Campus Residency Requirement

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT
Like many private liberal arts colleges, Roanoke is a residential college. That is, the campus living environment is an integral part of the college experience and is highly valued by the campus community as a complement to the classroom experience. We believe that living together in community provides residents opportunities to interact with other students, faculty, and staff and to enhance their social and interpersonal growth as citizens through shared living experiences.

In support of this philosophy, College policy requires that students live on campus during their four years as a student unless they meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • have lived in the Roanoke Valley area (within 30 miles of campus) for at least six months preceding the date of first enrollment and continue to reside with their parent/guardian;
  • are married;
  • live with grandparents or siblings who live in the Roanoke Valley area;
  • are 23 years old prior to the start of the spring semester;
  • are a military veteran;
  • have a dependent child or children;
  • are enrolled part-time (students who claim off campus status due to part-time enrollment and who return to full-time status during the current or a subsequent semester, will be charged the current room and board rate);
  • are returning for a fifth year
  • have received and accepted prior approval by the Residence Life & Housing staff and are currently living off-campus. 

Students who meet any of the above criteria may choose to live in the residence halls. However, the agreement is binding for the full academic year.  Request for Change in Residency Status forms are due June 15th each year for the entire academic year. If after residing on campus at any time you are interested in living off campus, you must submit an appeal to the off-campus appeals committee to explain the reasons for the change in status. Only extreme circumstances will be reviewed.

PART-TIME STUDENTS
Students who enroll for or drop to part-time status during a term are permitted to live on campus.  However, priority is given to those students who are enrolled full-time.  In the event housing capacity is insufficient to accommodate all those requesting rooms, part-time students will be required to find alternate accommodations.

HOUSING ELIGIBILITY
Housing is provided only for currently enrolled students. The College does not provide housing for non-student family members. The College reserves the right to deny campus housing to students for just cause, as determined by the Residence Life & Housing staff.

HOUSING ACCOMMODATIONS*
Students requesting housing accommodations due to medical conditions must submit required and acceptable documentation to Accessible Education Services before the request will be considered.  Students' healthcare providers are also required to provide detailed documentation which supports the request, and which demonstrates how the condition impacts the students' ability to succeed in their current living environment. Additionally, in order for requests for housing accommodations to be considered, students may be requested to register with the Coordinator of Accessible Education Services.   

Instructions for submitting requests for special housing accommodations due to medical, psychological, or other conditions can be found here. 

Once all documentation is received, relevant College personnel will review the request and make an assignment based on availability of space, the individual's needs, and the College's ability to reasonably accommodate the student.

*Temporary requests for use of a specific room for medical reasons for under 30 days do not require documentation from a healthcare provider.  If the temporary request extends beyond 30 days documentation from a medical provider will be required.

CONTRACT PERIODS
Rooms in residence halls are rented only for those periods of time when the College is in regular session, during the Intensive Learning Term, and during summer sessions. With the exception of Afton, Chalmers, and Elizabeth Halls, residents may not stay in the residence halls during fall, Thanksgiving, winter, or spring breaks.

With the exception of Afton, Chalmers, and Elizabeth Halls, residents may not stay in the residence halls during the time period between hall closing at the end of spring term and the start of the Intensive Learning term or summer term; the time period between hall closing at the end of summer term and the start of fall term.

Residents' belongings must be removed from all residence hall rooms at the end of each spring term, at the end of the Intensive Learning term, at the end of the second Summer Session, or upon termination of the Housing Agreement. At the end of each term residents must leave 24 hours after their last exam. Residents may be fined $50 for each evening they reside in the halls outside of the regular contract period.