How do I apply for housing and when should I do this?
You may apply for the Residence Halls by completing the online application. A $200.00 deposit (processing fee not included) is required with the application. This deposit is refundable and carries over from semester to semester until a student leaves campus permanently and there are no damages to the room. Once you’ve applied please carefully read our policies
Is there a prepayment for housing and is it refundable?
The $200.00 deposit (processing fee not included) is refundable if the housing application is cancelled by the semester cancellation deadline. All cancellations must be made directly with Residence Life by the student. Cancelling or changing admission status with admissions or the registrar’s office does not cancel your housing. See the forms page for more information on the cancellation process and deadlines.
Can I pick which Residence Hall I live in?
The housing application includes a short survey in which you will indicate your living preferences. Please review the residence hall options before submitting your application. On July 15th, room selection will open within the housing portal and you will be able to select the room you wish to live in. Keep in mind that all room selections are made on a first-come, first-serve basis. As a freshman, you must have a roommate and roommate group selected prior to room selection, or you will be moved to the bottom of the list for rooms.
Can I pick my own roommate?
You will select your roommate within the housing portal. The roommate request must be mutual and both students must request each other on the applications. The roommate group that you are in come room selection on July 15th, will be your roommate for the year.
If a roommate is not requested, you will be assigned one based off of your preferences on the housing application. Roommates are matched using the profile questions each student submits with their housing application.
Can I have a private room?
All students are required to share a room in the residence halls with another student. Upperclassmen are doubled only if enrollment requires, based on academic status. If a student’s roommate leaves for any reason during or at the end of a semester, the remaining roommate may (depending upon availability) have the option of keeping the room as a single room at a higher rate. To keep the room as a single, residents must contact the Residence Life Office within three (3) days of the roommate’s departure. Otherwise, a new roommate may be assigned to the room. The University reserves the right to reassign and consolidate residents to other residence halls or rooms at any time for the best utilization of the facilities.
A limited number of single rooms are available in the residence halls and are allotted on a first come, first serve basis, usually by academic status. Requests based upon medical reasons will have priority. Medically requested single rooms require very specific doctor documentation. Single room rates are higher than shared room rates.
When will I find out my housing assignment?
Your housing assignment will show at the end of the housing application.
How and when do I find out who my roommate is for next year?
You will select your roommate within the housing portal. If you do not select a roommate, one will be assigned to you. You will receive an email when that occurs.
What if I look my roommate up on Facebook and do not think we are a good match?
We strongly suggest avoiding the use of social media sites such as Facebook to look up your roommate. These sites often do not provide an accurate representation of what a roommate might be like in person. There is also a high chance that you will look at the wrong person’s profile. Depending on the name, there could be hundreds or even thousands of people with the same name. Instead of taking the chance and getting a bad first impression, we suggest contacting your roommate using the contact information shared within the housing portal. If the semester starts and you find that your roommate really isn’t the best match, you can fill out a room change request.
How much does it cost to live in the Residence Halls?
Residence Hall Room Rates are proposed and subject to change pending approval of the Board of Regents. All rates include cable TV, high-speed Internet, and all utilities.
Am I required to have a meal plan if I live in the Residence Halls?
All students living on campus are required to have a meal plan. Montana Western has two meal plans. The Big Dawg is a seven-day meal plan allowing unlimited access to the dining hall seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. with $100 flex. The Little Dawg provides 14 swipes per week with $300 flex. Please visit the Dining Hall for more information regarding meal times, special accommodations and dietary restrictions. Once the semester starts, the student’s meal plan can only increase. For example, if a student wishes to change to the Little Dawg from the Big Dawg, they can only do so at semester.
When can I move into my room for the semester?
The first official opening day of housing is the Thursday before classes start each semester. Early arrival to housing is only available upon request and must be approved by the Bulldog Life Office.
Residence hall room and mailbox keys are distributed at the Bulldog Life Office on and after the official opening date. Each student will complete a Room Inventory Report detailing the condition of the room and furnishings upon arrival (if sharing a room, both roommates complete their own report). The form is completed on StarRez with the RA. When the student checks out of the halls at the end of the semester or the end of the year, they will complete the form again. This form is a protection for the student and should be completed carefully; otherwise, the student may be considered responsible for damages for something upon check-out that already existed upon arrival. Students are responsible for any discrepancies between the check-in and check-out reports.
Can I ship packages to myself before I move into my room?
You may ship items to yourself starting a week before the official opening of the residence halls. Space is limited for storing packages, however, so please ship packages so they arrive as close to your arrival as possible. All packages will be held at the residence life office. The shipping address is:
YOUR NAME
750 E. Cornell St.
Dillon, MT 59725
Are Freshmen required to live on campus?
The state of Montana requires all students with less than 30 earned college credits to live in the Residence Halls. Please see the Freshmen Residency Requirement for more information.
What is furnished in my room?
The typical “double room” contains two single beds, two closets with drawers, two desks, two chairs, bookshelves, mini-blinds, wastebasket, mirror, smoke detector, and fire suppressing device.
What should I bring?
What can’t I bring?
Why can’t I have a George Foreman grill in my room?
The Residence Halls are not vented like houses, so cooking at higher temperatures for meat products is not safe inside a Residence Hall room.
What size are the beds?
All beds in the Residence Halls are XL twin size mattresses.
About Living in the Halls
Can I stay in my room over breaks?
The residence halls and dining service are officially closed during Winter Break. Room and board charges do not include this scheduled vacation period. Board plans are not in effect during Thanksgiving Break and Spring Break. Stay-over arrangements may be arranged at the Bulldog Life Office for exceptional circumstances or University Business only. Each case will be reviewed independently. Food service may be available during these break periods after consultation with Dining Services. Housing will be provided for continuing students wishing to stay in the residence halls during Winter Break for an additional charge. Advance notice is required at the Bulldog Life Office for students who will be staying in the halls during break periods. At the conclusion of each semester, information will be provided to students about check-out procedures. A $25.00 improper check-out fee will be assessed if check-out procedures are not followed.
How do I Check Out of the Residence Halls?
Students must clean their rooms or apartments thoroughly, leaving them in the same condition as when they arrived, including removing all trash. An RA or BLO staff member must be contacted to inspect the room/apartment and compare it with the Room Inventory.
Is there a curfew in the Residence Halls?
There is not a curfew in the Residence Halls. Students are expected to set their own limits and be mindful they live in a community with other people. The halls do have quiet hours residents are expected to follow.
Quiet Hours & Noise
Students are expected to respond to each other’s requests for quiet whenever their behavior or the behavior of their guests is such that it creates a disturbance. Residents are expected to maintain a level of quiet, conducive to community living and respond courteously to other residents’ and staff requests for quiet. Quiet hours are in effect Sunday through Thursday nights from 10:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m., and Friday and Saturday nights from midnight to 10:00 a.m. Noise during quiet hours must not be audible outside the room with the door closed.
What can I do to make the Residence Halls my home?
We want you to feel at home while living with us! Get in touch with your Resident Assistant (RA) when you come to campus. RAs are students just like you who want to be leaders, educators, and supporters of the people who live on their floors. Your RA can help you get connected to campus, find your classes, be a friendly face, and answer any and all questions you may have. In addition, RAs put on fun and exciting programs throughout the year for you to attend including social movie nights, free food, challenging questions, and much more!
How do I receive Mail?
Residence hall and Family Housing mailboxes are located in the Davis TV Lounge and Mathews Mail Room. Each student is given a mailbox and its key upon arrival. Incoming packages can be picked up in the BLO. Services available at the Mail Room in the Short Administration Building include freight, UPS and Federal Express shipping and receiving, and sale of stamps. Mail Room hours are posted in the Short Administration Building. Students should provide a forwarding address for mail when moving out of the residence halls or Family Housing apartments. Address Resident Mail as:
YOUR NAME
750 E. Cornell, #____ (your mail #)
Dillon, MT 59725
How do I use the laundry facilities in my hall?
The residence hall laundry machines operate only with a Bulldog Card, so you must deposit money on to your Bulldog Card account to wash and dry clothes. It costs $1.50 for each load in the washing machines and $1.50 for each load in the dryers.
Your Bulldog Card can be used as a debit card at the various campus vendor location by depositing money at the Bulldog Life Office/Bulldog Card Center and the Business Office, and over the phone. The Bulldog Life Office is located in the basement of the Student Union Building (SUB). To make a deposit over the telephone using your credit card, call the Bulldog Life Office at 406-683-7565.
What does it mean to get documented in the Residence Halls or other University housing?
Being documented by the staff in all University housing areas means an alleged violation has occurred and all individuals present at the time will be documented through the student conduct code. The student conduct code process will allow for students to attend an administrative meeting and share their role in the situation to determine if any violations have occurred. All students enrolled at the University of Montana Western are obligated to follow the student conduct code. Any time a potential violation occurs, a report (documentation) is filed and everyone involved will be required to attend a meeting to resolve the potential violation(s).
What if I do not like my roommate? My roommate and I do not have anything in common and do not get along?
After you have moved into your room, your Residence Assistant (RA) will have a floor meeting and hand out roommate agreements for each room to use to communicate expectations of the room and each other. These agreements are completed at the beginning of the year; however, they can be modified as the year progresses and roommates learn more about each other and their living habits.
What happens if my roommate does not show up or moves out during the semester?
It is not uncommon for a small number of no shows to occur due to someone not cancelling their housing prior to the semester starting. A semester audit is completed during the first two weeks of the semester to determine what spaces are available due to late cancellations or no shows.
If you do not have a roommate after all students are moved out of interim* rooms or if your roommate moves out during the semester, you will receive a three options letter. This letter will give you three options to choose from:
The three options letter is time sensitive as you will only have two days from the time it is sent to choose an option. The decision form included with the options letter must be completed and returned to the Bulldog Life Office. If you do not return the completed form by the deadline, you will default to option 1 and be charged for a double as a single. If you later decide to choose option 2 or 3, you will be charged the prorated double as a single rate until your new roommate has completed their move. If you choose option 2 or 3 by the deadline and later decide to keep the room as a single, you will be charged the prorated amount from the time of your original roommate’s move out date.
Once a decision is made, all moves must be completed within 48 hours of checking out the temporary key to the new room. If the official checkout is not completed within 48 hours, the resident moving will be charged the daily prorated amount for both rooms until the checkout is completed by an RA.
If your roommate moves out at the end of Fall Semester, space will be used for new incoming students for Spring Semester. If you still do not have a roommate after the Spring Semester audit, you will be sent a three options letter.
*Generally, a small number of students are placed into an interim housing which is temporary overflow housing used at the beginning of the semester. These interim students are placed into permanent rooms that were determined to be open after the semester audit.
Where may I park my car?
If you do decide to bring your car, parking lots are located throughout campus. If you park a car on campus, your vehicle must have a parking permit. Parking permits are included in your student fees and can be picked up the first week of classes from the Bulldog Life Office. If you live on campus you will only be allowed to park in residential parking spaces located around the residence halls.
