On Campus Living: Housing and Residence Life
All full-time freshmen and sophomores are required to live on campus and purchase a meal plan. This residency requirement is published in the Undergraduate Bulletin of Information, on the University web site, and in the annual Student Handbook. It requires students to live on our campus for six consecutive quarters, not including summer terms, or turn 21 years of age prior to opening day of fall quarter in order to qualify to live off campus.
As a residential campus, committed to the education of the whole person, the residential experience is considered an integral part of a student's education. Research over the past 40 years shows that students who belong to a campus residential community have a more productive and more satisfying college experience than those who live off campus. Students who live on-campus are more likely to:
- Take full advantage of campus resources
- Be more involved in campus activities and educational programs
- Take more credits per quarter
- Achieve greater academic success
- Persist to graduate at a higher rate
- Be more satisfied with their overall university experience
A related but separate issue is the Student Housing Agreement students sign to live on campus, which hold financial penalties for failure to honor the commitment the entire academic year. While an exemption from the On-Campus Residency Requirement might be awarded in a given case, often this triggers financial penalties under the Student Housing Agreement “Room Rates for Academic Year” clause, up to an including full remaining rates due.
Exemptions to this requirement are limited to four categories:
Living with immediate family in the Seattle area (siblings over 21 years of age, parents). This category of exemption is only good prior to moving in. After moving in, because of the binding Student Housing Agreement, we will not approve mid-year move outs.
Marriage. A marriage certificate to prove actual marriage is required.
Financial burden which would normally require you to leave Seattle University if not allowed to move off campus.
Medical conditions which the University is unable to accommodate on campus.
Each of these four reasons require some verification from third parties associated with documentation of the situation. The Request for Release from Housing Agreement form must be accompanied by the documentation before decisions are made on the request.
Fulfilling the requirements for exemption will not constitute an automatic release from the residence requirement. Failure to attain an approved exemption from Housing and Residence Life will result in the posting of the quarter housing charges to the student’s SU account. Any freshmen or sophomore-standing students registered for the fall quarter that fails to sign up for housing during the selection process will automatically be assigned a room and meal plan and will be responsible for those charges unless a request for a release from housing exemption is completed. Nonpayment of this charge could result in the cancellation of classes and restriction from registering for any additional classes. Any student found to be providing false information on the “Request for a Release from Housing Agreement” form or during a personal interview will be subject to University disciplinary action.
To request a release from the housing policy please fill out this form and follow the directions.