Welcome to Community Living!

The Assignment Policies is an important document with which to be familiar.

The Tarleton State University housing policy is based on the knowledge that living on-campus can provide both educational and social opportunities important to the success of college students. Research shows that compared to those living elsewhere, students living in residence halls are more involved in academic and extracurricular activities. Residents also tend to earn a higher grade point average, exceed predicted levels of learning and personal development, and more frequently complete their college education within a four to five year period.

AsP1: Room Assignment

Transfer and Returning Students are not required but welcome to live on campus based on space availability. If you have a housing hold on your account, please reach out to the Housing Department to have the hold removed. Housing Department Contact Information: Phone 254-968-9083; Email: [email protected]. The Housing Contract is for a space in any University residence hall, apartment, or other facility the University may acquire, lease, or otherwise make available for student housing after the execution of this contract.

Interested in living on campus, the following steps will need to be completed. The Fall 2024-Spring 2025 housing application will open January 16, 2024.

  • Step 1: Complete the housing application for the housing application term. Application opens January 16, 2024.
  • Step 2: Pay the $100 non-refundable application fee (this is a one time fee that covers all applications, returners that already paid the $100 fee do not need to pay again) Please allow at least 3 business days for processing.
  • Step 3: Be signed up for a Texan Orientation event or an enrolled and registered student for the housing application term. Texan Orientation registration will open in October 2023.
  • Step 4: Select/Change your room assignment during an upcoming self-assignment window – Dates To be Determined.

AsP2: Room Entry

Room Entry – The University reserves the right to inspect university property. Residence Life staff will conduct Health and Safety (inspection) Checks inside student rooms one or more times per semester. These inspections include bedrooms and unit common spaces. University and maintenance staff will minimize room entry and tasks will be completed as quickly as possible. Other reasons Residence Life or other university personnel may enter the rooms include:

  1. To make repairs
  2. To inspect for compliance with health and sanitation standards, fire regulations and building codes
  3. To inspect for compliance with University regulations
  4. In response to an emergency situation or concern for a student/guest’s well-being and safety.

AsP3: Policies and Regulations

Policies and Regulations – The student agrees to abide by the policies and regulations of the University and of Residence Life that are in effect or that become effective during the term of the contract. The terms and conditions of the policies and regulations are contained in, but not limited to, the following publications: The most recent publication of; the Housing Contract, the Residential Policies, the Tarleton Student Code of Conduct, and the Residence Life website.

All students are expected to conduct themselves in a mature manner that is conducive to a positive academic community living environment. Any student whose actions are found to be in violation of the policies and procedures will be subject to administrative and/or disciplinary action, which may include removal from campus housing or the university. Failure to maintain the intent or spirit of these policies may also result in administrative and/or disciplinary action.

AsP4: Overflow Housing

Overflow Entry – The University may contract with off-campus apartment complexes and/or motels to accommodate student housing needs.

  • Overflow housing may be available in the event that all other campus housing facilities are at maximum capacity.
  • Students assigned to overflow housing will be relocated to a regular housing space as soon as space is available.

There are some semesters in which more students need housing than can be accommodated in designated student rooms. In addition, some students withdraw from the University shortly after each semester begins. Therefore, especially for the Fall semester, the University provides space for temporary housing in Residential Leader rooms and Centennial Hall. Permanent assignments are made as space becomes available. A student will be assigned to a designated student room based on his/her assignment priority number as determined by date of receipt of the housing application and signed housing contract. A student may inquire about information regarding assignment order at Residence Life. The use of temporary assignments gives students the opportunity for a space in campus housing.

AsP5: Check-In

Check In – Students check-in to campus housing at their assigned residence hall. At the time of check-in, the student will obtain a key and complete required paperwork. The Room Condition Sheet is used to evaluate condition at the beginning and end of the contract period. If the condition of the room is evaluated at the end of the contract period and damages are found, the student is charged for the damages. The student’s signature on this form, upon submission of the housing application, is an acceptance of responsibility for the condition of the room as stated on the form.

AsP6: Close-Down and Check-out

Close-Down and Check-out – Room close-down and check-out are very important parts of campus housing. Room close-down occurs between semesters. During room close-down it is not necessary to take one’s belongings home. However, anytime that one is leaving the residence halls and are not returning, a room check-out is required and all personal belongings must be removed. Check-out forms are provided by the Residential Leader or the Residence Hall Director. The Residence Hall Director will inspect each room and assess damages following each check-out. Failure to properly check-out, by not following established procedures, will result in additional charges and administrative and/or disciplinary action may be taken. Students should always check with the Residence Hall Director regarding specific questions on room close-down and/or check-out. Any personal items not removed from the room at the time of room check-out will be removed by the staff. Residence Life staff and the University do not assume liability for loss or damage of these items.

AsP7: Withdrawal During the Semester and Refund Policy

Withdrawal – If a student is approved by Residence Life to move out of campus housing and he/she officially checks-out of the hall, a refund of room charges may be made on a prorated basis for the remainder of the contract and a 10% withdrawal penalty is applied for room charge and meal plan charge.

AsP8: Room Consolidation

Room Consolidation – In order to ensure the maximum use of residential facilities and to respond to requests for private rooms, the University reserves the right to consolidate any student not agreeing to pay the private room rate. Each student residing in a room without a roommate after classes begin will be given a choice either to pay the private room fee or to consolidate with another student. Individual hall/apartment room assignments are determined at the discretion of Residence Life.

AsP9: Room Changes

Room Changes – The University seeks to provide residents with mutually compatible roommates; however for a variety of reasons, students at times request to change rooms. In order to accommodate all students’ requests and to effectively manage campus housing facilities, the following rules regulate room changes:

  1. Students are not allowed to change rooms/apartments without written permission from Residence Life.
  2. To support student success, Residence Life discourages voluntary room moves during the occupancy verification period and finals study period of each semester.
  3. Residents wishing to change rooms must visit their Residence Hall Director’s office to find out the proper room change procedure.
  4. All students making room changes must be properly checked in and out of their respective rooms by a Residence Life staff member in accordance with the check-in and check-out procedures.
  5. Students who change rooms without written permission from Residence Life may be required to move back to their assigned space, may be assessed improper check-out charges, and will be subject to administrative and/or disciplinary action.
  6. Every effort will be made to grant room change requests. However, changes can only be approved as space is available.
  7. A student’s first and second room change is at no additional cost to the student. A third room change, during the occupancy period, comes with a $75 room change fee.

Learning to live with another person is a valuable lesson. If roommate difficulties arise, students will be asked to discuss concerns with each other. If problems persist, the students should speak with their Residential Leader. If problems continue, the student seeking the room change should contact the Residence Hall Director to initiate the room change. The Residence Hall Director will decide the actual change and reassignment. All room changes must be approved in advance by the Housing Assignment Coordinator.

AsP10: Delinquent Room and Board Payment

Delinquent Room & Board Payment – A student not making payments to the University for tuition, fees, or room and board by the due dates may be required to move out of campus housing. Failure to move from campus housing will result in a door lock change and, if necessary, storage of the student’s property at the student’s expense. The University reserves the right to place a hold on a student’s grades/records if the student is delinquent with his/her housing payments. Moreover, additional measures may be taken to encourage a student to meet his/her financial obligation to the university.

AsP11: Abandoned Property

Abandoned Property – Non-consumable property left in a residential facility/room/unit, after check-out, will be considered abandoned. Abandoned property will be held for a maximum of sixty (60) days and then surplussed as university property.

Residing on-campus creates an environment where students are more successful; therefore, Tarleton supports a live-on requirement of:

Residency Requirements:

Tarleton supports a live-on campus requirement of one year for new incoming students (first time in college and freshmen). Students about to graduate or have already graduated from high school or have earned GED and have not yet attended a post-secondary institution for one long semester (i.e., Fall or Spring), are considered first-time in college (FTIC) students.

Students who have earned college credits before graduating from high school (AP or Dual Credits) or took classes immediately after graduating from high school (during the summer), are also considered FTIC students regardless of earned credit hours. FTIC students are required to reside on-campus their first academic year unless requesting and receiving approval for an Off-Campus Exemption

Exemptions to Campus Residency Requirement

Exemptions to the Campus Housing Residency Requirement – A student may request an exemption to the campus residency requirement for one of the following reasons:

  1. The student graduated from high school at least one year prior to the start of the semester – this only applies to students who are incoming new students beginning Fall 2023-Spring 2024 academic year.
  2. The student will be 21 years of age prior to the start of the semester.
  3. The student is a married student or a single parent with at least one dependent child.
  4. The student currently resides, and will continue to reside, in the established primary residence of a family member (parent, legal guardian, sibling, aunt/uncle, grandparents) within 60 miles of Tarleton State University’s Stephenville Campus.
  5. The student will reside with a sibling who is a registered student at Tarleton State University and will reside at the address that is located within 60 miles of Tarleton State University’s Stephenville Campus.
  6. A transfer student who has completed college credits in a long semester (Fall – Spring) after graduation from high school.
  7. The student is taking 8 credit hours or fewer as a part-time student.
  8. The student has a financial hardship.

A student may request an exemption to the campus residence requirement for one of the above reasons by submitting the Off Campus Request Form. To access the Off Campus Request Form, log in to the housing link through Duck Trax on My Gateway. Each Off Campus Request should be carefully reviewed for required documentation as a part of the submission process.