Webinar Recap – Serving Students With Food Allergies: Adjustments, Auxiliary Aids, and Documentation

Whether you’re preparing for a future college search, deeply engaged in the applications process, or already attending university, it’s important to understand the rights of post-secondary students with a history of severe food allergy reactions. If you missed our Aug. 15 webinar with longtime FARE ally and disability rights advocate Jim Long, you can now view his presentation on foodallergy.org. A former attorney with the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, Jim cuts through the complexities of disability law, empowering students and families with the knowledge they need to safely pursue educational goals.

The presentation and follow-up Q&A session offer straightforward yet detailed explanations plus helpful, commonsense advice. Among the questions addressed:

• Is your school obliged to adjust its services and policies to accommodate your food allergy?
• Are private schools as well as public schools subject to the federal laws that protect students with food allergies that qualify as disabilities?
• What are reasonable accommodations for food-allergic college students, and how have these been shaped by recent Department of Justice settlements?
• How can students with food allergies take the initiative in planning for emergencies away from home?
• What indispensable tactic should you bring to your interactions with disability services? (Answer: be nice!)

For more valuable tips on university dining, housing and more, visit our college webinar archive. You can also learn about the FARE College Food Allergy Program here.