Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity

Division of Student Affairs

Dining Accommodations

VCU Dine offers inclusive dining options to accommodate many types of dietary needs, including vegan/vegetarian, gluten & dairy free. We also have a registered dietitian on staff who is available for complimentary one-on-one consultations for dining plan holders to help students find dining options on campus that meet their individual needs (email the VCU Dietitian). For more information please visit: VCU Dine, find the ‘About Us’ drop-down menu and select ‘Health & Wellness’. 

VCU recognizes that some students who are required to have a dining plan may not be able to get their nutritional needs met on campus due to a disability or medical condition. Students interested in dining accommodations, including a reduction or cancellation of their dining plan, may submit their request to Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity (SAEO). Requests based on dietary preferences are not considered for accommodation.

To formally submit a request, a student must:

1. Register with SAEO

Complete the SAEO Registration Form.

 

2. Submit Documentation

Submit documentation of the medical condition that supports the request. Appropriate documentation should meet the criteria set forth in the guidelines below.

Documentation Guidelines

Documentation supporting a Dining Accommodation must be provided by an appropriately licensed professional, on professional letterhead, typed (or clearly legible), dated, and signed. Documentation should include the following:

  1. Diagnosis of the disability/condition.
  2. A detailed description of the current functional impact of the condition or disability as it relates to the dining modification or accommodation requested.
  3. Recommendation from the professional explaining the need for the accommodation as it relates to the disability/condition.

For more information about VCU Dine and on-campus dining options, please contact our dietitian with VCU Dine (email the VCU Dietitian). For questions about requesting dining accommodations, contact SAEO at (804) 828-2253 or saeo@vcu.edu.

3. Meeting the VCU Dietitian

A referral to the campus registered dietitian may be required to further discuss dining options on campus.

4. Dining Accommodation Committee

The Dining Accommodation Committee will meet once per month to review requests. Following a committee meeting, students with pending requests will be contacted with a formal decision email from both VCU Dine and SAEO.