Policies and Procedures

All first-time college students younger than 21 years old as of the official opening day of the applicable academic year and who are enrolled for more than six credit hours are required to reside in University-operated housing. A student is considered a first-time college student if they have not enrolled at a college after high school graduation, regardless of whether they took college classes and/or completed an Associate’s degree while in high school and regardless of whether they took college classes the summer following high school graduation.”

First-time college students younger than 21 years old who wish to live somewhere other than in University-operated housing must submit a Housing Policy Exemption Request. Additional information may be required before an exemption may be granted.

Any contractual arrangements concerning residence at facilities not owned or operated by the University are entered into between students and the owners of the facilities; the University will not take part in the contractual arrangements or attempt to arbitrate any disputes that may arise.

For more information, see our housing policy page.

Purpose

MU Housing is responsible for assigning students to University residential facilities in a manner that supports student success, operational efficiency, and compliance with applicable federal and state law, University policy, and housing operational requirements.

Policy

MU Housing assigns students to residence halls and room spaces using a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:

• Student preferences submitted during the housing application and room selection process. 
• Space availability. 
• Room occupancy and configuration. 
• Learning community or program participation. 
• Accessibility and accommodation requirements approved through the University’s disability accommodation process. 
• Building operational needs. 
• Applicable federal and state laws and regulations. 

Residence hall spaces are designated by birth sex with the exception of the optional Family and Friend Expanded Roommate Option. Housing assignments are made using official University records and in accordance with applicable federal and state law and University policy.

Information used to make housing assignments is based on official University student records maintained within the Student Information System (SIS). MU Housing may review, verify, and reconcile student record information when necessary to ensure housing assignments are consistent with University policies and applicable laws. The University may require students to provide documentation verifying their sex, including official legal or governmental records, when necessary to administer housing assignments in accordance with applicable federal and state law and University policy.

If MU Housing determines that a housing assignment was made using inaccurate, incomplete, or subsequently modified information, or otherwise does not comply with University policy or applicable legal requirements, MU Housing reserves the right to modify or reassign the student’s housing assignment at any time before or during the occupancy period. 

Students whose housing assignments require modification will be notified by MU Housing and provided information regarding available housing options consistent with University policy and space availability.

Final authority for all housing assignments rests with MU Housing. Student preferences do not guarantee placement in a particular residence hall, room type, roommate pairing, or residential community.

Related Authority

This policy shall be administered in accordance with applicable federal and state laws, including Title IX, and other governing legal requirements, as interpreted by the University and the Office of General Counsel.

Residents must follow check-in, check-out guidelines for their space, and they must check in and out with MU Housing staff. Residents must have approval from MU Housing to check into a space. Residents changing rooms in the residence halls must have approval from the MU Housing Administrative Operations office.

When checking out (either to move to another space or out of MU Housing), residents must visit the front desk supporting their residence hall or complete the Self Check-Out form in the Housing Portal to officially check out of that space. See the Housing Policy for information about cancelations and exemptions.

Residents of Discovery, Excellence, Respect, Responsibility or converted spaces in other halls must also visit the front desk serving your assignment to receive key(s) at check-in and return them at check-out. Failure to return your room key(s) will result in lock-change charges if you live in a space with hard key locks.

You must remove all personal belongings from your room and any shared spaces when leaving the residence hall. Any items left behind may result in Abandoned Property charges.

Be sure to clean your room/suite before checking out. Cleaning supplies are available at the front desk. Failure to clean the space before check-out will result in cleaning charges.

See the cancellation section of your housing contract for information about rates and fees. You can find your housing contract in the housing portal or by emailing MU Housing at housing@missouri.edu.

If you move rooms, you will begin paying the rate for the new space when you move.

At the end of each semester, you must depart the hall within 24 hours of their last final or by the time the hall closes, whichever occurs first.

Residents who are not enrolled in classes must check out of the residence hall within 24 hours of being ineligible to enroll. Failure to vacate could result in disciplinary action.

You must check out of your assignment at the end of the Spring semester even if you are returning to the same space the following Fall semester. Summer School residents also must check out at the end of the contract period. MU Housing will send additional communication about moving from the Spring to Summer and Summer to Fall semesters to students contracted to live in the residence halls for the Summer. Residents must be present to move on specified dates. Failure to move could result in disciplinary action and any remaining property being considered Abandoned Property.

For more information, see Abandoned Property and Billing Procedures.

An integral part of your college experience is learning to get along with all types of people, especially your roommate or suitemate. Residents are encouraged to complete the Shared Living Agreement, which is designed to help roommate/suitemates discuss and come to agreement on expectations for one another, relationships, guests, use of belongings and other issues. If you and your roommate/suitemates are having problems, contact your Resident Advisor or Residence Hall Coordinator for help mediating the conflict. Dealing with problems early will promote stronger relationships and decrease frustrations between roommate/suitemates.

You may request to move to another space via the room move request form in the housing portal (exact dates will be shared each semester). MU Housing staff will review the request and will email the resident an offer that meets their preferences, provided such a space is available. Depending on the resident’s request, it may be weeks or months before staff has a space to offer, if at all.

MU Housing staff will review the request and will email the resident an offer that meets their preferences, provided such a space is available. Depending on the resident’s request, it may be weeks or months before staff has a space to offer, if at all.

Moving to another room may result in adjusted charges based on amenities and type of room or hall. Charges for the new room are based on the date of move. MU Housing strongly recommends comparing hall rates before accepting/declining a room move offer.

You may not move (even within the resident’s room/suite/apartment) without MU Housing approval, which will be emailed to you if you accept an offer. Unapproved changes (switching keys and moving in) are not permitted and could result in disciplinary action and/or charges. Roommate switches are allowed, provided all roommates/suitemates involved agree to the swap in writing, and you go through the formal room change approval process, as outlined above.

If MU Housing staff decides moving a student would be beneficial to the student or in the best interest of other residents or the University, the resident may be required to move to a different room, either in the same hall or in another hall, at any time.

Although staff will try, it is not required that a resident receive prior notice that a new roommate/suitemate has been assigned to a vacant space in the room/suite/apartment. Occupants of double or triple rooms, suites or apartments who do not have a roommate/suitemate should assume someone new will move in at any time. You may only use your assigned space and may not use the other space(s) in the room. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action, abandoned property and additional charges.

For more information on buying out the room to make it a single, see Roommate and Suitemate Consolidation.

If there is a vacant space in your room/suite/apartment, you should assume a new roommate/suitemate could move in at any time. You may only use your assigned space and may not use the other space(s) in the room. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action, abandoned property and additional charges.

Additionally, the University may change your housing assignment and require you to move to different accommodations when MU Housing deems it necessary, in which case your account will be credited or charged with any difference in room rates.

If you become the single occupant of a double or triple room, suite or apartment after all moves within and between halls have been completed, you may have the following options:

• Elect to pay the single-room rate if space permits and if it is offered as an option. This is not always possible.
• Find a roommate/suitemate. MU Housing staff may provide suggestions on request.
• Arrange to move to another room/suite/apartment that has an open space.

MU Housing may opt to:

• Give you written notice that your current room rate will be changed to the single-room rate on a specified date. You would then be charged the single-room rate for the remainder of the academic year.
• Assign a new resident to the vacant space in the room/suite/apartment at any time with or without prior notice.