Frequently Asked Questions

Where do students live after their first year in the residence halls, and what do I need to know?

Housing options for students after their first year in the residence halls include The Woods, as well as approved fraternity and sorority chapter facilities. At the end of the first semester, students are encouraged to begin thinking about their future housing plans and attend informational sessions hosted by The Woods and Campus Life. Students do not have to sign a lease at that time and should wait to do so if interested in joining the paraprofessional staff (RA or peer mentor) or a fraternity or sorority chapter — this takes place early in the spring semester. Students should have an idea of what their future housing plans are by the midway point of spring semester.

What if I want to live at The Woods but do not have any roommates in mind?

During the spring semester, the Office of Campus Life hosts a roommate/leasing party for any students who have not found roommates to lease an apartment at The Woods. At this event, students are able to meet and speak with other students in search of roommates for The Woods who share similar interests. When a student signs into the event, the student lists preferences for the ideal roommate, which is then used to locate other attendees who share the same preferences. If students decide that they would like to live together, they have the option of making a lease appointment and even signing a lease at that time. More information about this event will happen at the beginning of the spring semester.

Who is required to live on campus?

Millikin University has a three-year residential requirement for full-time undergraduate students. Students live in University-operated residence halls and apartments, Greek chapter houses and The Woods. Some scholarship recipients are subject to a four-year residency requirement. Please see your program director for more details.

How are roommates assigned?

Most new students are assigned roommates based upon criteria they disclose through the online housing application and roommate preference survey. It is very important that students complete their own housing applications to assist us in assigning a roommate. We take into account habits such as smoking, sleeping, studying and housekeeping when matching roommates. Even when these criteria are considered, a new resident may find that their roommate is from another country or speaks another language. The roommate may be of a different race, have a different lifestyle or practice a different religion. Roommates may differ from each other in any number of ways. Learning to live together successfully is an important part of the educational experience at Millikin. Room changes will not be made based upon differences in race, sexual orientation, religion, ability or creed.

Both my roommate and I have friends who would like to switch places with us. Can we do this?

Yes. This process is called a buddy swap. Any four students may negotiate to swap roommates. Once the decision has been made to complete a buddy swap, the four students must make an appointment with the residential communities coordinator assigned to their building to complete the proper paperwork.

How do I go about switching rooms?

There are no room switches allowed during the first 10 days of classes. After this formal waiting period, students may request a room change and should contact their RA to begin the process. RAs will assist students with any interpersonal conflicts they may be having and encourage them to complete a roommate contract. Students may be instructed to attempt to resolve the conflict. It is the philosophy of the Office of Campus Life to assist students in becoming democratic citizens; this includes assisting in difficult situations and encouraging students of different backgrounds and preferences to learn about one another. Requests for moving rooms are not always approved.

The following steps will be taken when students are unable to resolve roommate conflicts on their own:

• Address the concern with the Office of Campus Life;

• Office of Campus Life will schedule a roommate coaching session;

• Office of Campus Life will determine if a room change is granted; and

• Students involved will relocate to new rooms if approved by the Office of Campus Life.

The entire process may take up to two weeks to complete, pending resident involvement or cooperation.

How does laundry work?

There are laundry facilities for students located in each residence hall. These laundry facilities are open for use by residents of the specific building 24 hours per day during times when the halls are open. Residents pay a $50/year service fee for unlimited usage of laundry facilities. There is no need for coins or cards to operate our machines.

What if I have a medical condition or disability?

Students with a documented medical condition or disability should contact the Office of Campus Life prior to completing the housing application. Housing applications must be submitted along with proper documentation from a medical professional in order to assist us in providing the student with the proper accommodations. Students in need of accommodations such as a single room, air conditioning, a private room or housing on a ground floor, must submit their housing applications prior to the deadline. After the housing application deadline, we cannot guarantee our ability to grant these requests. The University reserves the right to have all medical documentation reviewed by a campus medical provider. Forms can be found on Millikin’s website at millikin.edu/accessibility.

Is vaping prohibited?

Yes. All forms of smoking are prohibited on all University grounds.

Can I bring my own furniture?

Millikin provides each residence hall room with an extralong twin bed, desk, chair and one dresser. Students are not permitted to bring large furniture items into the residence halls. Lofts are expressly prohibited. Small items such as storage cubes, beanbag chairs and rugs are acceptable. If students are unsure whether they will be permitted to bring a certain item to campus, they should contact the Office of Campus Life. Unapproved items will be removed at the expense of the resident.

Are the halls open during breaks?

The residence halls remain open during most breaks, but students who would like to remain on campus during the fall, Thanksgiving or spring breaks must notify our office. Our official closing period occurs over the winter break. Students are not permitted to stay on campus during that time. Students enrolled in immersion or summer classes are required to pay an additional charge to live on campus since these courses occur outside of the normal academic semesters.

Is there summer housing?

Students in need of summer housing (must be enrolled in immersion courses or working for MU) must contact the Office of Campus Life to arrange for accommodations. The summer housing charge is $18/day, based on double occupancy. Single rooms are not available during the summer. The Woods also provides summer housing at competitive rates.

Will I have internet?

Wireless access is currently available in all residence halls. To connect to the Millikin wireless network, students must be running at least Windows XP SP3 on a PC or Mac OS X 10.3 or above on a Macintosh computer. Additionally, students must have a wireless network card or built-in wireless network connection that supports WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access). Most laptops sold today will have WPA capability, and most Mac OS X computers will support WPA as well. Also, most add-in wireless cards available today will support WPA. Students are not permitted to set up wireless networks/routers in their rooms.

What happens if I violate residence hall policies?

Please see a complete list of standard sanctions at millikin.edu/studentdevelopment/student-handbook. In addition to standard sanctions for violations of residence hall and/or University policies and procedures, students will likely meet with a student conduct officer (a professional staff member in Campus Life or Student Development). Millikin University reserves the right to change, add to or waive standard sanctions.

What are the check-out procedures?

At the end of the each semester, the residence halls will close for either winter or summer break. All residents must check out with their RA and vacate by 5 p.m. on their last day of finals. Students who are enrolled in an immersion course, are a part of an athletic team or are involved in other academic or co-curricular programs must contact the Office of Campus Life for approval to move out late.

Do I need renter’s insurance?

Things can always happen. Therefore, it is recommended that students purchase a renter’s insurance policy for the personal property within their residence hall rooms. The University is not responsible for loss, damage or theft of items in student rooms. Students should check with their parents’ homeowners insurance; they may provide student coverage. If not, students should contact their family insurance agent to purchase a policy. Most policies are very affordable. National Student Services, Inc., offers a very affordable plan for college students with premiums starting at just $72 per year. Access more information at nssi.com.

https://www.nssi.com/marketing/NSSI-TriFold-v3.pdf