Campus Access for Service Animals  

Service animals are allowed in university buildings, classrooms, residence halls, dining areas, recreational facilities, meetings, activities, and events when accompanied by a person with a disability and the service animal is trained to provide and does provide, a specific service to that person that is directly related to the person's disability. 

Service animals may not be permitted if the animal poses a substantial and direct threat to the health or safety of others or when the animal's presence will require a substantial alteration to the nature of a university program or service. 

The accompaniment of a person with a disability by a service animal in a location with health and safety restrictions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the appropriate department representative(s) in collaboration with the Department of Human Resources or the Office of Disability Access. 

A person with a disability will be limited to one service animal unless an additional animal is necessary to provide reasonable accommodation. 

Service animals in training that are accompanied by an approved trainer are allowed the same access to the university as fully-trained service dogs, except, animals in training are not permitted to reside in university residence halls. 

University Residence Halls. A student with a service animal who intends to reside on campus with the animal must notify the Department of Housing and Residence Life of the need for a service animal's presence in advance of beginning residency. Such notification allows the university to make appropriate arrangements and offer assistance prior to the student's arrival on campus. 

Inquiries Regarding Service Animals 

Individuals who are accompanied by a service animal must not be asked to identify the nature or extent of their disability.  In regard to a service animal:               

University officials will not inquire about the qualifications of a service animal when it is readily apparent that an animal is trained to do work or to perform a task for a person with a disability (e.g., the dog is observed guiding an individual who is blind or has low vision, pulling a person's wheelchair, or providing assistance with stability or balance to a person with an observable mobility disability). 

If it is not readily apparent that an animal is performing work or a task on behalf of an individual with a disability, university officials may only inquire: 

Whether the animal is required because of a disability; and, 

What work or task the animal has been trained to perform. 

Individuals are not required to have a letter of accommodation to use a service animal at the university. 

University officials will not require documentation of a service animal's certification, training, or license as a service animal.