Housing Freshman Residency Requirement Policy

History: Revised March 21, 2017

Related Policies:

Additional References:
housing.nsuok.edu

 

POLICY

PURPOSE

The intention of this policy is to ensure that all first-time freshman that live outside of a 30-mile radius of campus live on campus their first year. Because research suggests that living on campus greatly increases the probability for a student's academic success, we want to guide students through this requirement. The population this policy effects is first-time freshmen students.

HOUSING REQUIREMENTS

All first-time freshman students (under 30 hours before the beginning of fall semester) who are unmarried, without dependents, and under the age of 21 are required to reside in campus housing during the academic year. Students residing with their parent/guardian may be exempt if they are living within a 30-mile radius of the NSU Tahlequah campus determined by permanent address zip code. Students requesting to commute must do so through the housing portal at housing.nsuok.edu by selecting and completing the Commuter Exemption Form. All exceptions must be granted by the Director of Residence Life, or his/her designee, in conjunction with a review committee.

EXEMPTION REQUEST PROCESS

The Director of Resident Life will form a committee to review first time freshmen requests to commute from a permanent address outside the 30-mile campus radius.

The initial request to commute will be submitted on-line and will be automatically reviewed by the RMS Housing Software system. Those inside the 30-mile radius, based on their zip code, will be accepted; those outside the 30-mile radius will be denied.

Individuals who are denied may submit a request for an exception to the policy to the Director of Residence Life. The Director will initially review these requests and approve exceptions to the policy based on the information provided, gain additional information from the student, and review any additional information needed to corroborate the student's request.

All remaining requests will be reviewed by the Commuting Distance Exception Committee.

COMMUTING DISTANCE EXEMPTION COMMITTEE

• The Committee will consist of 5 faculty and staff members selected to sit on the committee.
• A quorum of three members must be present to meet and make a decision.
• The decision set forth by the Committee will be final.
• The Committee will meet on an as-needed basis as determined by the number of requests.
• The high volume time for review will likely be over the summer and the few weeks leading into the fall semester.

Exceptions to the policy during review are considered for such things as financial strains created by adding the cost of on campus housing, medical and psychological situations that make on campus living an obstacle, and other unforeseen and unique circumstances. Each student's success and well-being serves as the foundation for all exception decisions.