Residence Life

Housing FAQ

From Residence Life and Housing

1. Why should I live on campus?
2. Am I required to live on campus?
3. Am I required to be on the meal plan?
4. What is the June 15 th deadline?
5. Can I be released from my housing contract agreement and move off campus in December?
6. Are there male and female buildings, or are all residence halls co-ed?When are housing and roommate assignments announced?
7. When are housing and roommate assignments announced?
8. Who will answer questions or be available to assist me with various academic, personal, and/or social issues once I move in and get settled?
9. What are some issues to consider regarding my roommate?
10. What if after a week or two I discover that I am not able to get along with my roommate because of tangible differences?
11. What is the policy regarding break housing in between academic semesters?
12. May I see my room before the move-in date?
13. How is mail delivered?
14. What are the security policies for the residence hall buildings?
15. Is there a Public Safety Department?
16. What is the smoking policy in the residence halls?
17. What is the study/quiet/courtesy hours policy?
18. Are students allowed to build bed lofts?
19. I assume there is a phone jack, but is there a phone?
20. Will I have cable, internet, and/or other computer technology from my residence hall room?
21. Are there computer labs in the residence hall buildings?
22. Are laundry facilities provided?
23. Are there elevators in the Residence Halls?
24. What appliances may be used in Student Rooms?
25. What items are not to be used?
26. What linens are needed?
27. What other items might be needed?
28. May I bring my bike?
29. Are pets allowed?
30. Is it necessary to purchase property insurance?
31. Do I need to provide my own wastebasket and garbage bags?
32. What do I do with my garbage?

Question: Why should I live on campus?

Answer: Living on campus provides opportunities to learn about and connect to the people, places, and events that make up the Capital University experience. The diversity of students in the residence halls provides for the discovery of personal values, strengths, and interests, in addition to increased understanding of different cultures, beliefs, and life styles. Residence hall students also expand their leadership, group participation, and interpersonal communication skills, in addition to developing an understanding and appreciation of the importance of civic responsibility.

Question: Am I required to live on campus?

Answer: All first and second year students are required to live in University housing. In order to reside off campus you must meet one of the following requirements:

• Age 22 or above
• Completed 60 credit hours by the start of next semester.
• Married (marriage certificate required)
• Live with parents/court appointed guardians in permanent residency within 60 miles of the campus (This information will be verified with the Office of Admission/Registrar)
• Written recommendation and verification of health related issue by the family physician and verification by Student Health Services
• Significant change in financial status with official supporting documentation (This information will be verified with the Office of Financial Aid)
• Other Extenuating Circumstances (Supporting explanation and documentation required)

Students who desire to reside off campus on the basis of the exceptions listed above should apply to do so through the Office of Residence Life & Housing before June 15th. Those who fail to meet university criteria for residing off campus may be assigned to the university room and board plan, and billed accordingly, whether or not they choose to reside or eat on campus. If any first or second year student does not fulfill the above approved requirements and does not apply for housing, they will be assigned a room and board plan, and billed accordingly for that academic year.

Question:   Am I required to be on the meal plan?

Answer: All students living in our residence halls are required to be on a university meal plan. All first year and transfer students (those with 15 credits or less) are required to be on the 225 meal plan for the Fall semester.

Only those students who live in the Capital Commons Apartments and the Capital University Apartments (Juniors & Seniors only) are not required to be on the meal plan due the full kitchen available in their housing option.  Changes to your meal plan can be made via the Residence Life and Housing website during the first two weeks of each semester.

Question: What is the June 15th deadline?

Answer: Any necessary changes to your housing status must be made by June 15 th of the academic year. This includes changes to your room and roommate preferences. All changes must be received in writing. This is also the deadline to apply for a release to live off-campus.

Question:Can I be released from my housing agreement and move off campus in December?

Answer: The Campus Housing Agreement is a legally binding document, and is for the full academic year. Students can apply for release from Campus Housing Agreement for extenuating circumstances. The deadline to apply for a release is November 15 th.

Question: Are there male and female buildings, or are all residence halls co-ed?

Answer: We do not have any all-male or all-female halls. All residence halls are coeducational. There are single gender floors and sections in each residence hall.

Question: When are housing and roommate assignments announced?

Answer: Housing and roommate information will be mailed to you after July 1.

Question:  Who will answer questions or be available to assist me with various academic, personal, and/or social issues once I move in and get settled?

Answer: All residence halls are staffed with Resident Assistants (RA) and Residence Hall Coordinators (RHC). An RA is an upper-class student who is responsible for a residence hall area. His/her specific responsibilities include building hall community, serving as a mentor, friend, and role model, and maintaining positive community standards. Each RA is selected through an extensive interview process and is trained prior to the arrival of their residents. Every RA reports to a Residence Hall Coordinator, who is a full-time or graduate student, live-in staff member responsible for a specific residence hall building.

Question: What are some issues to consider regarding my roommate?

Answer: Whether your roommate is a long-time friend of yours or someone you never met before, it will be essential that you talk over certain issues about living together before these issues become problems. For this reason, when you arrive on campus, you will be required to talk over certain issues with your roommate and enter into an agreement about how certain things will be handled during the year. As part of this process, you will fill out a "Roommate Agreement Form" that will be kept on file should conflicts arise. To prepare for this process, following are 10 issues you should think about before you come to campus:

• At what times of day do you most often study, and under what conditions (noise level, etc.)?
  
• At what times of day do you typically go to bed and get up, and under what conditions do you sleep best? (e.g., can you sleep with the TV or stereo on?)
  
• At what times are you comfortable having visitors in the room? Are there times when you don't want a member of the opposite sex visiting? If you want privacy at a certain time, how will you communicate that to your roommate?
  
• Are you comfortable sharing things such as personal belongings, clothes, food, etc.? Do you want your roommate to ask permission before using the computer, TV, etc.?
  
• How neat or clean do you want the room to be? How do you want to divide up cleaning responsibilities?
  
• If friends call for you while you're out, how should messages be taken and where would you like to have them placed? How will you pay for options like call waiting and long distance?
  
• Will you both use the same alarm clock, or will you have separate ones? Does use of the snooze button annoy you? What times will alarms be set?
  
• Do the doors stay locked at all times?
  
• Are there any decorations or posters that offend you? 
• How do you address situations that may put you in violation of University policy? 
  

Question: What if after a week or two I discover that I am not able to get along with my roommate because of tangible differences?

Answer: Residence Life seeks to provide the best possible experience for all students. Your Resident Assistant and Residence Hall Coordinator are available to assist with discussing any circumstances that cannot be addressed through a conversation between roommates. In the case where students have made considerable efforts to get along, students have the option of participating in the designated Room Change Week that occurs during the third week of classes. We urge you to remember that all personal relationships require time, work, patience and lots of negotiation. Therefore, you may change your roommate, but some of the same issues may resurface unless you change the manner in which you address them.

Question:What is the policy regarding vacation/break housing in between academic semesters?

Answer: All students are required to move-out during Thanksgiving, Winter Holiday, February and Easter breaks. Only those students approved by the Office of Residence Life will be allowed to stay in the halls after completing the appropriate break housing application.  Residents in the Capital University Apartments and Capital Commons Apartments are not required to apply for break housing and can stay in their apartments during the break periods.

Question: May I see my room before the move-in date?

Answer: Residence hall rooms are not available for viewing before the publicized move-in dates. Our residence halls are used for summer school and conference groups on a continuous basis, beginning in May and continuing through August. Once the final summer conference group departs, our housekeeping staff will begin to prepare the residence halls for your arrival. Therefore, we are unable to permit access to residence halls before the publicized move-in date.

Question: How is mail delivered?

Answer: Mail is delivered to the College's Post Office located in the Campus Center. All Student Mail should be addressed to:

Student Name
1 College and Main
CU Box XXXX (box number given out during Orientation)
Columbus, Ohio 43209-2394

Question:  What are the security policies for the residence hall buildings?

Answer: Each residence hall resident is issued a security key or FOB to his/her building. Due to the extra security concerns that this key or FOB entails, there are special guidelines.

• Residents assume full responsibility for the use of the key of FOB until it is returned.
• Guests will not be issued security keys or FOBs.
• Anyone found loaning a key or FOB to a non-resident of the building will face disciplinary action for breaching university security, as will that non-resident.
• If a security key or FOB is lost, a $100 fine will be imposed and costs to re-key the building may be assessed.

Question: Is there a Public Safety Department?

Answer: The Capital University Public Safety Department consists of seven police officers, a director, and three staff members with offices located on campus. The Department of Public Safety is open from 8:00 a.m. until midnight every weeknight during the academic school year, and 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. during the summer. Officers are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Public Safety 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. (midnight) 236-6504

Public Safety 24 Hour Phone line 236-6666

Nothing we do is as important as what you do, and in some cases, don't do. We strongly encourage you to review the Capital University Student Code of Conduct. The Student Code of Conduct is established to foster and protect the core missions of the university, to foster the scholarly and civic development of the university's students in a safe and secure learning environment, and to protect the people, properties and processes that support the university.

Question: What is the smoking policy in the residence halls?

Answer: Absolutely NO SMOKING will be permitted in any of our residence halls and other campus buildings.

Question: What is the study/quiet/courtesy hours policy?

Answer: Because you are living in a large community, it is important to acknowledge and respect the rights and needs of others. This is especially true in reference to noise. All Capital University residence halls operate under continuous 24-hour Courtesy Hours, meaning that regardless of the time of day, any amplified sound or activity loud enough to be heard outside your room should be curtailed. All residents agree to observe courtesy, quiet, and special quiet hours. The right to a quiet place to study and relax supersedes the right to make noise.

Quiet Hours:
Sunday - Thursday 10:00 p.m. - 8 a.m.
Friday - Saturday 12:00 a.m. (midnight) - 10 a.m.
***During final exams this right to quiet is enforced 24 hours a day.

Question:Are students allowed to build bed lofts?

Answer: Yes, students are allowed to build lofts, but not in the College Avenue Residence Hall or Capital University Apartments. Students should review the loft information from the Office of Residence Life and Housing. *if the vendor information is agreed upon, this would be a great place to put the contact information so people can begin to consider this option over building.

Question: I assume there is a phone jack, but is there a phone?

Answer: Students will need to provide their own phone that is compatible to our campus analog system. Capital University provides a voice-mail system, but students may also bring their own answering machine. More information about our telephone service is available on our Technology Services Web page.

Question: Will I have cable, internet, and/or other computer technology from my residence hall room?

Answer: Every room is equipped with cable and internet access. In addition, all residence halls are wireless.  More information regarding the software/firewalls needed for your computer are available through Information Technology.

Question: Are there computer labs in the residence hall buildings?

Answer: Each residence hall is equipped with computer labs.

Question: Are laundry facilities provided?

Answer: Washers and dryers are provided in all residence halls except the Capital Commons Apartments. The cost of laundry is included in your room and board costs, so no coins are necessary.

Question: Are there elevators in the Residence Halls?

Answer: There is only one building with an elevator, the new College Avenue Residence Hall. The College Ave. Residence Hall elevator reaches each floor of the building.

Question: What appliances may be used in Student Rooms?

Answer: Electronics that carry UL approval can be used in Residence Hall rooms provided the total electrical requirements do not exceed the capabilities of the system, and equipment is kept in safe operating condition. Such electronics include:

• Radios/Stereos
• Televisions/VCRs/DVD players
• Computers
• Fans
• Clocks
• Lamps

Refrigerators are also allowed as long as meet the maximum capacity of 2.5 cu. ft., operates at 118 volts, bear the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) label, and draw no more than 3.6 amps.

Question: What items are not to be used?

Answer: Due to the high risk of fire and damage in a communal environment, the following items are prohibited:

• Torchiere halogen lamps
• Open-faced electrical or heating appliances, such as irons, coffee pots, hot plates, broilers, space heaters, immersion heaters, toaster ovens, Foreman-type grills, sun lamps, etc.
• Air conditioners (except as provided by the university)
• Microwave ovens
• Portable Air Conditioners
  
• Ceiling fans
• Candles
• Incense
• Fire-arms and other weapons

Question: May I bring my bike?

Answer: Bicycles are allowed on campus, but not in residence halls due to fire code regulations. There are a limited number of bicycle racks are available outside each residence hall. We recommend that you bring a lock to secure your bicycle to the rack.

Question: Are pets allowed?

Answer: Except for goldfish or other tropical fish, no pets are permitted in the Residence Halls. Tank size should not exceed 5 gallons, and aquarium heaters are prohibited.

Question:Is it necessary to purchase property insurance?

Answer: The University does not assume responsibility for the loss of money or valuables, damages to property or injuries on the premises. If the student is not covered by a Parent/Guardian homeowner's insurance policy, it is strongly recommended that insurance arrangements are made to protect against such losses.

Question: Do I need to provide my own wastebasket and garbage bags? What do I do with my garbage?

Answer: Each student is responsible for providing a wastebasket or trashbags as needed. Each residence hall has a nearby dumpster where students may take their trash. University staff members are not responsible for removing trash from student rooms. Students should not leave trash in the hallways for any reason.

Additionally, recycling containers are provided in the residence halls, and students are encourage to recycle their aluminum cans, plastic, and paper.