[nagdu] Question about College Campuses

Tue Nov 12 19:08:47 UTC 2013

Lizzy,

I go to a private school that has never had a service animal on campus
before and everybody is perfectly fine with me being on campus. The
disability service office gave me some trouble in the beginning of the
year when I first came back with my guide, Viva, but everything has
worked out really well. As others have said, the college cannot deny
you and your guide as it is considered a place of public
accommodation, meaning that anyone can be on campus. I think it would
be a good idea for you to get in touch with the DS office however as
it is your first visit. They can help you coordinate whatever you
require with other departments. When I was doing my college visits, I
found that having them help me communicate with other departments made
my visits more enjoyable as well as made it less stressful for me in
terms of planning. I hope you have an awesome time on your overnight
stay; it's a really exciting time, trying to figure out what school
you want to go to. :)
Minh

On 11/12/13, Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net> wrote:
> Marion, the piece of trash you so kindly call misinformation continues to
> cause problems.  Is there anything we can do, as an organization, to
> circulate good info as widely as this piece of junk seems to have been
> circulated?  That thing has caused enough mischief!  Whoever wrote it and
> sent it out ought to have his pay docked, at least!
> Tracy
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "National Association of Guide Dog Users" <blind411 at verizon.net>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 12, 2013 1:21 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Question about College Campuses
>
>
>> A few years ago, one of the ADA Technical Assistance Centers
>> circulated some misinformation that college campuses could require
>> visitors
>> with service animals to report to and gain permission from the campus
>> Disability office that they would be on campus with their service dog and
>> that students wishing to be accompanied by their service animals may be
>> required to obtain permission before being allowed to have their service
>> animals accompany them in class. This guidance was frought with a number
>> of
>> statements that were in direct conflict with the implementing regulations
>>
>> of
>> the ADA.
>>
>> Under the ADA, private entities that provide public accommodations
>> are required to modify their policies, practices, and procedures to allow
>> individuals with disabilities to enjoy the goods, services, benefits,
>> accommodation, and priveleges afforded to others. Places of higher
>> education, whether public or private, are places of public accommodation.
>>
>> As
>> such, they may not impose any restrictions upon disabled individuals
>> accompanied by service animals unless the presence of the animal poses a
>> direct threat, defined as a significant risk to the health or safety of
>> others that cannot be eliminated by a modification of policies,
>> practices,
>> or procedures, or if the animal is out of control and the handler does
>> not
>> take immediate, effective action to control the animal. The animal must
>> be
>> on  a leash or tether, unless doing so would interfere with the work or
>> tasks it was trained to perform. Entities may not require any sort of
>> identification, documentation that the animal has been trained, or
>> require
>> the animal to wear any special gear.
>>
>> I hope this information has been helpful. If you need any additional
>> information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. My contact
>> information is below my signature.
>>
>> With kind regards,
>>
>> Marion Gwizdala, President
>> National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc.
>> National Federation of the Blind
>> (813) 626-2789 (Office)
>> 888-NAGDU411 (Hotline
>> President at nagdu.org
>> www.nagdu.org
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Danielle
>> Sykora
>> Sent: Tuesday, November 12, 2013 12:57 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Question about College Campuses
>>
>> Lizzy,
>>
>> As far as I know, since the campus is open to the public, it would be
>> considered a public place. Perhaps you might want to ask this question on
>> the NAGDU list.
>>
>> Danielle
>>
>> On 11/12/13, lizzy <lizzym0827 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Hi All,
>>> Are college campuses considered public places even if they are private
>>> schools? I know that they are open to the public but would my dog be
>>> covered under the ADA? I had to inform a school that I will be
>>> bringing my guide with me on a trip because I will be staying over
>>> night and don't want my roommate to be allergic or afraid of dogs.
>>> However, they are telling me that I need to inform the office of
>>> disabilities and I'm not really sure why.  I want to know my rights
>>> before talking to the office of disabilities so that they don't
>>> overstep their boundaries.  Just as an FYI, this school has never had
>>> a blind student and I'm not sure if they've ever had a service dog on
>>> campus.
>>> Thanks for any help you can give me,
>>> Lizzy
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>> om
>>>
>>
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>
>
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"All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty
recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity:
but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on
their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible." T. E. Lawrence