Student Accessibility Services

Federal

As a private university, SFBU is considered a “place of public accommodation” under Title III of the ADA. Title III prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of goods, services, facilities, privileges, and accommodations — a standard that courts have extended to digital content and websites, not just physical spaces.

Best Practice

Section 504 prohibits disability discrimination in any program or activity that receives federal financial assistance. SFBU does not receive federal funding and is therefore not directly subject to Section 504's requirements. However, SFBU voluntarily applies Section 504's standards as a best practice, aligning its accommodations process with the same principles that govern most public and federally funded institutions nationwide.

Federal

The FHA applies to student housing operated by the university, requiring reasonable accommodations to housing rules and policies — including “no pet” policies — for residents with disabilities. This is the primary federal law governing requests to keep an emotional support animal (ESA) in campus housing. Accessibility requests are reviewed by Accessibility Services, not the housing office, and require documentation of a disability-related need. Unlike ADA service animals, ESAs are not permitted in general campus spaces (classrooms, etc.) under the FHA — their protection is specific to the residence.

California

California AB 468 sets requirements for ESA letters submitted by students requesting a housing accommodation. To be valid, documentation must come from a licensed health care practitioner who holds an active California license, has an established client relationship of at least 30 days prior to issuing the letter, and has conducted a clinical evaluation of the student's need. Letters that do not meet these requirements may not satisfy SFBU's documentation standards for an ESA housing accommodation.

Service animals are individually trained to perform specific tasks related to a person's disability and are protected under the ADA in all areas of campus open to the public, including classrooms and events — generally without a documentation requirement.

Emotional support animals (ESAs) provide comfort through their presence but are not individually trained to perform tasks. ESAs are protected under the Fair Housing Act specifically within student housing, not in general campus spaces, and do require documentation of a disability-related need.
 

A single room accommodation assigns a student a private room, without a roommate, based on a documented disability-related need. Common qualifying needs include conditions where shared sleeping or living space would interfere with a student's medical treatment, sleep, sensory regulation, or mental health stability, or where an approved ESA or medical equipment requires additional space or reduced exposure to others.

Defining features of an approved single room accommodation typically include:

• A private bedroom assignment with no assigned roommate
• No additional charge beyond the standard housing rate tied to the disability-related need
• Priority placement during the housing assignment process once the accommodation is approved
• Annual or per-term renewal, generally requiring updated documentation if the underlying need is expected to change
• Coordination between Accessibility Services and Housing & Residence Life to finalize the specific room assignment

Students seeking to bring an emotional support animal into campus housing, or requesting any other housing-related accommodation such as a single room, should submit an accessibility request along with supporting documentation before the housing assignment process begins. Requests are reviewed on an individualized basis, and approved accommodations are then coordinated with Housing & Residence Life. Standard “no pet” restrictions, pet deposits, and breed or size limits do not apply to an approved ESA.

To get started, log in to the Student Portal and navigate to Student Services → Accessibility Request to submit your request and upload documentation.

While none of the laws above specify exact technical requirements, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA are widely recognized by courts, regulators, and accessibility professionals as the practical benchmark for digital accessibility. SFBU uses WCAG 2.1 AA as the technical standard guiding our website, learning management system, and digital content development.

SFBU is dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment where every student, faculty member, staff member, and visitor can fully access our academic programs, campus facilities, and digital resources. We welcome feedback on the accessibility of our website and are committed to addressing any barriers promptly.