Happy 20th Birthday To the ADA
Thursday, July 29th, 2010The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is 20 this year.
Ben Mattlin, asked to commentate on the anniversary, mentioned a college experience that must have been common for disabled students pre-ADA.
Still, the issue of reasonable accommodation is difficult. What a disability is can be hard to qualify, and since there are a great variety of disabilities and accommodations that can be made. Every situation can’t be anticipated and codified in policy; some decisions must be made relatively quickly. Lately, on the ACUHO-I listserv, there has been discussions on accommodations. One query concerned a student who needs a live-in attendant. The attendant must live in the room with the student, but is not a student himself. Were there any legal issues with allowing a non-student to live in the hall (normally against policy), and how should the institution charge for the room? Our listserv members contributed their own experiences and suggestions regarding the tricky situation.
What would your suggestions be?
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