Can I select my own roommate?
Residents may either request a roommate or be assigned one. Roommate requests
are honored whenever possible. All assignments are made without regard
to race, creed or national origin.
What if I want to cancel my housing
contract?
New students may cancel fall and two-semester contracts without penalty
if they submit WRITTEN notice of their cancellation before Aug. 1. Those
students choosing to cancel spring-only contracts may cancel without penalty
by submitting WRITTEN notice before Jan. 10. Cancellations after those
dates will result in a contract breakage fee of $250.
Students moving off campus in violation of university policy will be
liable for full room and board costs each semester until they meet one
or more of the criteria to legally live off campus.
What if I require an exemption
to residency requirements?
Students who do not meet the criteria to live off campus are required
to reside on campus. If a student feels that he/she has extraordinary
circumstances and should be granted an exemption, he/she should submit
an appeal application. The Campus Life Committee will consider the appeal
and notify the student of their decision. Appeals granted are valid for
the full academic year. Students must re-submit appeal requests annually
until they meet one or more criteria to live off campus. Appeal applications
are available at the residential life offices or on the “Residential
Forms” Web page.
What is a resident assistant?
Each floor is staffed with a student staff member called a Resident Assistant
(RA). The RAs receive extensive training and are able to help residents
deal with the challenges of college living in the residence halls. The
RA is also responsible for managing many administrative tasks for your
floor. Don’t hesitate to call on the RA if you have any questions
regarding the residence halls or the university.
The RAs in each hall are supervised by a Resident Director (RD). The
RD is a professional staff member who lives in the hall. Don’t hesitate
to contact your RD for assistance. Their purpose for living on campus
is to be available to help our residents.
How can I get involved?
There are a variety of opportunities for involvement on campus and within
the residence halls. There are numerous student organizations that not
only provide entertainment, but also have opportunities for leadership
development and campus involvement.
These organizations are as varied as our student body. We have student
government, programming boards, student publications, academic organizations,
honor societies and religious organizations.
How does the
campus mail work?
Each student is issued a mailbox at Central Services located in the Rollins
Campus Center. Mail is distributed Monday through Saturday. No postage
is required for on-campus mail.
What is my mailing address?
Your Name
1200 W. University Ave.
Box #(assigned by Central Services)
Mitchell, SD 57301
Do I need insurance for my possessions?
The university does not assume any liability for damage to or theft of
personal possessions, except in cases of maintenance negligence. It is
recommended that residents make sure that their personal belongings are
insured.
Many homeowner policies provide coverage for the belongings of dependents
who are attending college and living in residence halls. We would suggest
that you discuss this possibility with your insurance agent before purchasing
any additional coverage.
How safe is it to live in the
residence halls?
Much has been said recently about the relative safety of students attending
college. The university is very concerned about providing our residents
a secure living environment. Some of the safety measures implemented in
the residence halls include:
- all rooms have deadbolts
- all halls have limited-access external doors
- our key inventory system is designed to limit the number of people
who have access to the hall keys
- all hall exits are locked at 10 p.m. and only the residents and authorized
personnel have access into the building
- the residence hall staff members make several building rounds during
the night.
- educational programs that discuss personal safety are sponsored in
the halls.
The number of crime-related problems in our halls is low in comparison
with most university campuses. This risk would be even lower if residents
did two things: keep your room locked whey you are out and when you are
asleep, and report any suspicious activity to residential life staff,
hall security or campus security.
What about the residence hall
policies? Won’t they affect my lifestyle?
Residents are expected to observe all residence hall policies. The purpose
of these policies is not to restrict personal freedom but rather to protect
the rights of individuals and to maintain an environment that is consistent
with the academic mission of the university. Residential life is very
interested in considering any reasonable changes in policies that are
recommended by student government bodies.
Another perspective to consider is the freedoms given to campus residents
that are not available to students who do not live in the halls. Students
living in the halls have the opportunity to change roommates or even move
to different locations on campus. They also have the support of the hall
staff to assist them in resolving differences that may arise.
Students who don’t live on campus are bound to the terms of their
leases. If they have difficulties with roommates or neighbors, they have
little recourse for getting assistance in solving problems. They also
have no way to change the terms of their agreement once they have entered
into a lease.
I’ve heard that it’s
cheaper to live off campus.
It’s more accurate to say, “What you pay for is what you get.”
If you take an objective look at the quality of the services provided
for you in the halls, we are certain you will see that living on campus
represents a good value. This is what is accurate about the cost of living
on campus:
- The fees are fixed. The rate you pay covers all your expenses.
- Your cost of living includes the room, board plan, utilities and all
other services.
- Students also enjoy FREE parking, cable TV, local phone service, fitness
facilities, health and counseling services, and Internet service when
living on campus.
Another factor to consider is the amount of time spent by students who
don’t live on campus on tasks such as cleaning, cooking and shopping
for groceries. Students who live off campus spend about two hours every
day doing household tasks. The time spent by on-campus residents is minimal.
In addition, the size of our programs provides more diversity in terms
of services, activities and programs than students would be able to enjoy
if they lived off campus.
One thing is certain in all of this: students who live on campus get
more for their money than they would if they lived elsewhere.
Can I get a single room?
Single rooms are assigned in the following order: RAs, seniors, juniors,
sophomores, and then freshmen. Single rooms are only awarded if space
is available. Special consideration will be given to students with special
needs.
Is there a curfew?
There is no curfew for residents, however, there are visitation hours
for guests. These hours are 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday,
and 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
I have questions that aren’t
answered here.
Please feel free to contact the residential life office if you have any
questions not addressed here.
Residential Life
1200 W. University Ave.
Box 906
Mitchell, SD 57301
605-995-2950
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