<p>I need help!!!</p>
<p>I could post this on the parent’s forum, but I don’t want to get swamped in that way that they always swamp things…</p>
<p>D1 is a pre-nursing major at Shepherd U in Shepherdtown, WV. It’s a small state school, known for music, art, and (more and more) for nursing but usually doesn’t draw kids from too far. The stats there are not CC worthy, if you know what I mean, but D1 chose it, and has been mostly happy and doing well.</p>
<p>Like most nursing programs, she has to reapply in the middle of sophomore year to be admitted to the last two years which are mainly clinical care. Since she’s doing well, this should not be cutthroat or stressful at all.</p>
<p>Our problem is with the dorms. D1 hates them, hates the food, and hates all the upperclass housing as well. She wants out! Not only that, but she’s had to use her rescue inhaler upon awakening every morning because life in the dorms has made her allergies so bad. She usually uses it about 5x a year, so this is a dramatic increase. Her allergy doc thought it was the unairconditioned nature of her dorm – that leaving the windows open and letting all that pollen in was the main problem. A lesser problem is with the carpeting.</p>
<p>D1 is allergic to the usual suspects: pollen, mold, dust mites, animal dander, etc. If she got into air conditioned dorms the problems wouldn’t be as bad, but as all the dorms are carpeted, the dust mite problem would remain. </p>
<p>WHAT WE NEVER REALIZED is that dorm living is REQUIRED for all 4 years unless you live close enough to commute. We knew it was mainly a commuter school so we never read the fine print about dorm living requirements. If you can show a Mapquest map that shows a commute of 60 miles or less, you’ll be waived the dorm requirement. Her commute would be 64 miles (arhhhhh, sound of head banging on wall…)! The friends who she wants to live with next year all live just a little bit closer so they got the waiver.</p>
<p>We sent a form letter from her allergy doc and they denied it. Some guy in the disability office says he has to talk to the allergy doc to find out how serious it is. I’m afraid, that if they ever get through to him on the phone, he may downplay the carpet/dust mite issue if they offer airconditioned housing. Other conditions that exempt you from the dorm rule are being married, having children, etc. Not things she can claim.</p>
<p>H and I will write a letter to this disability office and I’m wondering how much we should rattle our sabers. D1 is sure to apply to other nursing programs for junior and senior year if she needs to stay in the dorms at Shepherd. She may not even want to return next year. The allergy doc also put her on Singulair (a mild steroid) every day to help with her symptoms. I feel like writing a letter and attaching an addendum with every possible side effect of these medications! Also, I feel like they’re lucky to have her and shouldn’t be throwing roadblocks her way. So, on the b.i.t.c.h.y to conciliatory spectrum, where should our letter be?</p>
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