2021-2022 Returning Student Housing Selection Process Overview
Welcome to the housing selection process overview page! We have a housing application process that allows you to find roommates and complete the housing selection process from the comfort of your own room. Please review this page carefully so you are aware of how the housing selection process will work.
Application
The 2021-2022 housing application will open on March 1, 2021. All students will access the housing application in the Res Life Portal, which can be found at the top, right of this page and on the Residential Life website.
Our application allows for matching of roommates based on the answers to the questions in the housing application. Please answer each question honestly.
To get started, please complete the following in the Res Life Portal:
1. Complete the ‘Returning & Transfer Student Application’ or the 'First Year Student Application'.
2. Complete the information requested in ‘My Info’
3. Find and match yourself with your roommates. Only students who have completed a housing application will be able to search/be found in the roommate matching process. Each student in your group will need to match themselves with all the others in your group.
4. Select a ‘Dining Plan’.
Priority Numbers
For returning students, priority numbers will be used to determine when you will select your housing. The highest priority numbers will be given to those students with the highest number of earned credit. Credits in progress will not be considered when determining priority numbers. The highest priority is '1'.
When choosing a roommate group, keep in mind that the priority numbers of all roommates will be averaged to determine when you will select your housing.
Roommate Matching
Roommate matching can occur in one of three ways:
1. You can search for and select specific people you know and would like to live with during the application process. All roommates will need to add each other as roommates in the roommate finder, which is part of the housing portal.
2. You can use the search function in the roommate finder in the housing portal to find students who answered application questions similarly to you. You have full control to focus your search on specific questions or all questions.
3. You can let us use the new roommate matching software to find you the best match based on your application questions. For returning students, this process will occur after the housing selection nights.
Help Guide for Selecting a Roommate
Housing Selection Details
When you go through the housing selection process on your selection night, students must fill a complete room. Stuyvesant Hall will allow for students to sign up for one half of a suite (2 students), and Hayes requires students to fill an entire suite (4 students).
Groups who do not have a full roommate group capable of filling a suite (group of 2 in Stuy, group of 4 in Hayes and Welch) will not be able to select housing on their housing selection night. Students in this situation will be assigned a room on April 27, and any vacant spots within a roommate group will be filled with another student using the Roommate Finder system.
Bradford Milligan Hall
The new apartment building, Bradford Milligan Hall, will be complete in May 2020! This residential community will be for seniors only. More information about the building itself and how selection in to the community will work will be available before the housing application opens in February 2021.
First Year Housing Options
All First Year students live together because we understand first year students are going through similar issues as they relate to their transition away from home. In their first year, OWU students will live in Smith, Welch, and Thomson. For more information on our housing options, please our Housing Options web page.
Early Housing Placement Process
The following houses and circumstances will go through the early housing placement process, which takes place before other returning students go through the housing selection process. Early placement applications will be available November 13, 2020 and are due on February 12, 2021. Full timeline details is available under the "Returning Student Housing Selection Timeline" below. Students not selected for an early housing placement will be asked to complete the Returning & Transfer Student Housing Application.
| Bigelow Reed House |
This house is reserved for students majoring in Business Administration, Economics, Accounting, and International Business. Students and roommate groups comprised of students all studying in these majors will be given priority assignments in Bigelow Reed House over others. |
| House of Black Culture |
Students who have lived in the house in the past will be given priority. All other placements are decided based on application question responses. |
| Panhel House |
This house is reserved for women in a sorority. Each sorority is allowed 5-6 spots in the house, though spots unfilled by one sorority can be filled with members of another sorority. For those interested in living in the house, selection will be based on credit hour and involvement in sorority or Panhel leadership positions. |
| Honors House |
Only students in the Honors Program may live in the Honors House. For those who express interest in living in the house, selection in to the house is decided in consultation with the Honors Program. |
| SLUs |
SLUs recruit and select their own members. SLU Moderators will communicate rosters and room assignments to Residential Life. |
| Fraternity Houses |
Fraternities recruit and select their own members. Fraternity RAs will communicate rosters and room assignments to Residential Life. |
| Housing Accommodations |
For those with official housing accommodations through Student Disability Services. |
| Special Interest Floors |
Any other special interest floors that require early placement |
| Resident Advisors/Moderators |
Those hired for a Res Life staff role will be placed in their housing assignment |
Returning Student Housing Timeline
| November 13, 2020 |
Early housing process applications available |
| February 12, 2021 |
Early housing process applications due |
| February 26, 2021 |
Early housing assignments out to students |
| March 1, 2021 |
Returning student housing application available |
| March 1 - April 15, 2021 |
Roommate matching is open |
| April 15, 2021 |
Returning student application closed for housing selection |
| April 16, 2021 |
Housing priority numbers sent to each returning student |
| April 19, 2021 |
Housing selection night 1, 6pm-9pm |
| April 20, 2021 |
Housing selection night 2, 6pm-9pm |
| April 21, 2021 |
Housing selection night 3, 6pm-9pm |
| April 22, 2021 |
Housing selection night 4, 6pm-9pm |
| April 23, 2021 |
Returning student housing application reopens for late applications |
| May 7, 2021 |
Students who didn't go through housing selection assigned to residential spaces |
| May 7-August 1, 2021 |
Late applications processed and placements made on rolling basis |
First Year & Transfer Student Selection Timeline
| March 1, 2021 |
First year and Transfer student housing applications open |
| March 1 - July 2, 2021 |
Roommate matching is open |
| July 2, 2021 |
Final deadline for first year and transfer student housing applications |
| July 12, 2021 |
Housing placements shared with first year and transfer students |
Small Living Unit Application & Renewal
The application for new and renewing Small Living Units (SLU) will be available on November 16, 2020. Please review the application for a full timeline and overview of the application and renewal process. If you have questions, please direct them to reslife@owu.edu.
New & Renewing SLU Application
The new & renewing SLU application will be available on November 16, 2020. If you need a SLU application, please request one via email at reslife@owu.edu.
2021-2022 SLU Selection Important Dates
| November 13, 2020 |
Moderator application available |
| November 16, 2020 |
SLU application available, shared with SLUs, RAs, and OWU Daily |
| February 5, 2021 |
SLU applications due |
| February 15, 2021 |
Moderator application due, SLUs must each have two moderator candidates. |
| February 15, 2021 |
SLUs notified of application status and house assignment |
| February 22-26, 2021 |
SLUSH |
| February 28, 2021 |
SLUs provide Res Life with list of new member candidates |
| March 1-5, 2021 |
SLU interviews of potential members |
| March 6-7, 2021 |
SLU membership decisions |
| March 8, 2021 |
SLUs notify new members and those not selected |
| March 10, 2021 |
New member acceptance deadline |
| March 12, 2021 |
SLU rosters and placements due to Res Life |
