<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

On 5/24/01 I posted a request for information that would assist a celiac who
will be a college freshman this fall.  As usual, the response was immediate
and substantial (46 replies).  Many thanks to all of you.  As promised, I
hope this summary helps others.  If anyone has any specific questions, please
e-mail me directly and we'll handle it off the list.

                         SUMMARY

There is no one simple answer to the problem of what a celiac does in
college.  One cannot say take one from column A and 2 from column B and
that's how you do it.  Just as each celiac is different so is each college
different and the results will depend on the celiac, the family, and the
college personnel.  By and large, however, it would appear that smaller
colleges communicate better than larger ones.

CD should be covered under Section 504 of the ADA according to several
respondents.  However, no one offered any location for documentation defining
it as such.  The best suggestions were to contact the ADA office at the
university or the federal Office of Civil Rights.

A letter from one's own doctor stating the problem (CD) and what the patient
needs (GF diet) may be the best piece of supporting evidence one can have
when talking to the university.  It was suggested that the doctor's letter
should also indicate that the requirements are a "life long diet" and that
the untreated disease can "affect learning".

The desire to live in a dorm as a "normal" freshman was recognized.  However,
nine respondents recommended living either off campus or in an apartment.
(The family doctors letter above was suggested as a possible assist in this
direction.)  Three more respondents expressed grave concerns about cross
contamination with dorm eating.  One indicated that they had been on the meal
plan for 2 years and that it was "tough but doable" but did admit that it
included a lot of "salads and hamburgers".

There were several recommendations to contact the Food Service Manager or the
Head of Food Service and/or the Health Director and NOT the administrators.
Talking directly with the staff and management of your cafeteria is the best
way.  One suggestion to consider was the purchase of individual pre-packaged
GF meals by the food service as the celiacs "meal plan".

It was repeatedly mentioned that a refrigerator WITH FREEZER is a necessity
in the dorm room or apartment or wherever the student will be living.  If a
microwave can be kept in the room so much the better.  If not, then access to
one at any time should be arranged so that snacks or things from the freezer
can be heated.  Snacks and individual meals (prepared at home, mail ordered,
leftovers from wherever, etc.) can be stored in the freezer and replenished
as needed (or possible) to cover cafeteria eating gaps.

It was noted several times that the celiacs experience at college will depend
to a large extent on the celiacs knowledge, effort and concern for themselves
and their diet.  If the celiac does not know what they can have to eat, if
they do not know how the food service functions at school, if they do not
know where to shop around school, if they do not know how to plan for their
eating, if they choose not to or make no serious effort to take care of
themselves, then they will probably be stuck with many "salads and
hamburgers" during the school year.  (One respondent noted that this may make
them more appreciative of home cooking.)  On the other hand, as several
students noted, with a little bit of effort celiacs can do all right at
college.