Frequently Asked Questions - Housing & Dining

Q. How does my son/daughter apply for housing?
A. Incoming freshmen are able to apply online at oakland.edu/applyforhousing on or after March 1. Returning students are eligible to participate in an Early Sign-Up period, which begins the week after winter break, or anytime afterward. Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible as the residence halls fill up quickly.

Q. When is the housing contract due?
A. While we do not have a specific deadline for submitting housing contracts, students are encouraged to submit a contract as early as possible to increase their chances of securing on-campus housing.

Q. When is the housing down payment due? Is it refundable if my son/daughter changes their mind?
A. No down payment is required of students who apply for housing online. Penalties do apply to contract cancellations. Students are encouraged to review the contract in its entirety for cancellation dates and fees.

Q. How will my son's/daughter's residence hall room/student apartment charges be billed?
A. Residence hall room, apartment and meal charges are billed and due three weeks into the semester along with tuition.

Q. What are the housing options for first-year students?
A. Hamlin, our freshman hall is a nine-story, twin-towered hall which houses 670 students in suite-style living arrangements for 4, 5, or 6 persons, depending on the size of the suites. Each bedroom is equipped with loftable beds. The main floor has a large lounge with a fireplace, TV, aquarium, seminar rooms and a state-of-the-art computer lab. First year students who elect to participate in a living and learning community may live in Vandenberg Hall.

Q. What are the housing options for first-year students?

A. Hamlin, our freshman hall is a nine-story, twin-towered hall which houses 670 students in suite-style living arrangements for 4, 5, or 6 persons, depending on the size of the suites. Each bedroom is equipped with loftable beds. The main floor has a large lounge with a fireplace, TV, aquarium, seminar rooms and a state-of-the-art computer lab. First year students who elect to participate in a living and learning community may live in Vandenberg Hall.

Q. When will my son/daughter receive their room assignment?
A. After submitting a completed housing contract, an e-mail confirmation of each student’s assignment should arrive at each student’s Oakland e-mail address during early August. This confirmation includes information regarding which residence hall and room they will be living in, the campus address, the name(s) of your student's roommates and which meal plan they have selected.

Q. How safe is on-campus housing?
A. Oakland University’s campus, residence halls and apartments are among the safest in Michigan. Safety procedures and services are also in place to ensure a safe and secure environment for all students, faculty, staff and visitors to OU. Vandenberg and Hamlin Halls All outside doors, except the main entrances, in Vandenberg and Hamlin halls are locked each night from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. The main entrances for those buildings are monitored by Nightwatch Security staff, who offer information and assistance in the evening. Anyone entering between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. must enter through the Nightwatch station and show proper identification. Guests must be signed in by a resident. Students must swipe their student ID cards to access the stairwells and elevators leading up into the residence floors. Fitzgerald, Hill and Van Wagoner Houses All outside doors for these residence halls are locked 24 hours a day. Residents must use their room key to enter the buildings. Nightwatch staff are present in these houses from 10pm - 3am nightly.

Q. How safe is on-campus housing?

A. Oakland University’s campus, residence halls and apartments are among the safest in Michigan. Safety procedures and services are also in place to ensure a safe and secure environment for all students, faculty, staff and visitors to OU.
Vandenberg and Hamlin Halls
All outside doors, except the main entrances, in Vandenberg and Hamlin halls are locked each night from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. The main entrances for those buildings are monitored by Nightwatch Security staff, who offer information and assistance in the evening. Anyone entering between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. must enter through the Nightwatch station and show proper identification. Guests must be signed in by a resident. Students must swipe their student ID cards to access the stairwells and elevators leading up into the residence floors.
Fitzgerald, Hill and Van Wagoner Houses
All outside doors for these residence halls are locked 24 hours a day. Residents must use their room key to enter the buildings. Nightwatch staff are present in these houses from 10pm - 3am nightly.

Q. What is FERPA, and why does it make it so hard for me to obtain information about my son/daughter?
A. FERPA Policy Statement Oakland University’s commitment to its educational mission demands that it maintain various student information concerning characteristics, activities, academic performance and accomplishments of students. All policies and practices governing the collection, maintenance, review, and release of student education records are based on the principles of confidentiality and the student’s right to privacy, consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974. FERPA is a federal law designed to protect the privacy of education records and to establish the right of students to inspect, review, amend and restrict access to their education records. All members of the faculty, administration and clerical staff must respect confidential information about students which they acquire in the course of their work. Additionally, the University shall be flexible enough in its policies not to hinder the student, the institution or the community in their legitimate pursuits. Each of the record-keeping administrative units within the University may develop its own additional specific procedures in accordance with the general policy stated here. In compliance with FERPA, the University will annually notify students of their rights and the institutional policies pertaining to the FERPA. Notification will appear in publications such as the Student Handbook, Oakland Post, Schedule of Classes and the Grizzly Guide. A full copy of the University FERPA policy can be found on the Dean of Students Office website.

Q. What is FERPA, and why does it make it so hard for me to obtain information about my son/daughter?

A. FERPA Policy Statement
Oakland University’s commitment to its educational mission demands that it maintain various student information concerning characteristics, activities, academic performance and accomplishments of students.
All policies and practices governing the collection, maintenance, review, and release of student education records are based on the principles of confidentiality and the student’s right to privacy, consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974. FERPA is a federal law designed to protect the privacy of education records and to establish the right of students to inspect, review, amend and restrict access to their education records.
All members of the faculty, administration and clerical staff must respect confidential information about students which they acquire in the course of their work. Additionally, the University shall be flexible enough in its policies not to hinder the student, the institution or the community in their legitimate pursuits. Each of the record-keeping administrative units within the University may develop its own additional specific procedures in accordance with the general policy stated here.
In compliance with FERPA, the University will annually notify students of their rights and the institutional policies pertaining to the FERPA. Notification will appear in publications such as the Student Handbook, Oakland Post, Schedule of Classes and the Grizzly Guide. A full copy of the University FERPA policy can be found on the Dean of Students Office website.

Q. Where do students go when they get sick?
A. Graham Health Center is located on Oakland University’s campus just north of Meadow Brook Theatre. The Health Center provides high-quality, cost-effective health care, counseling services, and health education to all OU students. Click here for more information.

Q. How should my student's address be formatted, should I wish to send them mail?
A. Name Room # Hall Name Oakland University Rochester, MI 48309-4401

Q. My student is not getting along with his/her roommate. What should they do?

A. The first step is to attempt to talk to the roommate. Many times the situation escalates because the lines of communication are not established. The next step would be to enlist the assistance of the Resident Assistant to help mediate the situation.

Q. What are the biggest adjustments during the first year?
A. The biggest adjustment that First Year students have is time management. Many students are accustom to a very time crunched schedule and come to college with the freedom from their new schedule; they don’t utilize their time wisely. Video games and Facebook all of sudden use much of the day.

Q. My student called me anxious and upset, where can he/she find help?
A. The first line of assistance is the Resident Assistant. The RA can assist the student with the valuable campus resources available to address many of the college issues. The next step would be to turn to the Hall Director of the individual building.

Q. It seems that my son/daughter is having a hard time adjusting to college. How can I help them through this process?
A. Be encouraging and show support. Ask questions and help the student find the answers. This is a great way to help your student develop a sense of self and independence.