GW has decided to enforce a policy that places students with single-room DSS accommodations into single housing spaces only. In practice, this policy has led to students with disabilities no longer being able to reside in fraternity and sorority housing on Townhouse Row due to all of the townhouse rooms being double-housing spaces. Chapters are therefore forced to pay heavy fines to compensate for the unused bed space in each room that houses a student with DSS accommodations for a single room. This policy not only bars many students with disabilities from moving into their chapter’s housing but also forces out students with single-room accommodations who currently live in the houses because chapters cannot afford these heavy fines. This policy also goes against many chapters’ bylaws that require their executive board positions to live in the house. As a result of GW’s policy, students with disabilities will face unnecessary barriers when applying for and working as chapter executive board members until such chapters are able to rewrite their bylaws.

We find this policy unacceptable in the Fraternity and Sorority Life community here at GW. Fraternity and sorority housing is meant to allow students to reside with and become closer to their communities, and this policy unfairly discriminates against students with disabilities by denying them access not only to housing but also to their community organizations.

Therefore, we call on GW to

- Allow students with DSS single-room accommodations to live in Townhouse Row without their chapters facing heavy fines.
- Designate a certain number of rooms in each townhouse to be DSS singles.

If you have any questions or would like to share your experience with this policy, please reach out to gw.panhel.pres@gmail.com and gw.panhel.evp@gmail.com