriate include Counseling and Psychological Services, the Health Center, Creative Dining Services and the Dean of Students. Decisions regarding new requests for housing accommodations are typically made within 3–4 weeks after receiving all required information.