Faculty and Student Perceptions of the Presence of Emotional Support Animals on a College Campus

Colleges are experiencing an increase in requests for Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) to live on campus. However, misconceptions about policies pertaining to ESAs are pervasive. No formal, published study has yet examined the opinions of those who are most impacted -faculty and students. In the present study, 45 faculty and 228 students (49 living with an ESA) were surveyed about their understanding of ESAs and ESA-related policies. Participants were asked about the perceived benefits and disadvantages of having an ESA at college. Results indicate that the majority of faculty and students are supportive of ESAs on campus generally. However, opinions about permitting ESAs into academic spaces are considerably more mixed. Among both faculty and students, there is much confusion about the rules which govern their presence on campus. The survey also revealed support for increased accountability measures for ESAs in the form of training qualifications and welfare considerations.