Accessibility is a shared value and a shared responsibility at Penn. The Weingarten Center partners with other departments throughout campus to coordinate and improve the accessibility of buildings and grounds, transportation, communication, and digital infrastructure.
Accessible Housing
Disability Services and Residential Services work together to review disability-related housing accommodation requests and make appropriate room assignments. Students who want to request a disability-related housing accommodation should connect with Disability Services by completing an Accessibility Request through the MyWeingartenCenter student portal. Students seeking approval for an emotional support animal should start the process through MyWeingartenCenter. Please review Residential Services’ guidance on medical accommodations and policies on animals in residence.
The deadline for new incoming first-year students to submit a request for housing accommodations for the 2025-26 school year is May 21, 2025. First-year students will receive their Pennkey username and password in early May and can then log into the MyWeingartenCenter portal to submit an Accessibility Request. Room assignments will be made in June.
The deadline for returning students to submit a request for housing accommodations for the 2025-26 school year was January 22, 2025. Room assignments were made in February. Requests that are received after the deadline will be reviewed, but a housing assignment cannot be guaranteed after the deadline.
While students are able to request accommodations at any point during their time at Penn, Disability Services cannot consider a disability-related housing accommodation for any student who does not have an active housing application. If you are unsure of your housing status, you can reach out to Housing Occupancy at living@upenn.edu.
Students who require the services of a personal care attendant should coordinate with Disability Services. The Student’s Personal Care Attendant Guidelines explain the procedures associated with having a personal care attendant in the College House.
Dining Accommodations
Disability Services works closely with Penn Dining to meet the needs of students with dietary restrictions due to a medical condition. Students seeking accommodations for their dining plan should register with Disability Services by completing the Accessibility Request through the MyWeingartenCenter student portal.
Navigating Campus
Guidance Regarding Use of Mobility Device
The University of Pennsylvania supports students who require the use of a medically necessary mobility device due to a disability. To ensure that the mobility device can be charged in a campus building, students need to observe the following guidelines:
- The first step is to submit the accessibility request to Disability Services through the MyWeingartenCenter portal. The student’s assigned disability specialist assesses the student’s mobility device request in accordance with their medical documentation. After the specialist determines the need for the mobility device, the student confers with the University’s Fire and Emergency Services in the Department of Public Safety for an evaluation of the student’s device.
- Pursuant to FDA guidelines, only medical-grade devices will be approved for storage and/or charging within any Penn building. Approval must be given for the specific make/model of the device that the student intends to store/charge inside a Penn building.
- If a student does not already own a medical-grade mobility device, they should provide Disability Services with the proposed make/model for approval prior to purchase of the device.
Penn Accessible Transit (PAT)
Penn Accessible Transit is a ride service for individuals with disabilities provided by Penn’s Transportation department. Students seeking accessible transit services should register with Disability Services by completing the Accessibility Request through the MyWeingartenCenter student portal.
Emergency Evacuation
Disability Services works closely with the Division of Public Safety to support students with disabilities in planning for an emergency evacuation from campus buildings.
Parking
Penn’s Transportation and Parking department manages the accessible parking options.
Penn Building Access
The Facilities and Real Estate Services department maintains information on the accessibility of Penn buildings. Their site includes maps and documents with accessibility information on every building on campus.
Accessibility Mapping Project
The Accessibility Mapping Project is a digital interface for mapping physical and social barriers on college campuses.
Additional Resources for Accessibility
Web Accessibility
The University of Pennsylvania is committed to making its technology accessible to all people. Web Accessibility at Penn is a resource on all topics related to web accessibility at Penn.
Accessible Event Planning Guide
The Accessible Event Planning Guide offers event planners instructions, resources, and support to ensure that their events create a more inclusive environment for individuals with disabilities. Additionally, the Weingarten Center and The Office of Equal Opportunity Programs have developed Guidance for Providing ASL and/or CART Services for University Events.