No, you don't have to, but we highly recommend it. You will find that living in the residence halls is much more convenient than living off-campus. You are closer to classes, meals are prepared for you, you won't have to drive to a laundromat or hunt for a parking space close to campus. Your residence hall bill will come on your UO statement, so you won't have to keep track of several bills. You will also enjoy cable television, local phone service, and internet access on-campus. In no other living situation will you meet as many people as you can in the residence halls. Additionally, research indicates that students living in residence hall situations maintain a higher GPA and graduation rate than those not living in the residence halls.

You can apply as soon as you have applied for admission to the university. An application will be mailed to you within a few weeks of your admission application being processed. The earlier you apply the more likely you are to be assigned to your preferences. Please keep in mind however that the $30 application fee is non-refundable. You can apply online using Duckweb or by mailing in the PDF application or paper application.

No, your University Admissions application has been processed, but it does not indicate any University Admissions decision.

You will receive a contract (if you applied by March 31, you will get it in early April, after that it is on a rolling basis through September as space becomes available), which you will need to sign and return with a $250 prepayment to secure your space in the halls. In August you will receive your room and roommate assignment and moving information.

For fall term, room assignment packets and moving information are mailed out in mid-August. If you do not have your housing assignment packet by the end of August, please call the housing office, (541) 346-4277, so that we may mail a new assignment packet to you. Due to privacy restrictions, we cannot give out specific room assignment or roommate information over the phone or through email.

Yes, you can submit a profile change request, as long as the deadline (July 15 for fall term), has not passed.

Special interest halls and residential FIGs are located throughout the halls. Locations change from year to year depending on demand, so exact locations are not determined until the room assignments are made in August.

Room types vary in amenities (such as private bathrooms or in-room sinks). Most rooms with private bathrooms are located in Barnhart Hall, five blocks west of the main campus.

You may request three room types on your application, two of which can be singles.

If you move into a residence hall and then want to move out into a Greek house you are breaking your contract and are thus required to pay $9 per day from the day you check-out until the end of the academic year, unless you are signed up for the "Greek Release Program."

The Greek Release Program is available to the first 20 students who mark the "Greek Life" check box on the Housing application and return it before the July 31st Deadline.

Greek Release participants will not be given an assignment into a Residence Hall room, but rather a temporary living space until they decide if they would like to move to a greek house, or live in the residence halls for the academic year. Students are allowed approximately 12 days to make a decision. If they choose to live within the residence halls, a room assignment will be given based on the student's preferences and room availability.

Greek Release participants will need to sign the housing contract and submit the $250 prepayment and are charged a room and board rate for the time they reside in the residence halls. If you would like to check or change this status please call the Main Housing Office at (541) 346-4277 or submit a profile change request.

A student breaking their residence hall contract must pay $9 per day from the day they check-out until the end of the academic year.

Requests and cancellation requests for an overnight parking permit can be submitted online via the profile change request form.

Most halls are single gender by floor (i.e. men on the first floor and women on the second floor). Halls containing bathrooms in each room, or multiple bathrooms per floor, may be single gender by room (Riley, Barnhart, and the Living-Learning Center). Carson is single gender by wing.

Roommates are matched based on the answers provided on the residence hall application, so it is very important that you are thoughtful and honest in your responses to the lifestyle questions and your special interest hall choices. If you would like to change your preferences, submit a profile change request. If you are requesting a specific roommate, you will both need to list the same special interest halls in the same order of preference. If you are selecting FIGs, you need to match those choices as well.

It's as simple as writing down your requested roommate's name and student ID number on your housing application. You will both need to list the same special interest halls in the same order of preference. If you are selecting FIGs, you need to match those choices as well. Applicants who request each other prior to July 15 will be matched. If you have already sent in your housing application, you may still submit a profile change request prior to July 15 and we will change your housing application.

After you have lived in the halls for a few weeks, you will have the opportunity to request a change. First fill out a request form from your area desk. Depending on your request (i.e. changing rooms, halls, complexes, and/or roommates), your name will be place on a waiting list until there is a vacancy that meets your request (During fall term there may be a significant waiting period). If you have a serious conflict, you can contact your RA, CD, or the Associate Director for Residence Life.

Your phone/email address will be printed in a letter to your roommate in August so you can contact each other before moving in and plan what to bring to your room. It will not be used for any other purposes.

There are three area desks for the halls. Services at each desk include movie and game rentals, mail and package delivery, key loans, and more.

• residence hall mailing address guidelines

Since we have limited storage space, we will not accept boxes or parcels for residents who have not yet arrived. Packages arriving too early will be returned.

All student rooms in the residence halls contain:

• a bed for each resident (a mattress with either an adjustable loft bed, a spring bed, or a captain's bed)
• desk
• desk chair
• wardrobe
• window blinds or draperies
• a wastebasket and recycling bin

Most rooms are carpeted (except those in the Living-Learning Center), and all include local telephone service (you must provide a telephone) and a cable plug, which provides local expanded-basic cable. All residence hall rooms are equipped with dedicated Internet access. Check out ResNet for help with setting up your computer.

• Packing Guide

Only rooms that already have loftable beds included in them can be bunked or lofted. Your assignment letter in August will indicate if you are assigned to a room with a loftable bed.

Lofting, Stacking, or Removal of any freestanding beds is prohibited. For those beds which can be lofted, it is the residents responsibility to keep all parts in the room and return the loft bed to the lowest height adjustment upon Check-Out. Installation and construction of pre-fabricated lofts is also prohibited.

Cinderblocks are not allowed. If you have a metal-frame bed, you can use bed risers to raise your bed and allow for extra storage. When you move in, you can assess whether you have the right kind of bed for risers (only high-density risers made of polyethelene that hold 1,200 lbs. are allowed). Bed risers are usually available at Grab 'n' Go Marketplace and Bed Bath and Beyond.

Every year, several companies mail out information about purchasing college linens. The only company that has worked with UO Housing is On Campus Marketing, who have an agreement with the Residence Hall Association (RHA) to provide a portion of the proceeds from their sales to RHA for leadership development.

Most of our beds are extra-long, so the majority of our students will need extra-long sheets. You can fit an extra-long sheet to a regular mattress, however, the opposite is not true. You will find out your bed length when you get your assignment packet in August, but if you decide to purchase linens in advance, extra-long is recommended.

Note: This is a general guide, there may be variation within the halls.

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) provides a free bicycle registration service to discourage theft and assist in property recovery

In addition to two dedicated ethernet ports in each room, you may use your own WiFi router in your room where dedicated UO wireless is not available (currently LLC and Douglas Hall have dedicated UO wireless). There is wireless coverage in many of the common areas like Carson Dining, Hamilton Commons, and some of the lounges. Checkout the UO WiFi Map provided by UO Infographics.

• Rules on using WiFi routers

You will need to sign up for long distance service with University of Oregon Telecommunications Services Department.

Laundry rooms are located in each building. You will need a laundry card to operate the washing machines in your building. Washing will cost you 75 cents per load. Dryers are FREE! Add value to your laundry card by visiting an "Add Value" station located in the Hamilton Commons, LLC North Lobby, or the Barnhart lobby. You can add money to your laundry card with $5 or $10 bills, or a debit card. Add Value machines do not give change. Laundry cards are treated the same as cash. There are no refunds for misplaced or lost cards as well as no refunds for any cash value left on your laundry card at check-out time. Should you misplace or lose your card, a new laundry card can be purchased from the Add Value station. Replacement cards cost $5.00 and each comes with a preloaded value of $3.00. You will be asked to return your laundry card with your room and mailbox keys when you vacate. If you have problems with Add Value stations, laundry cards, or laundry machines, please contact WEB directly at 1 (800) 288-9323.

The Carson, Hamilton, and Barnhart lobbies are open from 7:00 a.m. and close by 10:00 p.m. The Living-Learning Center lobby is open 24 hours. Hall doors are locked 24 hours per day and you must have a key to enter. Safety in the halls is a shared responsibility between residents and the university. Much of the safety relies on the residents not lending their keys or allowing strangers to enter the halls. Our live-in staff members patrol the halls and complexes and the Department of Public Safety patrols in and around buildings on a regular basis...more

To request a copy of the report on campus security policies and crime statistics, contact the Department of Public Safety

When moving into the residence halls it is important to consider insuring your possessions. Most insurance companies will insure your residence hall room under your parents' home-owner's insurance, but it is important to check with their agent to make sure. If your parents do not have home-owner's insurance, or your room is not covered under their policy, you should consider purchasing renter's insurance from an insurance agency. Policies generally cost less than $15 a month and will insure up to $20,000 in personal property. Coverage typically includes loss from fire or lightning, smoke, vandalism and malicious mischief, breakage, and theft. It is important to ask if the policy will cover "Actual Cost Value" or "Replacement Cost Value". Actual Cost Value will reimburse you for the value of the item at the time of loss - a ten-year-old couch might be valued at $50. Replacement Cost Value will reimburse you for the cost to replace that item - a ten-year-old couch would be replaced for the average price of a new couch. Renter's insurance will also cover someone else's property if it is damaged while in your residence.

Federal law, specifically the Buckley Amendment to the Family Educational Right to Privacy Act (FERPA), prohibits us from granting anyone who does not have an educational need to know, access to your educational record without your written permission. In short, we can't share your educational/judicial records with anyone (family members included) unless you ask us to.

• University Housing Alcohol and Drugs Policy

You are expected to set your own limits.

One of the most common areas of roommate conflict involves the hosting of overnight guests. Visits by overnight guests are limited to six per term and require prior written approval from your roommate for each visit.

Smoking is only allowed in designated smoking areas, away from campus buildings.

The RA selection process starts at the end of fall term and goes through the spring term. Keep your eye out for recruiting information posted in the halls, check out the jobs page, and talk to your RA or complex director for more information.

Talking to the RAs and FAs on your floor and in your hall is a great way to get the inside scoop on how to get connected, or check out the online event calendar. You can also attend your complex government meetings or get involved in the Residence Hall Association that holds weekly meetings.

• University Housing Jobs

See Academic Breaks dates and policies.

Thanksgiving
The halls are open, but there is no meal service during Thanksgiving Break. Students who need to stay during Thanksgiving break may do so at no extra charge.

Winter, and Spring Break
The halls are closed and there is no meal during winter and spring break. Students staying over winter or spring break will need to pay an additional fee that covers the cost of housing, security, and the interim key. Any student who needs to stay over winter or spring break must sign up at their area desk during dead week (the week before finals week) and may need to change rooms for the duration of the break.