Residential Policy
residential policy overview
ORU is a residential campus. All freshman are required to live on campus. Additionally, all undergraduate students who are younger than 23 years of age are required to live on campus unless they meet one or more of the following criteria to be a commuter. Those who meet the criteria are required to submit a Petition for Policy Exception with ORU Concierge. For questions about commuter status eligibility or to follow up on the status of a Petition for Policy Exception, please contact ORU Concierge.
Commuter Status Eligibility Criteria
- Live with a parent or legal guardian who resides in Tulsa or surrounding area (within a 50 mile radius). In addition to submitting the Petition for Policy Exception, students must also submit the Parent Verification Form in order to be considered for commuter status for this reason.
- Married
- Single parent with custodial responsibilities
- Graduate or Doctoral Student
- Enrolled part-time (defined as being enrolled in 11.5 or fewer hours per academic year semester Fall or Spring). Students enrolled in any on campus class during the summer are required to live on campus.
Overnight Sign-Out Procedure
All students (male or female) who plan on taking a trip of spending a night off campus must officially sign out with their Residence Hall Director or Student Development staff.
- Students may sign out with the Residential Sign Out Form. Emergency sign-outs will be handled on an individual basis via the Residence Hall Director on duty.
- Students are eligible to sign out for no more than three nights a week. Signing out for an extended period of time requires approval from the Residence Hall Director during specified office hours. Dual residency is not permitted.
- Students are expected to sign out properly and truthfully; falsifying a sign-out can result in disciplinary action.
- Parents of dependent students will be called for approval of sign-outs to hotels or a residence belonging to someone of the opposite gender.
Chapel Excuses
Chapel Attendance Policy
- During fall and spring semesters, chapel services are held every Wednesday and Friday at 10:55 a.m. All resident and full-time commuter students are required to attend both weekly chapel services. Part-time commuter students taking seven or more hours are required to attend chapel services once a week. Part-time students required to attend chapel have the option of attending Wednesday or Friday.
- Students are expected to be in their seats by 10:50 a.m. Students leaving early must present their Student ID card to the appropriate staff person. Commuters and part-time students required to attend chapel must have their student ID and swipe in the appropriate card reader to be counted present. Students must swipe in between 10:45 a.m. and no later than 11:05 a.m. to be counted present. Students swiping in before or after these designated times will be counted absent.
- Chapel absences resulting from an emergency or illness must have a Chapel Excuse submitted within 48 hours and have corresponding documentation attached. Residence hall residents will have their excuse reviewed by their respective Residence Hall Director; commuters and part-time students required to attend chapel will have their excuses reviewed by Student Development. Graduate students please refer to the Dean of your graduate school. You will also submit a chapel excuse if you need to be excused from chapel on a consistent basis for work or other obligation (documentation must be provided).
- Three unexcused absences result in automatic cancellation of a student’s enrollment at the University. Graduate students who are allowed to re-enroll must obtain an approved petition to do so from the Dean of their school; undergraduate residential students, commuter students, and part-time students (required to attend chapel) must obtain the approved petition from the Student Development Office. These students present the approval to re-enroll to the Student Accounts Office and pay a $50 reinstatement fee. No appeal will be accepted if it is submitted after the next semester of enrollment (e.g., an appeal for the fall semester will not be accepted after the spring semester ends).
- Chapel Excuse Form