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