A student with a medical need for an air conditioner must submit a Special Housing Accommodation Request Form. Section 1 of the form must be completed in full by the student. Section 2 of the form must be completed in full, with official stamp, by a licensed professional who is currently treating the student and is qualified to address the student’s medical needs.
The completed request form (both sections 1 and 2) should be emailed to accommodations@union.edu. Once both sections are received, the Special Housing Committee will meet to determine if the student qualifies for an air conditioner.
- If a student is requesting other special housing accommodations in addition to an air conditioner, the student should address each specific request in Section 1; depending on the nature of the diagnosed disabilities and the requested special housing accommodations, Section 2 of the form may need to be filled out by more than one licensed provider.
If a student is approved for air conditioning, Union College will be responsible for the following:
- All AC units will be purchased, owned, installed, and uninstalled by Union College Facilities Services.
- Upon the approval of a request for an AC, the Office of Residential Education & Housing will submit a work request to Union College Facilities to arrange installation. Every attempt will be made to install an AC prior to a student’s arrival at the beginning of the term, but installation may occur during the first two weeks of classes.
- ACs approved after the start of the term will be installed based on the availability of the Facilities team.
- Based on seasonal temperatures, the Union College Facilities will uninstall the AC on or about November 1st (or when temperatures are appropriate). This will occur unless a student’s particular AC accommodation requires that the AC unit be left installed for a different duration of time. As with any accommodations, students’ supporting documentation must address their individual AC needs.
- If requested by student work order, Union College Facilities will reinstall an AC unit beginning on or about May 1 of the same academic year (or when temperatures are appropriate), if the student is still approved for the AC accommodation.
- Union College Facilities will uninstall AC units at the end of the academic year.
- Students are responsible for cleaning the filters of AC units each month; however, Union College Facilities will check and change air filters over the spring and summer breaks, as necessary.
Students approved for an air conditioner accommodation are responsible for:
- Cleaning the AC filter on a monthly basis.
- Ensuring that the AC unit’s hose remains installed in the window at all times. Students may not remove or tamper with the unit’s hose under any circumstance.
- Preventing the AC unit from being blocked by refrigerators, furniture, or other large items to allow for maximum air flow throughout the space.
- Closing windows and doors when the AC unit is running.
- Reporting any maintenance concerns regarding the AC unit in a timely fashion to Union College Facilities Services through the work request system.
- Contacting Facilities Services through the online work request system to submit a work order to request reinstallation of the AC unit beginning on or about May 1, if desired.
- Preventing any damage, misuse, or loss of the AC unit. Should damage, misuse, or loss occur, the student will be required to pay any replacement or repair costs.
- NOTE: Students are not allowed to install their own personal AC units; unauthorized units will be removed, and the resident responsible will be documented through the Office of Community Standards.
Maintenance & Troubleshooting Procedures
To clean the air conditioner filter correctly, please use the step-by-step guide provided below. If additional support is needed, please contact Facilities, and they will be happy to assist.
- Power off and unplug the machine.
- Open the filter cover and remove the filter gently.
- Shake off loose dust or vacuum it with a soft brush tool.
- Rinse with lukewarm water. Do not use soap unless your manual allows it.
- Set it on a clean towel and let it dry completely before putting it back.
- Do not place the filter in sunlight or near a heater. It can cause warping or cracking. Always let the filter dry in a shaded, ventilated area.
- Do not wipe or twist the filter. If it feels brittle or smells even after rinsing, contact Union College Facilities to request a new filter.
- If further instruction is required for the change, please create a work order for AC Maintenance Assistance, and we’ll provide a one-time training on how to do this. (Your login is your Union College ID #.)
Energy Saver Mode (Recommended)
If your unit is in Energy Saver Mode, it will continuously cool the room until your set temperature is reached. Once reached, the compressor turns off and the unit enters standby. Periodically, the fan will run for approximately 30 seconds to sample the room temperature:
- If the room has warmed above the set temperature, the compressor and fan will turn back on.
- If the room is still cool, the unit will shut off again after sampling.
No Power / Unit Not Turning On:
- Check for a green light on the plug.
- If not visible, press the Reset button on the plug to restore power.
AC Is On, But Fan Cycles Intermittently:
- Likely caused by Energy Saver or Dry Mode being enabled with a high temperature setting.
- Switch to Cool Mode and lower the thermostat to 72°F.
Unit Not Cooling
- Confirm unit is set to Cool mode.
- Lower the temperature to 72°F to initiate cooling.
