Navigating Food Allergies and Dietary Conditions

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Serving students with life threatening food allergies, celiac disease, and other dietary conditions is a priority at Wesleyan University. We believe that the ability to dine safely on campus with peers is a significant part of the college experience and we strive to provide this opportunity for all students.

PLEASE NOTE: If your food allergy or other medical condition affects your housing, please also see the procedure for applying for housing accommodations, located on the Housing/Dietary Accommodation page.

Requesting Dietary Accommodations

Dining Services provides a wide variety of high quality foods in order to meet individual needs and preferences of students, faculty, and staff, and is committed to meeting the needs of students with specific dietary conditions. It is recommended that students with food allergies, celiac, or other dietary condition contact Accessibility Services to discuss their individual needs.

There is a three step process for requesting accommodations related to food allergies, celiac disease, and other medical conditions that require dietary accommodations:

  1. Notify the University that you have a condition that requires accommodations.
  2. Provide documentation of your condition and the impact on major life functions.
  3. Meet with University staff to discuss appropriate accommodations to meet your needs.
    • This interactive process is a key feature to ensure the timely implementation of your approved accommodations.

Students who have food allergies, celiac disease, or other dietary conditions that can create a challenge when making dining choices are not alone. It does take effort by the individual, and for new students there is frequently a learning curve as they learn to handle their meal needs and choices "completely" on their own. Wesleyan has created a food allergy and celiac guide for students, and there are a number of resources on campus that can assist students as they make the transition to determining meal choices away from home, but it is incumbent upon the student to initiate the discussion.

Appeals and Grievances

When the request for an accommodation has been denied, or when an approved accommodation has not been received, students have a right to report the incident through any of the procedures outlined on the Appeals and Grievances page.

Additional Information

Wesleyan University’s Food Allergy and Celiac Guide
Made possible through a grant from FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), Wesleyan has created a comprehensive guide to dining on campus for students with food allergies and/or celiac disease. Physical copies of the guide are also available in the Accessibility Services office.

Frequently Asked Questions
For more information regarding dining at Wesleyan with a life threatening food allergy, celiac disease, or other dietary condition, please review these FAQs.

Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE)
FARE’s mission is to improve the quality of life and the health of individuals with food allergies, and to provide them hope through the promise of new treatments. The FARE website has a wealth of resources, including information for students with food allergies going to college. Wesleyan is proud to participate in the FARE College Food Allergy Program.