further Review Process

The further review process is for cases that need more information than what was submitted initially for a decision to be made. It gives students a one-time opportunity to submit more complete and detailed information about their case.

The Residence Life Review Committee will further review all contract and exemption requests.

The committee meets once per month on or around the 15th. Completed review forms should be submitted no later than the 12th of the month for consideration. Incomplete forms will not be reviewed. Review forms are submitted through the housing portal.

BEFORE SUBMITTING A REVIEW REQUEST

Please consider thoughtfully your reasons for submitting information for further review. The most frequently cited--but rarely granted-reasons are outlined here:

Exemption or Contract Cancellation Denial Reasons

Already Signed a Lease –Students who sign leases without having received an “approved” email from the ATU Department of Residence Life will still be responsible for fulfilling the on-campus housing requirement. You are advised to not sign a lease unless you have received an email from our office indicating that you are exempt from the housing requirement.
Allergies and/or Asthma –Many students come to campus with allergies, asthma, or some other type of chronic health problem. Some students develop allergies after they arrive due to the new environment. Although many students have allergies, it is rarely the basis for an exemption as it does not prevent them from living and academically achieving in the residence halls. In severe cases of allergies and asthma, the University can usually offer some type of accommodations that can help, such as year-round air conditioning, a single room, an air purifier (purchased by the student), etc., in addition to whatever medications or strategies are prescribed by their physician. While we do not attempt to ensure that all allergic symptoms are eliminated, we will do what we can to provide accommodations that help alleviate the symptoms in severe cases. Students who need an accommodation due to allergies, asthma, or any type of chronic health problem should contact the Office of Disability Services.
Anxiety –The transition into college can be a stressful one, but our residence hall staff is trained to assist our students through such transitions and do so in a supportive environment. It is not uncommon for college students to face some level of anxiety; there are many resources on campus – Student Health and Wellness Center – that are available to assist our students through their college transition. Unless it can be documented that the student’s anxiety is unique and severe enough to warrant an exemption, such requests are typically not approved.
Bad Experience with Roommates or Floor-mates –The staff of Residence Life wants students to have a rich and rewarding residence hall experience. Sometimes, however, roommates are not compatible – even roommates who originally chose to live together. In these cases, we recommend that both roommates work with the hall staff to try to work out their problems or make a room change. An room change process occurs within a couple of weeks after the start of each semester for any resident who would like to make a room change. Living in an undesirable situation can often be avoided by working with the professional residence hall staff to resolve the issue or make an immediate room change.
Finances –If a student chooses to attend ATU, there is an assumption that he/she has the financial resources to pay for it. If a change in your financial situation has occurred since signing the residence hall contract, please work with the Office of Financial Aid to see what aid options may be available. Although having both a lease and a residence hall contract could cause a financial difficulty, it is not grounds for an exemption.
Food/Dining –Food Service offers a wide variety of dining options and types of food, including low-fat and vegetarian options. Chartwells can almost always accommodate students who are on special diets and have food allergies (including gluten and dairy). Contact Chartwells at 479-498-6033 for more information.
Lack of Privacy –Most students are used to having more privacy at home than they have in the residence halls and this can require a major adjustment. If it is extremely disturbing to the student or if the student is an individual with a disability and needs more privacy for medical reasons, the Office of Disability Services can determine if a reasonable accommodation is necessary.
Want to Live with a Non-Parent Relative (sibling, cousin, aunt, grandparent, etc.) or Commute from Outside the Approved Commuting Distance –Students may live full-time and commute from home only under two conditions:
1. They will reside full-time with a parent or legal guardian (someone who has applied for and been granted legal guardianship by the court) and
2. That parent/legal guardian lives within a 30-mile driving radius of ATU’s Russellville campus. If either of those two conditions are not met, an exemption will not be granted.

Please consider the following:

Requests are rarely granted.
Residence Life’s first obligation is to make appropriate accommodations for students with serious health problems and/or disabilities. Therefore, our goal is always to try to find a solution within the residence halls to whatever problem is prompting your request for an exemption.
The review process is not to be taken lightly since many people are coming together to review each and every request. Therefore, we ask that you carefully consider whether or not your situation is so extreme that it cannot be resolved in the residence halls or that the consequences of remaining in the residence halls would be severely negative for you.
If you decide to submit information for further review, you will have only one opportunity do so. All requests MUST be submitted in writing. The only thing that is needed to review a request is your written statement and completed form.You may provide any supporting documentation you want the committee to consider.
Members of the Residence Life Review Committee include representatives from the student body as well as experts from various professions to ensure a thorough and knowledgeable review of each case. Therefore, the decision of the Residence Life Reviews Committee is final. No additional requests will be considered.

If you still wish to submit your case for further review, you need to complete the Contract Cancellation or Exemption Review form available on the housing portal and submit any supporting documentation that you want the Review Board to consider according to the deadlines listed on the Residence Life website.

The deadlines are firm; no cases will be reviewed between the above dates. If all your documents are not submitted by the deadline, your case will not be reviewed until the next review session or it will be reviewed without supporting documentation.The review deadlines will not be adjusted to meet personal deadlines. You are strongly advised NOT to sign a lease until your case has been reviewed and unless you are granted an exemption in writing from the Department of Residence Life.

If exceptions are rarely granted, then why have A Review process?

Many students don’t realize the number of ways the University can meet their needs and the type of accommodations that can be made to enable them to fulfill their housing requirement. However, there are those rare circumstances where a student with a significant problem or extreme circumstance has special needs that cannot be met in the residence halls. Determining whether or not those circumstances provide the basis for an exception to a University requirement can be difficult. That is where the expertise of the Residence Life Review Committee members is helpful. Our goal in having both students and professional University staff on the board is to ensure that every case is given personal attention—not just by one reviewer, but by a board of experienced reviewers.

STUDENT REQUIREMENTS

If you choose to submit a formal review request, please do so through the housing portal, there students will be required to:

Complete Residence Life Contract Cancellation OR Exemption Review Form including review statement and;
Upload verifiable documentation supporting the reasons for your review

The Residence Life Review Committee will review your case at the next scheduled committee meeting.

Review statement and documentation

Expemption Review

Your Exemption Review statement should address the following:

Submit a Statement that includes detailed information about your situation and why you are requesting a review of your exemption case. Include any other documentation you feel would be pertinent to your request. You will not have an opportunity to present the information, therefore it is important to be as detailed as possible.

Personal hardship, which may include medical issues, death in the immediate family or a documented financial hardship (unemployment, reduced income-furloughs, loss of job, pay cut)
Reviews based on medical hardship should include documentation from the Housing Accommodation Process. Please provide sufficient and satisfactory evidence of a medical condition for which on-campus accommodations cannot be made. The Residence Life Review Committee cannot make a decision until receiving and reviewing a formal recommendation from the Office of Disability Services.
Reviews based on financial hardship should include the following:
Copy of the Financial Aid Award (letter or screenshot)
The Financial Aid Award must include awarded aid and accepted aid.
If any financial aid was declined, a statement of rationale.
Letters from parent/guardian (unless student has established independent status with the Financial Aid Office) and from person student is requesting to live with supporting the student’s request.

Contract Cancellation Review

Your Contract Cancellation Review statement should address the following:

Submit a Statement that includes detailed information about your situation and why you are requesting a contract cancellation review. Include any other documentation you feel would be pertinent to your request. You will not have another opportunity to present the information, therefore it is important to be as detailed as possible. Your statement should include answers to the following questions:
When do you wish to move out of campus housing (or when did you do so)?
What is the problem and why is it significant?
How is this problem uncontrollable by you or your parents?
Why was this problem unforeseeable by you or your parents?
What efforts have you made to resolve the problem?
When, and to what extent, have you consulted with your Resident Assistant or Residence Director about this problem?
If you are released from your contract, where do you intend to live?
In what way will your new living environment resolve the problem?

how to submit a review request

Log into the housing portal with OneTech username and password
Go to Forms
If submitting information regarding an Exemption:
Select Exemption. The same form used for the initial exemption request will provide a new page with the review form.
If submitting information regarding a Contract Cancellation:
Select Contract Cancellation. The same form used for the initial contract cancellation request will provide a new page with the review form.
Complete form including review statement, upload supporting documentation, and submit.

Review Form [Housing Portal]