Requesting ESA Accommodations

The University of Maine Office of Residential Life offers a variety of housing options to students who wish to live on campus. As with all communal living, all housing options at UMaine involve students sharing living space, bathrooms and other common areas with their peers. The Office of Residential Life strives to create a vibrant community and provide housing that fosters and supports students’ academic, social and personal goals and well-being.

Students requesting ESA accommodations because of a diagnosed disability are required to contact Student Accessibility Services (SAS). Please refer to the process listed below.

If you have not applied for housing please fill out the Housing Application.

Important Dates

In order to have time to process and review applications and hold spaces out of regular room selection the following deadlines for submitting materials have been established.

For new, returning, or transfer students who would like to request housing accommodations for Fall and Spring please complete your ESA accommodation request by August 15.

For new, returning, or transfer students who like to have their ESA accommodations for Winter and Spring please reach out to the S.A.S. Office directly at ummdisability@maine.edu by December 1-Winter or April 15-Summer.

ESA Accommodation Request Process

As of 1 August 2023 all accommodation requests will be done through the Accommodate System.

Step 1:

Student reviews Emotional Support Animal Policy and Procedures document

Step 2:

For new students who are requesting housing accommodations please fill out Student Accommodation Request Form utilizing the Accommodate System. When completing this form you can upload any supporting documentation to help the S.A.S. Office better understands your request and supports your individual needs here at the University of Maine at Machias. If you are unable to provide documentation when completing the Student Accommodation Request Form please submit the form and have your provider complete the ESA Documentation Form. The form can be upload through Accommodate Account utilizing your UMaine System single sign on feature or you can email directly to the S.A.S. Office at ummdisability@maine.edu.
Once the form is completed and submitted the S.A.S. Office will reach out to you to set up an appointment and/or request documentation.

For returning students who have previously been approved for housing accommodations please log into Accommodate utilizing your UMaine System single log-in feature. Your username and password are the same that you would use to log into your @maine.edu gmail or MaineStreet.

For new accommodations (others that you may not be approved for) please fill out the Supplemental Request under Accommodation tab on the left hand side in your Accommodate Account.
For requesting accommodations for an individual semester or specific courses please fill out the Semester Request under the Accommodations tab on the left hand side in your Accommodate Account.

All ESA accommodation letters will be written for the Fall and Spring and you will request a ESA request once per academic year.
If you’d like to stay in the dorms during the Winter and Summer Breaks you must complete a “semester requests” if you’d like to have your ESA accommodations applied during those times.

Step 3:

The S.A.S. Office will reach out to you directly about requesting additional documentation to support your request for accommodations or set up an appointment to speak with you (in person or zoom) about your request.

You are able to set up appointments with the S.A.S. Office by utilizing your Accommodate account Appointment tab on the left hand side or you can email S.A.S. Office directly at ummdisability@maine.edu

Step 4: Student Accessibility Services staff review requests in consultation with the Offices of Residence Life, University Health and Counseling Center, and, if needed, the individual’s mental health provider. Please note that there is no deadline to submit a request for accommodation for an emotional support animal. The length of determination may vary depending on the complexity of the request. Students are encouraged to initiate the process at least four weeks in advance of the date they are requesting to bring an animal to campus.

Step 5: If the ESA s approved, student must;

Provide proof of compliance with licensing and vaccination requirements for the animal, and documentation that dogs and cats have been neutered or spayed.
Read the document Responsibility of an Individual with an Emotional Support Animal and meet with Student Accessibility Services staff and confirm an understanding of the guidelines by signing the statement

Step 6: If the ESA is approved, Student Accessibility Services will notify Housing Services and Residence Life who may in turn notify the residents of the floor where the student resides. Such information will be limited and not include specific disability related information. The student will be provided a letter of accommodation that will specifically state that the animal is approved and where the animal is permitted on campus. The student should retain the letter to provide as proof of approval of the accommodation.

Step 7: Requests for ESAs may be reviewed annually. Students must notify SAS each year if bringing the ESA and provide an updated agreement form with current emergency contact information. Vaccination and vet records must also be current and submitted annually.

Campus Life