Residence Life

Living in a residence hall is a unique experience. It is highly unlikely that students will ever again find themselves surrounded by so many people trying to live together cooperatively. Living with a large group of people in a confined space usually requires some adjustments in personal habits and attitudes.

These changes rarely occur overnight. They are usually achieved through trial and error as each resident, in cooperation with others around them, strives to create a comfortable living environment. OU’s residence halls play an important and distinct role in the total educational experience.  Complementing the classroom learning experience, OU’s residence halls provide a community where a student can learn to live and interact with others on a personal level.

The residence halls offer a variety of opportunities for students to get involved in campus life. Staff programming efforts provide social and educational activities for students on a regular basis. Each room comes equipped with beds, desks, chairs, wardrobe/closet space, cable TV connection, and Internet access. Each residence hall is also equipped with its own coin-operated laundry facilities.

While there is a certain level of freedom and independence associated with living in the residence halls, there are a number of policies and conduct guidelines enforced by the staff. In order to maintain a safe and comfortable environment for everyone in the residence halls, students are held accountable for their actions, as well as the actions of their guests. In addition, health and safety inspections are conducted several times throughout each semesters to identify damages, assess room conditions and ensure adherence to policy.

Residence Hall Staff

Students beginning their college careers are frequently confused by the overwhelming number of activities, academic options and services at Ottawa University. Many times, specific questions and concerns do not arise until later in the year. For these reasons, there are live-in upperclass and professional staff members in each of the residence halls who are trained to help students adjust to the campus environment.

Each floor has a resident assistant (RA) who serves as a campus resource to help with academic as well as personal concerns. The main goal for the RA staff is to establish community of the floor and within the hall through personal contact, as well as social and education programs. Resident directors (RDs), who supervise the RA staff, also are professional staff members. Though the RDs perform more administrative duties than the RAs, they also provide counseling and information to students in the buildings. If your student is having difficulty adjusting to his/her new roommate, direct him/her to the RA on the floor. RAs are a great resource for resolving roommate conflict.

Off-Campus Living Policy

The College is a residential campus where all students are required to live on campus and participate in a University meal plan unless one of the following exceptions applies:

• Married;
• Has dependent children as defined by federal regulations;
• Is 21 years of age or older by August 15 for fall semester or January 10 for spring semester;
• Will be classified as a senior (92+ semester credit hours) by August 15 for the fall semester of January 10 for the spring semester. Applications will be considered pending until status is verified.
• Plans to live with a parent or legal guardian within a one-hour dirve of Ottawa University’s The College campus. A verification form must be on file. PLEASE NOTE: If a student does not meet the age requirement, or does not have senior status, the student’s institutional aid will be reduced. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid for details on the reduction amount.
• Special circumstances. Attach a detailed explanation of the special circumstance for which you believe you should be granted exception to the Ottawa University Housing Policy. PLEASE NOTE: If a student is granted permission to live off-campus due to a special circumstance, the student’s institutional aid will be reduced. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid for details on the reduction amount.

All requests to live off campus must be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs for approval.

Health and Safety Policy

Health and safety inspections are conducted several times throughout each semester. The purpose of these inspections is to assess room conditions and damages, identify repairs to be made, and ensure adherence to the policies of the institution. The following items are not permitted in the residence halls:

• Alcohol
• Candles or candle-warmers
• Illegal drugs
• Explosives of any kind (including firecrackers)
• Weapons (guns, knives, bows, etc.)
• Extension cords (circuit breaker power strips are allowed)
• Exposed element or oil-using electrical devices such as hot plates, heaters, etc.

Residence Halls

The College residence halls are co-educational and are staffed by a live-in resident director and student resident assistants. The Residence hall staff is there to help make the transition to the Ottawa University family successful. Listed below are the residence halls at Ottawa University.

Residence Halls: Martin Hall, Bennett Hall and Brown Hall


All residence halls are closed during Christmas and spring break vacations.

The University is not responsible for articles left in rooms or stored in the residence halls, either during regular sessions or over vacation periods. Students who leave personal possessions in the residence halls do so at their own risk. Information regarding the purchase of personal property insurance can be obtained from the Office of Student Affairs.

Facilities and Operations

Ottawa University employs its own custodial and maintenance staff who clean and maintain campus facilities. This staff does not clean individual student rooms. If your student has a repair or other maintenance requests, he or she should contact the residence hall staff.