Kansas State University

First Year Undergraduate Student On-Campus Residency Requirement

Chapter 8510

Created December 7, 2021; Updated Dec. 1, 2022

Table of Contents

.010 Purpose

.020 Policy

.030 Procedure

.010 Purpose

Students who live in the residence halls benefit from the residential living experience as an integral element of student engagement and educational success. Mirroring national research, Kansas State University data show a statistically significant difference in the first-year retention rate and cumulative first-year grade point average between students who lived on-campus versus those who lived off-campus.

For these reasons, Kansas State University has implemented an on-campus residency requirement for all full-time, first-year undergraduate students on the Manhattan and Salina campuses to live in university residence halls their first two semesters unless an exemption is granted as provided in this Policy.

.020 Policy

All Manhattan and Salina campus degree-seeking full-time, first year undergraduate students, regardless of emancipation status, must live in university residence hall housing for their first two semesters of enrollment. First year undergraduate students who meet one of the eligible exceptions may apply to the Department of Housing and Dining Services for an exemption. This policy is applicable insofar as space is available in university residence halls.

.030 Procedure

Manhattan Campus (effective fall 2022)

1. The Director of Housing and Dining Services or designee is charged with reviewing applications for exemption and the subsequent granting or denial of exemptions.
   
   
2. In order to request exemption from the First Year Undergraduate Student residency requirement, at least one of the eligible exceptions listed below must be met by the first day of the month when classes begin and the applicable exemption must continue to apply throughout the applicable semester. All exemptions require proof of validity as outlined in the application.
   1. Students who are 21 years old or older before the first day of classes.
   2. Students enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours per semester (i.e., part-time status). Should a student with fewer than 12 credit hours add a class during the semester resulting in a change to full-time student status, the student will be expected to move on campus or apply for an exemption under a different exemption category.
   3. Students who will commute from the home (within 40 miles of the Manhattan campus) of a parent/step-parent, guardian, or close relative (defined as (step)/grandparent, sibling, step-sibling, aunt, uncle). Aforementioned relative must be 21 years of age or older (proof of address required).
   4. Students who are married or in a civil union (copy of the marriage/union license required)
   5. Students who are the custodial parent of a dependent child (copy of birth certificate required).
   6. Students who graduated from high school more than 12 months prior to the first day of classes for the applicable semester.
   7. Students who have at least 24 hours of college credit from an accredited post-secondary institution, OR transfer students for whom the university has accepted at least 24 semester credits post high school graduation. Transfer credits earned while still in high school, including dual credit and AP classes, will not be counted toward the total for exemption consideration. (Transcript copy required).
   8. Students with a verifiable financial hardship as determined by the HDS Financial Advisory Group (FAFSA must be completed if requesting an exemption on this basis). Exemption subject to exhaustion of all on-campus financial alternatives.
   9. Students with disabilities, for whom no reasonable accommodation is available that would allow them to use or enjoy on-campus housing (requests for an exemption on this basis and supporting documentation will be reviewed by the Student Access Center).
   10. Students residing in a community-living environment provided by an Independent Student Organization that has submitted documentation to Student Programs and Involvement, demonstrating it has registered as a not-for-profit business entity with a state government or otherwise demonstrated it is officially part of another incorporated entity that is registered as such with a state government (e.g., fraternity/sorority house, Smith Scholarship House, Wesley House, Clovia House). (Copy of signed housing contract/agreement required)
   Residing in or otherwise staying at any location other than a residence hall, subject to one of the exemptions, is at the discretion of the student and at their own risk. Any location at which a student resides or stays outside university residence halls are not endorsed, required, verified, operated, or otherwise approved by the university. The university's involvement is limited to granting an exemption from this Policy. Any such living arrangements are not part of, or equivalent to, any educational program or activity operated by the university. They are independent and not under the university's control.
   
   Signing a lease for off-campus housing is not grounds for exemption.
   
   Exemptions granted do not automatically result in the cancelation of a previously completed Housing and Dining Services contract, and the cancelation terms and conditions of the contract still apply.
   
   
3. The above policy was effective beginning the Fall 2022 semester. All full-time, first-year undergraduate students who will be enrolled for coursework on the Manhattan campus must either complete the first-year undergraduate housing contract or receive approval for exemption from the on-campus residency requirement prior to enrollment. New full-time, first-year undergraduates seeking an exemption to the housing requirement must fill out a First-Year Undergraduate Student Housing Exemption Request Form and provide required documentation for consideration of an exemption. Both the contract and the exemption request form may be accessed at https://housing.k-state.edu. Students who fall under this policy will be unable to register for classes until the Department of Housing and Dining Services has received their residence hall contract.
   
   
4. Exemption requests must be submitted online via the Exemption Request Form on the Housing and Dining Services website along with the appropriate documentation, by May 1 for the fall semester, by December 1 for the spring semester, or immediately for admissions approved after May 1/December 1 but before the start of the semester. Students who fail or refuse to comply with the residency requirement and/or who furnish false information to a university official in connection with a request for an exemption may be subject to disciplinary action.
   
   
5. Appeals of exemption denials may be submitted to the Vice President for Academic Success and Student Affairs within five days of receiving denial and must contain new information not shared in initial exemption request. The Vice President for Academic Success and Student Affairs's decision regarding appeal is final.
   
   
6. Questions regarding the policy and the application for exemption should contact the Department of Housing and Dining Services at 785-532-6453 or housing@k-state.edu. The Vice President for Academic Success and Student Affairs has authority over this Policy and its implementation.
   
   
7. The university retains discretion to interpret and apply this policy in a manner that is not clearly unreasonable, even if the university's interpretation or application differs from the interpretation of the parties. Despite the university's reasonable efforts to anticipate all eventualities in drafting this Policy, it is possible unanticipated or extraordinary circumstances may not be specifically or reasonably addressed by the express policy language, in which case the university retains discretion to respond to the unanticipated or extraordinary circumstance in a way that is not clearly unreasonable.

Salina Campus (effective fall 2023)

1. The Housing Manager or designee is charged with reviewing applications for exemption and the subsequent granting or denial of exemptions.
   
   
2. In order to request exemption from the First Year Undergraduate Student residency requirement, at least one of the eligible exceptions listed below must be met by the first day of the month when classes begin and the applicable exemption must continue to apply throughout the applicable semester. All exemptions require proof of validity as outlined in the application.
   1. Students who are 21 years old or older before the first day of classes.
   2. Students enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours per semester (i.e., part-time status). Should a student with fewer than 12 credit hours add a class during the semester resulting in a change to full-time student status, the student will be expected to move on campus or apply for an exemption under a different exemption category.
   3. Students who will commute from the home (within 40 miles of the Salina campus) of a parent/step-parent, guardian, or close relative (defined as (step)/grandparent, sibling, step-sibling, aunt, uncle). Aforementioned relative must be 21 years of age or older (proof of address required).
   4. Students who are married or in a civil union (copy of the marriage/union license required)
   5. Students who are the custodial parent of a dependent child (copy of birth certificate required).
   6. Students who graduated from high school more than 12 months prior to the first day of classes for the applicable semester.
   7. Students who have at least 24 hours of college credit from an accredited post-secondary institution, OR transfer students for whom the university has accepted at least 24 semester credits post high school graduation. Transfer credits earned while still in high school, including dual credit and AP classes, will not be counted toward the total for exemption consideration. (Transcript copy required).
   8. Students with a verifiable financial hardship as determined by the Financial Advisory Group (FAFSA must be completed if requesting an exemption on this basis). Exemption subject to exhaustion of all on-campus financial alternatives.
   9. Students with disabilities, for whom no reasonable accommodation is available that would allow them to use or enjoy on-campus housing (requests for an exemption on this basis and supporting documentation will be reviewed by the Student Access Center).
   Residing in or otherwise staying at any location other than a residence hall, subject to one of the exemptions, is at the discretion of the student and at their own risk. Any location at which a student resides or stays outside university residence halls are not endorsed, required, verified, operated, or otherwise approved by the university. The university's involvement is limited to granting an exemption from this Policy. Any such living arrangements are not part of, or equivalent to, any educational program or activity operated by the university. They are independent and not under the university's control.
   
   Signing a lease for off-campus housing is not grounds for exemption. It is recommended students wait to be granted a conditional exemption before signing an off-campus housing lease.
   
   Exemptions granted do not automatically result in the cancelation of a previously completed Housing contract, and the cancelation terms and conditions of the contract still apply.
   
   
3. The above policy is effective beginning the Fall 2023 semester. All full-time, first-year undergraduate students who will be enrolled for coursework on the Salina campus must either complete the first-year undergraduate housing contract or receive approval for exemption from the on-campus residency requirement prior to enrollment. New full-time, first-year undergraduates seeking an exemption to the housing requirement must fill out a First-Year Undergraduate Student Housing Exemption Request Form and provide required documentation for consideration of an exemption. Both the contract and the exemption request form may be accessed at https://www.salina.k-state.edu/student-life/housing/. Students who fall under this policy will be unable to register for classes until a contract is completed or an exemption is granted.
   
   
4. Exemption requests must be submitted online via the Exemption Request Form on the Housing website along with the appropriate documentation, by May 1 for the fall semester, by December 1 for the spring semester, or immediately for admissions approved after May 1 /December 1 but before the start of the semester. Students who fail or refuse to comply with the residency requirement and/or who furnish false information to a university official in connection with a request for an exemption may be subject to disciplinary action.
   
   
5. Appeals of exemption denials may be submitted to the Assistant Dean of Academic Success and Student Affairs within five days of receiving denial and must contain new information not shared in initial exemption request. The Assistant Dean of Academic Success and Student Affairs’s decision regarding appeal is final.
   
   
6. Questions regarding the policy and the application for exemption should contact Housing  at 785-819-0044 or salinareslife@ksu.edu.  Vice President for Academic Success and Student Affairs has authority over this Policy and its implementation.
   
   
7. The university retains discretion to interpret and apply this policy in a manner that is not clearly unreasonable, even if the university's interpretation or application differs from the interpretation of the parties. Despite the university's reasonable efforts to anticipate all eventualities in drafting this Policy, it is possible unanticipated or extraordinary circumstances may not be specifically or reasonably addressed by the express policy language, in which case the university retains discretion to respond to the unanticipated or extraordinary circumstance in a way that is not clearly unreasonable.