Residence Life and Housing
Living on Campus
The educational mission of Seattle Pacific University is not limited to the classroom experience. Faculty and staff members realize that the collegiate years are a period of significant developmental change for most students. It is in the context of community that the University can best fulfill its educational mission to the �whole person.� Living on campus is an integral part of a student�s educational experience.

Living in community offers many opportunities for fulfillment and growth. Students will meet many different people and have the chance to form lasting friendships. They will also have the opportunity to nurture their faith as they consider viewpoints other than their own. Our hope is that they will develop an appreciation and respect for their peers as they find their own unique ways to contribute to the group. Living on campus also carries with it the responsibility to uphold community standards that are designed to provide a positive learning environment for all students. (Please refer to the Residential Student Guidebook, which is received when contracting for campus housing.)

The Residential Living Requirement. Since it was founded in 1891, Seattle Pacific University has been committed to the education of the whole person. For this reason, the residential experience is considered an integral part of a student�s education. Research shows that students who belong to a campus residential community have a more productive, and ultimately more satisfying, college experience than those who live off campus.

The Residential Living Requirement is evaluated yearly to support the residential experience, as well as respond to housing demand. For the 2005�2006 academic year, students are required to live on campus unless:

• They are 20 years or older or have achieved junior status (completed 90 SPU or transferable credits) prior to the first day of class for the quarter for which they are applying.
• They live at home with parent(s), legal guardian, or spouse.
• They are graduate students.
• They are enrolled for 8 credits or less.

Infrequent exceptions to this policy are made if unusual circumstances warrant such a decision. Students who believe they have a situation warranting special consideration to live off campus must obtain approval from the Office of Residence Life by completing and submitting an Off-Campus Petition form, which provides the opportunity to describe the student�s situation and reason for the request. The office must receive petitions for off-campus housing no later than July 15 for the subsequent academic year. Further information is available at the Office of Residence Life at (206) 281-2043.

Campus Housing
Undergraduates. SPU provides housing for approximately 1,600 undergraduate students in residence halls, apartments, and houses. The residence halls vary in size from approximately 120 to 420 residents. Ashton, Hill, and Moyer are traditional residence halls, consisting of two- and three-person rooms and common bathroom facilities. Emerson Hall features suite-style rooms; the typical configuration is a double room on either side of a connecting bathroom. All rooms are furnished with single beds, mattresses, desks, dressers, chairs, cable television service, and Internet access. Residence halls are closed during Christmas and Spring Break.

Campus houses and apartments offer a typical setting of kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom(s) and accommodate two or more residents, depending on the size. Returning students are given priority for these units.

Students must be admitted to the University before applying for housing. The date a student applied for admission will be used to determine housing priority. Beginning in early April, all admitted undergraduates will receive a Campus Living booklet with instructions on how to apply for housing. If a student is admitted after April 1, the packet will be mailed within two weeks of the student�s admission date. For more information, call Housing and Meal Plan Services at (206) 281-2188.

Families and Graduates. SPU also has housing options available for students with families, graduate students, and adult learners (students 25 years of age and older).

Family, Graduate, and Adult Learner Housing consists of houses, apartments, and duplexes, located on campus or within walking distance. Units range from one to three bedrooms. Water, sewer, garbage, and basic cable are included in the rent. Each tenant is responsible for electricity, gas, and phone. Students who would like to apply for Family, Graduate, and Adult Learner Housing must be admitted to the University. Only the student, his or her spouse and/ or legal dependents may occupy campus housing. For more information, call Housing and Meal Plan Services at (206) 281-2188.

Housing Accommodations for Students With Disabilities
Students requesting special housing accommodations due to a documented disability should inform the coordinator for Disability Support Service (DSS) in the Center for Learning. New students must contact the coordinator for DSS by June 1 for Autumn Quarter housing accommodations. Returning students must notify the coordinator for DSS by April 1 for Autumn Quarter housing accommodations. For more information on services and accommodations for students with disabilities see the Disability Support Services section under the Center for Learning (see page 39).

Leadership
Seattle Pacific has staff to help students adapt to living in community on campus. Peer advisors (PAs) are student leaders who live on each residence hall floor and in the campus apartments. PAs are trained to provide leadership to the residents and plan activities and programs. Residence life coordinators (RLCs) are professional staff members who live in each residence hall. They train and work with the PAs and oversee the administration of the building. Student ministry coordinators (SMCs) live in the halls and focus specifically on meeting students� spiritual needs.

Residence hall students elect a hall council each year to oversee the hall budget, plan activities, and represent them at the Student Senate. Students may choose to become a hall council member and represent their floor at the meetings.

Campus Dining
All students who reside in Ashton, Hill, Emerson, and Moyer are required to choose one of five �metal� meal plans: Platinum, Gold, Copper, Silver, or Bronze. Each plan allows students access to SPU�s restaurant-style dining facility, Crossroads at Gwinn Commons, during different times of the day. The plans also provide SPU Points, which are worth a penny a point and save the user sales tax. SPU Points save the student sales tax. Unused SPU Points will roll from quarter to quarter but not from year to year.

Advantage Points are used in the same manner as SPU Points but are not linked to a metal meal plan. Unused Advantage Points will roll from quarter to quarter and from year to year.

Theme housing residents must choose at least one Block 25 plan per year. A Block 25 plan allows the students 25 entrances into Crossroads to be used at their discretion. A Block 50 (50 entrances into Crossroads) is also available.

Although not required, students living in campus apartments or off campus may choose from any of these plans or purchase Advantage Points with a minimum of $15. Blocks and Advantage Point plans are nonrefundable. All meal plans are accessed with a Campus card, available from the Office of University Services. Detailed descriptions of meal plans are mailed with both the housing application and contract.

Crossroads at Gwinn Commons provides service beginning with the evening meal the day residence halls open and ending with the evening meal on the last day of finals. In addition to Crossroads at Gwinn Commons, SPU has a campus convenience store (Corner Place Market), and a retail restaurant and grill (Falcon�s Landing). Espresso drinks are served at both the Corner Place Market and Academic Perks in Falcon�s Landing.Meal plan service is not available in Crossroads or Falcon�s Landing during Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Spring Breaks. Cornerplace Market operates on a limited schedule during breaks.

Meal plans are nontransferable. There are no refunds or adjustments made for meals missed. Meal-plan changes may be made at the end of each quarter to be effective the following quarter; students will receive email notifications of specific dates. Additional information regarding meal plans is available from Housing and Meal Plan Services at (206) 281-2188.

Room and Meal Plan Contract
A student contracts for a space on campus but not for a specific hall, room, apartment, or roommate. The University reserves the right to the following:

• Assign roommates unilaterally.
• Reassign students who are without roommates.
• Use a room when it is not occupied.
• Assign single rooms.
• Reassign students to different rooms or residence halls in the event such reassignments are determined necessary.

Priority for University housing is given to matriculated (admitted) students registered for 9 credits or more each quarter. Students enrolled for 3 to 8 credits may request housing as space permits. Dropping to part-time status from full-time status does not automatically cancel the Room and Meal Plan contract.

Room and meal-plan costs are listed under the Tuition and Fees section of the Undergraduate Catalog (see page 21). Refund schedules and cancellation charges are outlined in the Refund and Account Adjustments section of the Catalog (see page 24).

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