

If I am accepted into the University Honors College, will I be placed in a special residence hall?
Where is the office of Residence Life and Housing located?
The Department of Residence Life and Housing is located on the first floor of Ritchie Residence Hall. During the academic year, office hours are Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm. Summer hours are Monday through Friday from 8am to 4:30pm. We invite you to drop by. We welcome visits from prospective students and their families and are more than happy to answer any questions or concerns. You can also call us at 330-972-7800 or drop us an email at reslife@uakron.edu.
How many residence halls are there?
We currently have 11 residence halls located throughout campus.
What are the benefits of living on campus?
Students living on campus experience more of what the University has to offer. Also, residents get to know a variety of people with different backgrounds, participate in campus activities and events, and are more satisfied with their collegiate experience. Living on-campus is convenient and compliments your education ... everything you need is nearby. Studies show a relationship between living on campus and academic succes in the classroom.
Is it hard to meet people on a campus so big?
Students are given many opportunities to meet new people on campus. Getting involved is a great way to meet people with similar interests. Learn more about activities and organizations at UA. READ MORE about becoming involved with Residence Life and Housing ...
What does on-campus housing offer students?
All residence halls are fully air-conditioned and offer a variety of room configurations, ranging from traditional, two-person rooms to suite-style and apartment accommodations with private baths and kitchens. Rooms are furnished with beds, desks, desk chair, closet storage, limited lighting and window coverings. Most students supplement University-provided furnishings with personal possessions to enhance bedroom/study room areas. All residence hall rooms have high-speed Ethernet connections for each student. Each hall is equipped with washers and dryers at no cost to our residence hall students.
Is it hard to study in the residence halls?
Quiet hours for study are as follows:
Sunday through Thursday - 8pm to 8am
Friday and Saturday - Midnight to 8am
One activity shared by all the residents is the daily preparation for classes and examinations. Each student must assist in maintaining a reasonably quiet environment on the floors during these times. All other hours are courtesy hours. Students who are making a considerable amount of noise may be asked by a resident floor member to observe the proper courtesy at any time. You and your floor members are primarily responsible for the maintenance of study atmosphere.
What if I require special housing accommodations?
Contact the Office of Accessibility at 330-972-7928 and request an Accommodation and Service Request Form, or visit their website at http://www.uakron.edu/access/.
What furnishings are provided?
Each residence hall room is furnished with beds, closets, window coverings, study desks, chairs and a wastebasket. University furniture and furnishings may not be removed from your room. Other room decor is left to your creativity. Bedspreads, rugs, or shelves may add a warm touch to your home away from home. There are a number of items you may want to bring with you. Some of these can be a cooperative effort between you and your roommate(s): telephone, washcloths, towels, clock, blankets, laundry soap, sheets, desk lamp, pillow, refrigerator (not to exceed three cubic feet), computer, iron, decorations and/or radio/stereo. For more information, please refer to each building's description page.
All mattress sizes are 36"x80".
What kind of bedding should I bring?
You are responsible for providing your own linen-mattress pad, sheets, blankets, pillows, pillowcases and towels. Bring warm blankets; there can be some chilly nights before we convert from air conditioning to heat. Electric blankets are not permitted because of the danger of fire. Bedspreads are not provided.
If I come visit UA this summer, can I see a room?
Yes. At New Student Orientation during the summer, Residence Life and Housing staff will take you to the residence hall of your choice for a personalized tour.
Bed & Bath
Kitchen Supplies
Clothing & Laundry
Electrical Accessories
Scholastic Supplies
Miscellaneous
Prohibited Items
Who is going to do my laundry?
You are ... and for your convenience, washers and dryers are located in every residence hall and apartment building. Laundry machines are available free of charge to students living on campus.
You and your roommates! Vacuums are available at each service desk. Each building has a custodial crew that cleans common areas such as lounges, hallways and community bathrooms, and does trash removal and major clean-ups.
Wall decorations may not be hung with any fasteners that make holes in the walls, ceiling or woodwork. A form of "poster putty" or 3M removable hooks may be used to secure decorations to walls, but must be removed before the room is vacated. The use of any "tape products" is prohibited on any painted or wood finished surfaces. The cost of repairing holes or removing adhesives by the University staff will be charged to the student(s) responsible.
UA's Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (EOHS), following the Ohio
Fire Code, has specific guidelines for use of holiday decorations in residence halls. Please check out our Holiday Decorations Guidelines.
What kinds of appliances can I have in my room?
Stereo, television, radio, computer, audio equipment and clocks are permitted. Refrigerators are permitted (3.0 cu. Ft. or less). Small cavity microwave; coffeemaker (no percolators).
Yes. The University has wireless network access, including all residence halls. There is no charge for this service. You will be responsible for network connectivity hardware and software.
Access to the residence halls is restricted to student occupants, escorted guests and authorized University personnel. Unescorted persons are not permitted in the halls at any time. Except for Gallucci, Quaker Square and Ritchie Halls where administrative offices are located, all residence halls are locked on a continuous basis. During weekdays, Gallucci and Ritchie Halls are locked between 5pm and 8am. In addition, most residence halls operate a 24-hour reception area. Guests must present identification as a requirement for building entry. Residents must also present identification when registering guests. The Residence Life and Housing staff receives specialized training on safety/security procedures and enforcement of residence hall regulations from University police. Educational programs are conducted for residents to heighten safety and security awareness. The University of Akron Police Department (UAPD) patrols all residence halls during the evening and early morning hours. READ MORE ...
Emergency Phones: Located throughout the university campus, over 250 emergency phones provide a direct line of communication to UAPD for individuals in need of emergency assistance. These phones are strategically positioned along pedestrian walkways, inside parking decks and at many building entrances to provide immediate contact with the University Police dispatcher. Campus Police respond to all activated emergency phones even if no words are spoken. Look for the blue lights inside buildings, in parking areas and on campus grounds.
In recent years, demand for Fall on-campus housing has exceeded the number of available bed spaces. Because of this, only contracts received by the deadline will be guaranteed a bed space. Contracts received after the deadline will be placed on a Wait List with no guarantee of placement.
When the demand for housing exceeds available bed spaces, a Wait List is established for male and female students who have submitted a completed Contract. Students who are on the Wait List are offered rooms as they ecome available but there is no guarantee a room will be offered prior to the start of the school year.
What if I decide to cancel my Housing Contract?
If you are currently on the Wait List and choose to cancel your Housing Contract before the start of the semester and prior to being assigned a bed space, we will refund your $150 prepayment, if paid in advance, regardless of your cancellation date.
If I am on the Wait List, how long should I wait before I cancel my Housing Contract?
That decision is completely up to the student. Since we cannot guarantee you an assignment for Fall, you may want to look at other options off campus if you do not feel comfortable waiting. Information about off-campus housing can be found on Commuter Central's website.
How do spaces become available?
There are a few ways that spaces become available in our housing system:
Once your name is at the top of our Wait List, you will be offered a space in one of our residence halls and we will notify you by email, letter or telephone. You are not required to accept the room offered to you. However, if you decline this offer, your Contract will be moved to the bottom of the Wait List and the next student in line will be offered that bed space.
How is the Wait List established?
Our Wait List is established by the date of deposit of each Contract (the day we receive your completed Contract and prepayment in our office).
If I am a Freshman and not automatically exempt and there is a Wait List, do I still have to submit an Exemption Petition?
No.
What are my chances of getting a room assignment before the first day of class?
We cannot guarantee that you will be assigned a bed space ... it all depends on the number of cancellations we receive between now and the start of the academic year. Unfortunately, we cannot predict when a student will cancel their Contract with us. The number of and reasons for cancellations vary from year to year. However, we would be happy to provide you with updates on your status after the August assignment mailing.
When will I get my room assignment?
Assignment packets are sent out to all residents in August.
Incoming freshmen and transfer students have a Housing Contract mailed to them once they have filled out the Intent to Enroll Form from New Student Orientation. Returning students can apply for housing during the reapplication process that occurs during the Spring semester.
How do I cancel my Housing Contract if I will not be attending UA?
If you will not be attending UA, you need to notify Residence Life and Housing in order to cancel your Housing Contract. The date notice of cancellation is received will determine the amount of credit or additional charges as outlined in Section 2 of the Contract Terms and Conditions
What if I want to cancel my contract but will be attending UA?
If you have signed a Housing Contract and no longer desire to reside on campus, you need to be released from your Contract. Otherwise, you are responsible for room and board charges as outlined in Section 2 of the Contract Terms and Conditions.
How are housing assignments made?
Assignments are made based on when the Contract was received in our office, then by available bed spaces and the building preferences specified by the student.
What if I am unhappy with my room assignment?
Should you require a room change, you will have the opportunity to do so after the first ten days of the semester, or after all residents in interim housing have been accommodated in permanent assignments. At that time, should you want to change rooms or discuss a living situation that is causing you concern, you should talk with your Resident Assistant (RA). He/she will advise you how to proceed, depending upon your specific situation. The ability to move to another building or room is dependent on the availability of open bed spaces.
Roommates are assigned based on preferences listed on the Roommate Matching Questionnaire that is completed when a student applies for housing. Staff members use the information provided to attempt to match up residents with similar interests, habits and schedules. Be sure to fill out the Roommate Matching Questionnaire and include it with your Housing Contract.
How can I arrange to live with my preferred roommate?
When selecting your hall preference on your Housing Contract, coordinate with your preferred roommate so you both select the same hall. Also, indicate your roommate preference on the Contract where indicated and please note that only mutual requests will be considered, which means you both must indicate each other as your roommate. All roommate requests will be considered, but not guaranteed.
How and when do I find out who my roommate(s) are?
Specific roommate information will be mailed to all residents for Fall semester approximately three to four weeks prior to the start of the semester. The information will contain the specific residence hall room assignment as well as your roommate's name, phone number and email address. At that time, you may contact your new roommate to introduce yourself. Because space is limited, it is a good idea to discuss what each roommate plans to bring so you don't end up with two televisions, two stereos, etc. Some students choose not to grant us permission to release their personal information to their roommate(s).
What if I have problems with my roommate?
To try to prevent roommate conflicts, the Resident Assistants (RAs) can guide residents in preparing a Roommate Agreement Contract that helps outline some common areas of conflict between roommates. When a conflict occurs, the roommates can refer to the Contract to try resolving it amicably. If the problem continues, an RA can assist in mediating or may refer them to the Residence Life Coordinator/Graduate Residence Director.
How do I know if I'm required to live in the residence halls?
All first-year freshman students at The University of Akron are required to reside in University residence halls for the duration of their freshman academic year at the University. Upon admission to the University, all first-year freshman students will be required to make application for residence in University housing and will be assigned, so long as space is available and/or unless the student is subject to one of the exemptions. READ MORE ...
When can I move into my room? Can I move in early?
Early move-ins are permitted only for those students who are members in UA activities including sports, marching band and other specially-approved student activities. Other requests to move in early must be submitted in writing to the Department of Residence Life and Housing and may or may not be approved.
What is the deadline to apply for housing?
First-Year Students: A limited number of spaces are available on a first come, first served basis for students who submit Contracts by May 15. You must be scheduled to attend New Student Orientation to be eligible for an assignment.
If I am accepted into the University Honors College, will I be placed in a special residence hall?
No. The University's Honors College preferred housing is located in the Honors Complex. If you meet all of the stated application requirements including admittance to the program and choose Honors Complex on your housing contract, you will be assigned to the Honors Complex provided space is available.
We have one all-female residence hall (Sisler-McFawn). Other buildings are coed by floor (Orr, Ritchie and Spanton) while others are coed by room (Bulger, Exchange, Gallucci, Grant, Honors, Townhouses and Quaker Square).
North Quad complexes and/or buildings (including Quaker Square) come complete with furniture that can be used to create lofts or bunks only. South Quad complexes and/or buildings come complete with furniture that can be used to create bunks. All lofts and bunks must be created using only approved University furniture. Homemade lofts or bunk beds are prohibited.
Are the residence halls locked?
As a security measure, the halls are locked 24 hours a day. However, residents may enter and leave at their own discretion. The resident's key or University Zip Card will open the front door. There is a service desk located in each building, with the exception of Townhouses. The service desk is staffed 24 hours a day during the academic year. Students will gain entrance to their building by presenting their Zip Card to the person working at the service desk. This will require that students carry their IDs at all times. Residents' Zip Card will have a sticker identifying that they reside in that hall and must be submitted upon the request of a University of Akron official. Residence Life and Housing have administrative offices located in Ritchie Hall and Gallucci Hall.
Students are responsible for cleaning their own rooms. Housekeeping staff are responsible for cleaning the public areas (hallways, lounges, etc.), public restrooms and community bathrooms. Students with bathroom facilities in their individual rooms or suites are responsible for cleaning their own bathrooms.
Are there staff members who live in the residence halls?
Yes ... each floor has a Resident Assistant who lives on the floor with the residents. In addition, each hall/complex has a full-time professional Residence Life Coordinator (RLC) or Graduate Residence Director (GRD) assigned to work with students and staff in their respective buildings.
RLC's are full-time professional staff members with master's degrees in higher education or related fields who live in the residence halls. RLCs and GRDs serve on the department's 24-hour emergency services team. Within their assigned residence hall, they supervise student life and oversee the Resident Assistant and service desk staffs. They manage major departmental projects, including parental outreach, faculty and staff outreach, staff selection and training, publications, programming and staff recognition.
Can furniture be removed from the room and replaced with my own?
No. Each residence hall room is furnished with beds, closets, wardrobes and/or dressers, window coverings, study desks, chairs and a wastebasket. University furniture and furnishings may not be removed from your room. Other room décor is left to your creativity. Bedspreads, rugs or shelves may add a warm touch to your home away from home. There are a number of items you may want to bring with you. Some of these can be a cooperative effort between you and your roommate.
Do the residence halls have computer labs?
There are several computer labs located in the residence halls (Bulger, Exchange, Gallucci, Grant, Honors, Ritchie and Quaker Square).
Please refer to the individual building plans.
If I want to bring a carpet, how do I know what size to get?
Please view your individual building plan for an approximate overall dimension of your room. We suggest that you contact your roommate(s) before purchasing so you don't end up with more than you need.
What can I do to my room to personalize it?
Wall decorations may not be hung with any fasteners that make holes in the walls, ceiling or woodwork. A form of "poster putty" or 3M removable hooks may be used to secure decorations to walls, but must be removed before the room is vacated. The use of any "tape products" is prohibited on any painted or wood finished surfaces. The cost of repairing holes or removing adhesives by the University staff will be charged to the student responsible.
UA's Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (EOHS), following the Ohio Fire Code, has specific guidelines for use of holiday decorations in residence halls.
No ... you are not permitted to paint your room, suite and/or apartment.
Do I have to get my own telephone hooked up?
Students must supply their own telephones and register online for phone service using the Telephone Activation Form.
Are residence hall students required to purchase a meal plan?
As a residence hall student, you are required to have a meal plan unless you live in the Townhouses or Exchange Street Apartments, where kitchen facilities are available. Residents of both facilities may purchase a meal plan if they so choose. You can change your meal plan at any time during the first four weeks of the semester. New this year ... you must also complete a separate Meal Plan Contract.
What are the meal plan choices?
See Dining Services website for detailed information on the meal plan choices.
Visit Dining Services website for a listing of dining options.
See Dining Services website for detailed information
Meals covered by the fall semester's room and board rate will commence the Friday of move-in (August 21, 2009). For spring semester, the first meal served under the room and board rate will be breakfast on Monday of the week classes start.
If you find that the dining plan you selected is not working for your schedule or eating habits you may go to any of the Zip Card Offices at any time during the first four (4) weeks of the semester and have it changed. Any changes after the first four (4) weeks can ONLY be upgrades. Dining plan changes are updated on a weekly basis.
If you live in the residence halls, you may NOT cancel your dining plan unless you live in Townhouses or Exchange Apartments. The only way your dining plan may be canceled is if you move out of housing. When you cancel your housing contract, you must contact Dining Services to cancel your meal plan. You may not continue to use your dining plan once you have cancelled your meal plan.
Mailing Services will pick up mail from the United States Postal Service station that has service responsibility for the University. Each day, Mailing Services will deliver USPS mail to each residence hall student mailbox. Only USPS mail that properly fits in your mailbox is delivered directly to the halls. Residents will be notified if they have a package to retrieve. The address format for mailing items to your mailbox is:
For regular USPS mail:
Student NameThe University of AkronHall + Room #P.O. Box 1350Akron, OH 44309FedEx/UPS/DHL/Etc.:
The University of AkronDocuZip 219Hall + Room #303 East Carroll St.Akron, OH 44325
Am I allowed to bring my car to campus?
Yes. For more information regarding residential student parking as well as how to obtain a parking permit, please refer to Parking Services.
The possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages is permissible in student rooms, provided that:
The Ohio Revised Code regarding the possession and consumption of various alcoholic beverages is strictly followed. In accordance with Ohio law, no student under the age of 21 may possess or consume beverages containing alcohol;
The consumption of alcoholic beverages may only take place inside a resident's room; not in the hallways, lounges, balconies, or outside buildings on University property;
Possession includes having alcohol in your residence hall room;
To avoid any misunderstandings of underage drinking, no alcoholic beverages or containers of any type are allowed in the rooms of residents who are not of legal age (21);
Maturity is exercised with the use of alcohol to avoid damage and to maintain order and an appropriate environment for study. Beer kegs or beer bongs are not permitted in the residence halls. Regulations regarding alcoholic beverages are always subject to immediate change in federal/state law or University policy;
"Monuments" to alcohol consumption, in public view, are not permitted;
Incidents involving excessive quantities (e.g., kegs) of alcohol or continued alcohol violations are prohibited.
There are specific floors in most residence halls which are dedicated SAFE (Substance & Alcohol Free Environment) and are availabe upon request on a first-come first-serve basis.
All University residence halls are smoke-free environments. Residents and their guests are not permitted to burn any substance that will put smoke into the private or public spaces of their residence halls. Residents are responsible for the conduct of their guests. Smoking is prohibited within 25 feet of any entrance or exit to a residence hall.
What is the visitation policy?
Residents are fully responsible for the behavior of their guests. Any violation of the residence hall guest policy will result in disciplinary action. Residence hall staff reserves the right to require guests to vacate the residence hall if the behavior of guests or hosts is disruptive. As visitation to the halls is considered a privilege rather than a right, the Department of Residence Life and Housing reserves the right to restrict visitation privileges to serve the best interests of the residential and University communities.
I have enjoyed my experiences in the residence halls and am interested in becoming a Resident Assistant (RA). Where can I find more information?
There are many opportunities to be involved with ... or work for ... The Department of Residence Life and Housing. Check out the following opportunities ...
What if I live far away and cannot get home during vacation periods?
If you need to stay on campus in the residence halls during Winter Break, please request one of the residence halls that are available for vacation housing: Bulger Hall, Grant Hall, Townhouses, Quaker Square and Exchange Street. Please note ... there is an additional charge for Winter and Spring Break. READ MORE ...
Where do I go for help with general computing questions?
Call the Zip Support Center at 330-972-6888 or visit their website at www.uakron.edu/support-desk/.
Health Services is designed to provide medical care for uncomplicated illnesses and injuries that are of recent onset and short duration. If you have any questions, please call us before your visit.
Health Services Staff:
To assist with your health needs, Health Services staff includes registered nurses, nurse practitioners, a health educator, and board certified medical doctors. READ MORE ...
Health Services is located in the Student Recreation and Wellness Center Room Room 260
Hours:
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.
(Last appointment at 4:30 p.m.)
Closed on weekends and holidays
Telephone:
330-972-7808 (Office) 330-972-8849 (Fax)