Words of Welcome from Residence Life & Housing

Welcome to The University of Akron! One of the things that we hope you and your student will find in the Department of Residence Life and Housing is a cheerful and honest invitation to become engaged in The University of Akron.

Sure our residence hall student organizations have won countless national awards over the years and our residential program collaborates with our academic departments to create living learning communities. And sure we can continue all of these activities, and we will, but right now we are more interested in sharing with your student our most sincere and enthusiastic invitation to become engaged in our opportunities.

Whether listening to a singer-songwriter during one of our award winning coffee houses, running for an office in a hall government, or just spending time with their new friends and the resident assistant on the quad, our students will have an opportunity to become a part of our traditions. And we hope this process will begin as your student sets foot on our campus during our annual Welcome Weekend. One of our proudest traditions, Welcome Weekend provides an opportunity for our Emerging Leaders to reach out and connect with our new students on their first days on campus. It is our goal that this sets the tone for students early in their college careers. We have learned time and time again that students who learn to laugh with us will also love to learn with us.

We want the very same as you do for your student, the best opportunities and experiences for them. And our students have taught us the best way we have to make this happen is by reaching out and pulling them into the life of our University early and often.

While we cannot invite the families of our students to be a part of each these opportunities themselves, we are excited to extend a special invitation you. That opportunity is to partner with us. The love and support you offer your student combined with the guidance and experience our administrative staff, hall staff, and student staff offers, makes the realization of your student’s dreams and aspirations one step closer to reality. In turn we offer our support to you as well as your student and encourage you to call, write or e-mail us often.

Of course there are rules to follow which might be broken from time to time; there are questions about when room and board fees need to be paid, and which room in which hall your student will want to live in next year. We are here to help with those questions and look forward to speaking with you about whatever question or concern occurs in the lives of your student. But we are also hopeful you will join us for our family receptions during Homecoming & Family Weekend or during our annual residence hall little (or big) sibs weekend. Just because your role as a parent is beginning to change as your student becomes an adult does not mean we do not encourage you to help us make his or her experience the best possible.

Information about RLH

Residence hall space is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Housing bedspace continues to be limited; therefore, only completed contacts received before May 15, 2009 will be assigned so long as space is availible. Housing contracts are mailed to admitted students. Students will receive specific housing assignment information in August. All first-year freshman students (outside the five county region) are required to reside in University residence halls for their freshman academic year so long as space is available. All residence hall students are required to have a meal plan, except residents in the Townhouses and Exchange Street Apartments, where upgraded kitchen facilities are available. Residents of the Townhouses and Exchange Street Apartments may purchase a meal plan, if they so choose.