Tufts Accommodations: Supportive Or Stressful?

Tufts University offers a range of accommodations for students with disabilities. The Student Accessibility and Academic Resources (StAAR) Center provides support for students with physical, sensory, psychological, medical, and learning disabilities, as well as temporary conditions such as injuries. Accommodations include classroom accommodations, exam accommodations, auxiliary aids, and non-academic accommodations such as housing, dietary, and parking adjustments. The university also offers support for students with sincerely held religious beliefs, pregnancy and lactation, and qualified service animals. Tufts is committed to providing reasonable accommodations and promoting a diverse and inclusive community.

Housing accommodations

Tufts University is committed to providing housing accommodations for students with disabilities. The StAAR Center at Tufts works with campus partners, including Residential Life and Facilities, to implement approved accommodations for students with disabilities in on-campus housing settings.

Students interested in requesting housing accommodations should visit the Get Started with Accommodations webpage, where they can find information about the process and relevant deadlines. It is important to note that approved accommodations may be limited and/or subject to a waitlist after the indicated dates.

For rising sophomores, including those with approved housing accommodations, the housing application and lottery process through Residential Life must be followed. Students with approved housing accommodations will be contacted by a Residential Life team member to discuss available spaces that meet their specific needs. These students have two options: they can choose one of the options that meet their accommodations or decide to forgo their accommodations and participate in the lottery with a group or individually.

Rising juniors and seniors at Tufts University are not guaranteed on-campus housing. However, those interested in living on campus, including students with approved housing accommodations, must follow the housing application and lottery process through Residential Life. If a student is offered on-campus housing, their current approved housing accommodations will carry over to the next academic year unless they are informed otherwise by a StAAR team member.

Tufts University also offers a variety of off-campus housing options for students who are unable to secure on-campus accommodations or prefer to live off-campus. The University's Off-Campus Housing Website provides resources and information to help students find suitable off-campus housing options, including a guide to living off-campus and a list of current spaces available around the campus. Additionally, the Office of Residential Life and Learning can provide guidance and support to students exploring their off-campus housing options.

It is important to note that the cities of Medford, Somerville, and Boston have local occupancy ordinances that limit the number of non-related persons who can live together in an apartment or house. On-campus housing owned by Tufts University is exempt from these ordinances as the University has obtained lodging house licenses for its residence halls. Students living off-campus should be aware of and abide by these local regulations to avoid potential fines and/or eviction.

Academic accommodations

Tufts University is committed to providing reasonable academic accommodations for students with qualified disabilities, sincerely held religious beliefs, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, and immunization exemptions. The university adheres to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which mandate that appropriate academic accommodations be provided to students with disabilities.

The Student Accessibility and Academic Resources (StAAR) Center is the dedicated office that supports students with disabilities in accessing academic accommodations. The process of requesting accommodations typically involves submitting an accommodation request form, providing relevant clinical documentation, and scheduling an intake appointment with a StAAR team member. Students are encouraged to submit their requests as early as possible, ideally before the start of the semester, to ensure timely approval and implementation of accommodations.

StAAR offers a range of academic accommodations, including classroom accommodations such as furniture adjustments, exam accommodations like extended time, auxiliary aids such as note-takers and lecture recordings, and non-academic accommodations like housing and dietary adjustments. The center also assists students with temporary disabilities, such as injuries, by providing services like the Lyft Pass accommodation for transportation within the campus and scribes for written exams.

It is important to note that students must communicate their approved academic accommodations to their professors by providing a semester-based Letter of Academic Accommodation, known as a Semester Letter. This letter outlines the specific accommodations required for each semester and should be delivered to professors within the first few weeks of the semester, or at least one week in advance for exam accommodations.

Tufts University is dedicated to ensuring equal opportunities for all students and encourages those with disabilities to reach out to the StAAR Center for guidance and support.

Transportation accommodations

Tufts University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for students, staff, and faculty with disabilities. The Student Accessibility and Academic Resources (StAAR) Center works with students with documented disabilities to implement approved accommodations.

The StAAR Center provides a range of transportation accommodations for students with disabilities, including:

• Accessible shuttle services: Tufts offers an accessible shuttle service for the Medford Campus. Contact Tufts Parking & Transportation at 617.627.3692 or email transportation@tufts.edu for more information.
• Lyft Pass: The Lyft Pass accommodation allows students with injuries or temporary conditions to use the Lyft ride-sharing app for transportation between campus locations.
• Accessible parking: For accessible parking accommodations, contact the OEO Accommodations Team at Accommodations.OEO@tufts.edu.
• Grocery shuttle: A grocery shuttle runs on Saturdays from the Medford Campus Center to Stop & Shop at The Fellsway Plaza.
• Late-hour safe transportation: Students can request late-hour safe transportation through TUPD.
• Zipcar: Tufts Community members can find Zipcar locations and sign up for the service.
• Vehicle rentals: Students can rent vehicles for university business and explore alternative options.

Food allergies and intolerances

Tufts University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The university works to make dining an inclusive experience for all, with allergy-friendly options available in both dining centres and retail locations.

Tufts Dining labels all food served on campus with the top nine allergens: milk, egg, peanut, tree nut, soy, gluten/wheat, shellfish, fish, and sesame. All ingredients and allergens for each dish are listed on a nutrition card at the serving line, and all items containing peanuts or tree nuts will include this in the name of the recipe. Digital menu signage in all dining units lists allergen information, and this information is also available on the Tufts Dining Online Menu up to two weeks in advance. This online menu can be filtered to exclude all labelled allergens. Managers are always available to help students identify safe meal options and to answer any questions to ensure that students can eat full, nutritious meals that avoid allergens and/or meet dietary restrictions.

Tufts Dining also has an Alternative Meal Program available in both Dewick-MacPhie and Fresh at Carmichael Dining Centers. This program allows students to place orders in advance for custom meals prepared to their specifications and prepared free of their specified allergens. Access to this program requires students to register with the Accessibility Services Office.

All9Free at Dewick-MacPhie Dining Center serves food free from the top nine allergens and is available whenever the dining centre is open. The menu at All9Free is prepared in a separate production kitchen that utilizes separate equipment. All students are welcome to make selections from All9Free, and food is served by a staff member using a clean plate to minimize cross-contact.

The Gluten-Free Pantry at Dewick is available for students with dietary restrictions. The pantry provides gluten, peanut, and tree nut-free snacks, bread, cereal, desserts, and more in a separate, locked area. Students can also access a toaster and other small equipment at their convenience.

Fresh at Carmichael Dining Center is AllerCheck approved and serves food without gluten, peanuts, and tree nuts daily during the regular academic year. Items containing gluten, peanuts, and tree nuts are not used or brought into this dining centre by Tufts Dining.

Tufts Dining works with the StAAR Center to offer accommodations to students who may require additional support to meet their dietary needs. Students who feel they would benefit from this program or require additional consideration should contact the StAAR Center.

Temporary accommodations

The StAAR Center at Tufts University provides temporary accommodations for students with temporary disabilities or those working with StAAR to determine which accommodations are best for them. These include:

• The Lyft Pass accommodation, which allows students to use the Lyft ride-share app to request rides between campus locations.
• An accommodation for a scribe to assist students who are unable to complete written exams.
• Referrals to the student's academic dean for more immediate academic support.

Students with temporary accommodations can request a review or extension of the timeline of their accommodations by directly emailing the StAAR team member they have been working with. They may be asked to submit updated documentation, such as the Health Disability Provider Form or the Temporary Disability Provider Form, to support this request.

Frequently asked questions