Housing & Dining Services

All of Housing's support comes from the room and board that residents pay. There are numerous fixed costs in the operation which cannot be easily adjusted as occupancy fluctuates. Examples of these fixed costs are debt payments, utilities, basic labor costs, etc. Housing budgets for these costs to be distributed among the maximum number of occupants possible over the course of the full academic year. In this way, the cost to the individual student is established at the lowest possible level.

Regardless of the opening level of occupancy, Housing experiences a loss of residents throughout the entire academic year, and the total occupancy drops as does the enrollment of the university. Fees are assessed to students who leave the halls in order to ensure that a major portion of the share of the fixed costs originally assigned to them are borne by them and not charged to others. If students who leave were not assessed these fees, the students who remain with us for the full academic year would have to assume not only their own fair share of these costs, but the shares of all those who leave during the year. This would create an unfair situation and would result either in a higher original cost to all, or a reduction in service during the year to those who stay with us.

Yes. The housing security deposit is nonrefundable. After May 31, additional cancellation penalties accrue. The maximum penalty for canceling a reservation by the first day of classes is assessed to those who cancel on or after July 16, when the penalty is an additional 15 percent of the room and board charges for the entire academic year. If withdrawal from the university is the reason for canceling a housing reservation, then the 15 percent penalty fee is waived. Please see your Housing & Dining Services Contract for details. top

First, please be advised that the university requires first-year students to reside in a university residence hall for two academic-year semesters. A freshman student may not terminate occupancy unless the student is withdrawing from school or the student is released from the Housing & Dining Services Contract through the petition process.

A student who terminates the Housing & Dining Services Contract after check-in forfeits the housing security deposit, is assessed for the period of occupancy through the date of official check-out, and is charged 50 or 100 percent (depending on date of termination) of the remaining room and board charges from the date of official check-out through the end of the academic year. (Withdrawals from the university are not charged the 50 or 100 percent fee.) Please see your Housing & Dining Services Contract for details.