Campus Housing

The Housing contract is binding for the entire academic year (fall and spring semesters). Rooms may be occupied, and meals will be served in accordance with the College residence halls calendar, which is subject to reasonable change by the College. Periods of official vacations and the period between semesters or sessions are not covered by the room and board fees established for this contract.  If you would like to request Summer housing.  A separate contract must be requested prior to April 1 of any given year. The student shall vacate his or her room within 12 hours after his or her last final examination, not to exceed the closing time given in the College residence hall calendar.

FOOD SERVICES: Food services under this contract will provide dining services as outlined in the vendor’s contract throughout the academic year.

The residence halls remain open for Thanksgiving and spring break vacations. Dining plans are not in effect during these times; students will need to arrange for meals on their own. Halls are closed during the Christmas break period and students are required to vacate their rooms. Specific hall closing information will be published and distributed prior to each closing period and will be listed on the Housing Web site. Please note that students must vacate halls within 24 hours of their last final exam in both fall and spring semesters or by no later than 12 p.m. on the closing date published by the Housing Department; whichever comes first.

Housing Rates

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Building Floor Plan

Room Floor Plan

Housing Checklist

Review student code of conduct in College Catalog.

The Bookstore provides mailing services for students. Students living on campus should have mail addressed as follows:

University of Arkansas Rich Mountain
c/o Bookstore
Student Name and Room Number
1100 College Drive
Mena, AR 71953

If students have a postage due notice from the Mena Post Office, they are required to pick up the item themselves from the Mena Post Office within 10 days.

Students who withdraw or take leave from the College during the academic year must remove personal belongings by no later than 24 hours after the withraw date. In addition, students who are not contracted for summer housing may not leave personal possessions in the halls during the summer. Items left after the scheduled check-out date or items improperly stored in common spaces will be deemed abandoned and may be discarded by the College. Students may be charged for the removal of such property.

Each housing unit will consist of a kitchenette style design.  These apartment kitchens typically consist of a full-size refrigerator, sink, limited cabinet space, and microwave. In all residential rooms personal appliances are permitted if they meet the following guidelines:

One refrigerator permitted per room, no larger than 3.6 Cubic Feet.

Personal appliances must be removed from the residence hall when a student checks-out. Please refer to the prohibited items list under the Safety Responsibilities Policy (see below) for more information regarding appliances in the housing units.

It is expected that all members of the College community be active participants in the creation and maintenance of a secure and safe residential environment. Students not present in their living spaces when their guests(s) commit violations(s) of College policy or the Code of Student Conduct may be held accountable for the violation(s). 

All students, residential and non-residential, are expected to adhere to the following policies and guidelines. The following are defined as unsafe behaviors or practices in a residential community. Students found engaging in these behaviors may be subject to disciplinary action.

• Blocking or preventing the use of room doors, hallways, exit doors and stairwells
• Any action which compromises the security or residents including propping open or tampering with the locking mechanism of interior or exterior doors
• Admitting unauthorized individuals to secured buildings
• Constructing any object or modifying the resident hall in any way that might contribute to fire hazard, physical danger or unsafe conditions
• Entering or misusing restricted areas such as roofs, fire escapes, attics, work rooms or storage areas
• Possession, use or storage of flammable/combustible materials or liquids, or other heat producing materials, combustible liquids, or devices including outdoor grills
• Individual or group activities that may lead to injury or destruction of property including but not limited to, ball games and sports played within the hall
• Removal of or damage to exit signs, other safety/security notices or devices
• Tampering with fire safety equipment such as extinguishers, smoke detectors, alarms and sprinklers
• Projectiles of any sort
• Any object or substance thrown with the potential of defacing or damaging personal or College property or causing personal injury/disruption
• Rappelling, climbing and/or scaling exterior walls of any building
• Removal of screens from windows
• Smoking on any College property
• Throwing or hanging items from windows
• Use of bed lofts, bed risers, or cinder blocks

Because of the potential damage to facilities or fire hazards the following items are restricted or prohibited in all College residential buildings. Prohibited items are subject to immediate confiscation and disposal of the item(s).

• Hot plates, toaster ovens, space heaters and any appliance with an open heating element or coil are prohibited
• Halogen Lamps are prohibited
• All lamps and appliances should be UL approved (indicating that the lamp or appliance has passed the Underwrite Laboratories' safety requirements for use by consumers)
• Rooms are restricted to one room size/personal refrigerator no larger than 3.6 cu. Ft.
• Extension cords and surge protectors must be UL approved. Extension cords/plugs should not be placed under carpets, tacked or stapled. Major appliances should not be plugged into extension cords. Multiple extension cords or power strips may not be strung together.
• Plug adapters should be UL approved and not rated less than 125 volts/15 amperes.
• Residents should employ the prudent use of surge protectors to protect property from unexpected electrical damage
• Heavy energy drawing appliances (irons, hair dryers, televisions, refrigerators, microwaves) should be plugged directly into socket outlets and unplugged when not in use
• Hanging or placing items on ceilings is prohibited
• Fabrics may not be draped over lamps or other fixtures that generte heat
• Candles and incenses are prohibited; decorative candles must have the wick cut off

During the initial fall check-in process in August, students should report to their assigned check-in locations where keys and other check-in materials will be available. Upon check-in, students are required to complete a Room Condition Report for the space in which they will be residing. Failure to check-in by 5 p.m. on the student's first day of classes will result in assignment of the room to another student, unless advance permission for an extension is granted in writing by Housing Services. 

During the academic year, students checking into a new assignment will receive check-in information and procedures specific to their situation from Housing Services. Housing Services is unable to provide individual assistance with moving in or out of an assignment. However, at the initial fall check-in period in August and the final check-out period in May bins and carts are provided for student use.

Before checking out, students must remove all personal articles, including trash, from the room. Students should contact their Housing official for additional instructions on checking out of the residence halls.

Students should be concerned with the safety and handling of College property — in individual rooms, shared spaces and common areas — and should do their best to see that College property is not damaged or stolen and that residential communities are maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner. By signing a Housing and Dining Services contract, students agree that all damages to College property caused by the student or the student’s guest(s) will be repaired or replaced by the College at the expense of the student.  Students further agree that all costs for damages occurring on the floor or building will be shared equally by all students of that floor or building when individual(s) causing the damage cannot be precisely determined by the University.

Individual Room
Each student is responsible for the condition of his/her room and for the care of College furnishings in the room. During the check-in process, each student is given a Room Condition Report. Using the report, each student is required to thoroughly inspect and inventory his/her room, making note of any damage or issues with the condition of the room, and return the reviewed Room Condition Report to the Housing Director. Not updating a report indicates that no damage or other issues were present upon move-in. A student may contact the Housing Director at any point during the academic year to review his/her Room Condition Report.

When a student checks out of the room, a check-out appointment should be made with the Resident Assistant (RA). Using the report that was completed at check-in, the student and the RA will inspect and inventory the room together for issues, damage, and missing property. Once the inspection has been conducted, the RA will forward the completed form to the Housing Director who will conduct a final inspection. If the Housing Director determines that the room has been damaged beyond normal wear, or that College property is missing, he or she will assess the appropriate charges. All students of a room will share costs equally for damages that occur in their room, unless the damage can be specifically attributed to an individual(s).  By not participating in a check-out appointment, students waive the right to appeal any charges assessed by the Housing Director.

Shared Space
Shared space is defined as any non-bedroom space shared by students of an apartment or suite. This includes, but is not limited to, kitchens, living rooms, bathrooms, and hallways. Students of apartments or suites are responsible for the proper use, care, and maintenance of the premises and furnishings. Students will be expected to complete the shared space portion of their Room Condition Report at check-in. At check-out, inspections of shared space are done at the same time and in the same manner as room inspections for Individual Rooms and the same processes and rules apply.

Billing and Notification
For damages that are discovered during the academic year, the cost to repair or replace College property will be posted to the account(s) of the individual(s) responsible. Each individual student will then receive notification of the charge to his/her student account via his/her College email account. Charges generally take 7-10 days to be posted to individual student accounts.

Residence Hall Closing: For damages that are identified during the residence hall closings at the end of the spring semester, charges will be available and posted to the student account(s) of the individual(s) determined responsible by June 1. Each student will receive notification of the charges assigned to him/her as a result of damage to his/her specific room via his/her College email account. 

Appeals
A student who believes that he/she was billed incorrectly for damages may submit a formal written appeal of the charges to the Housing Director. All appeals must be in writing.

For damage charges billed during the academic year the deadline to submit an appeal is 10 business days from the date that the billing notification was sent. For damage charges billed after the residence halls close in May the deadline to submit an appeal is July 1. 

Directions for the appeal process will be included with the damage notification sent to the student's College email.  All appeals should include the student's full name and student ID number, the specific charge(s), and the specific reason (s) why the charge(s) is (are) being appealed.  The Housing Director will notify the student of the decision regarding his/her appeal, normally within 10 business days of receipt of the appeal, via the student's College email account. 

Students are permitted to display personal belongings inside their assigned rooms in a manner that does not damage walls, doors, or other College property.  However, decorations, furniture, and other items may not impede fire safety, entrance, ventilation, or view of a room.

Alcohol-related containers, packaging, and paraphernalia may not be collected or displayed in any residential space in a manner deemed to promote alcohol use or abuse.

Decorations and other student belongings may not be displayed in a manner that affects the exterior appearance of College facilities.  Nothing may be displayed or posted in or on windows, on the exterior of any student residences, or in outdoor areas around residential facilities.

Only adhesive putty, plastic adhesive hooks and magnets may be used to affix decorations. No tape or nails may be used on walls or doors.

Cardboard, aluminum foil, cellophane, flags, or other items may not be used as window coverings, excluding cloth curtains.

To decrease fire hazards, decorations or other items may not be placed over lights or fire safety equipment.  Lamps, holiday lights, and other electronic decorations must be UA Rich Mountain approved through the Housing Director.

Only artificial trees are allowed in residential facilities. All holiday decorations must be removed in a timely manner prior to departure for scheduled breaks.

Possession of a street, traffic, or municipal sign is prohibited; such signs will be confiscated by Campus Safety and Security and not returned, regardless of how the signs were obtained by the resident(s).

Students are issued two keys that permit access to their assigned building and individual room.  Keys are given for a student’s personal use and are not transferable. Students are advised to always lock their doors when exiting their room.

Students who lose or temporarily misplace their keys should immediately report the loss to the Housing Director. A student may borrow a loaner key from the Housing Director for up to 48 hours. If the originally issued key(s) are not located by this time the key(s) will be considered permanently lost and a lock change will be authorized. 

A $150.00 charge to replace the building locks for the residents as well as the individual and roommate will be billed to the student’s account.

For the safety and security of all residents, students should not hold or prop any door open to allow nonresidents to enter.

Students are strongly encouraged to have insurance to cover personal belongings. The College does not insure the personal property of any student on or off campus. The College has no responsibility for any theft, damage, destruction, loss, etc., of any personal property, including but not limited to, money, valuables, or equipment belonging to or in the custody of the student, whether caused by intentional or negligent act, failure to act, natural causes, fire, or other casualty. The College is not liable for the failure or interruption of utilities or for conditions resulting from failure or interruption of the same.

Students are encouraged to check with their family’s personal insurance company to see if their personal property will be covered while living on-campus or if adding a renter’s insurance policy is possible.  Most renter’s insurance plans for students will cost between $75.00-$125.00 per academic year.

In order to create an environment where a student’s right to sleep and study is given priority, general courtesy should be exercised at all times so noise does not interfere with the rights of others. Quiet hours are in effect between 10:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. on the night preceding class days and between the hours of midnight and 9:00 a.m. on other nights.

During periods designated as quiet hours, noise should not be heard outside a resident’s room in any direction (through doors, ceiling, walls, windows, or floor).  In the common areas of buildings, there should be no activity that would create a general disturbance to the general community.

During the final exam period of each semester (beginning the night before the beginning of final exams and lasting until the end of exams), a 24-hour quiet hour policy will be in effect in all on-campus housing facilities.

Housing Services and Student Affairs are committed to providing a supportive and educational environment for all students living on-campus. There may be times when a student’s living situation becomes challenging due to issues with the student’s roommate(s) or the community. Housing Services encourages students to resolve differences and to grow through the roommate experience. Students may be asked to work with College staff to resolve roommate disputes before a room change is permitted.

For administrative reasons, there is a period at the beginning of each semester when room changes will normally not be considered in order to verify occupancy and identify vacancies. In addition, it is the philosophy of Housing Services and Student Affairs that continual room changes can be a disruption to the formation of strong and healthy communities. Therefore, room change requests will be reviewed and approved when it is reasonable to do so at the discretion of College professional staff.

An administrative move may be made in a situation where students are unwilling and/or unable to come to successful resolution of a dispute or as the result of disciplinary action. All administrative moves will be made at the discretion of professional staff based on cause and availability of space.

Students who make unauthorized room or hall changes may be required to return to their assigned space.

Housing Services is unable to provide individual assistance with moving in or out of an assignment. However, at the initial fall check-in period in August and the final check-out period in May bins and/or carts are provided for student use.

Representatives of the College will enter a student's room after knocking on the door to:

• Address maintenance needs or complete projects
• Assist in any emergency
• Re-establish order
• Recover any college property
• Prevent destruction of college property
• Perform health and safety inspections
• Investigate alleged violations of federal, Arkansas, or university policies, rules, or regulations.

Before entering a residential room to address routine maintenance that was not initiated by an individual service request, the College will attempt to notify the student(s) 24 hours prior to entry. All College maintenance, custodial services, power plant, and technology services staff are required to wear identification while working inside the housing units. Similarly, all contractors are required to wear identification while working in or around a housing unit. Contractors must be escorted by a College staff member when inside occupied housing units.

Housing staff have the authority to conduct searches of rooms without the permission of students assigned to the room. Campus officials may inspect rooms as needed throughout the year to identify and address problems and concerns in the housing units. In most cases, health and safety inspections occur at least twice per semester.

Students are expected to maintain their living space in a manner that does not cause damage to the building or that would require extensive maintenance, repair and/or housekeeping to restore the building to a standard that is appropriate for future students. In addition, certain items and activities are prohibited because they may be harmful to students or could cause damage to the building if used inappropriately. The prohibited items and activities in this category include but are not limited to:

• Adhesives (other than 3M Command products or those designated for use in the Housing units)
• Bed lofts, bed risers, cinder blocks
• Painting of student rooms
• Removing screens from windows
• Pets, except fish (in 10-gallon tank or smaller), and personal service animals

Students are responsible for cleaning their own rooms, kitchens, living rooms, and bathrooms, and disposing of their trash and recycling in designated areas.

Requests for routine services can be submitted to the Housing Director using the work order request form available online on the Housing website. When entering requests, it is important to provide detailed information, so the maintenance department is fully prepared to respond to the problem.

After-hours emergencies involving heating, lighting, plumbing, electricity, or other vital services that could impact the safety and security of the community or the structure of the facility should be immediately reported to the Housing Director. If the resident is not able to contact the Housing Director, they should call 911 and they will contact the Office of Campus Safety and Security.  In any situations where a resident is fearful for their saftery or the safety of others, call 911.

For ongoing concerns, repeated maintenance requests, and any other difficulties in having issues addressed students should contact the Housing Director or the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. If a student does not report a facility concern in his or her room when it occurs, the student may be billed at check-out for any damage or broken items that resulted from the facility concern. 

The residence halls remain open for Thanksgiving and spring break vacations. Dining plans are not in effect during these times, students will need to arrange for meals on their own. Halls are closed during the Christmas break period, and students are required to vacate their rooms. Specific hall closing information will be published and distributed prior to each closing period and will be listed on the Housing Web site. Please note that students must vacate halls within 24 hours of their last final exam in both fall and spring semesters or by no later than 12 p.m. on the closing date published by the Housing Department; whichever comes first.

Additional information may be found in the Early Arrival and Late Departure Policy (see above). 

Each semester several students find themselves without a roommate for a variety of reasons. Students living in double rooms should expect a new roommate at any time during the year. Students living in double rooms where vacancies exist are required to ensure that the space is clean and continually available for a new roommate.

At times, students may be given the option to buy out the vacant space for an additional fee. Generally, this option will not be available.

The Housing Department reserves the right to implement consolidation to allow for full utilization of residential facilities. This requires that a student living in a double occupancy room move to another room, accept a roommate assigned by Housing, or find another roommate to move into the vacant space. Should consolidation be implemented, affected students will receive notification.

College policy on guests and visitation exists to maintain the security, privacy and community atmosphere of College housing.  This policy exists to help students maintain a living environment that supports academic success and personal well-being. The visitation policy defines guest and visitation hours for the College housing units, defines expectations for appropriate behaviors of visitors, and define the responsibilities of each student.

A Guest is defined as any person who is not assigned to a space in that specific housing unit.  This includes any person assigned to a different housing unit.

Guest visits should be of limited duration regardless of the time of day.  In consideration of roommates and other building residents, it is important that visits not infringe on another’s right to privacy, sleep, and quiet student space.  The rights of, and courtesy toward, the roommate(s) will always supersede the right of a resident to have a guest.

Guests are permitted to visit student rooms and units on weekdays (Sunday through Thursday) from noon until midnight and on weekends (Friday and Saturday) from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m., provided that the visits are consistent with and follows all aspects of the visitation policy.

Guests are required to abide by all College policies at all times. Students are held directly responsible for conduct occurring in their rooms and for their visitors’ behavior. Students living in on-campus housing are held directly responsible for conduct occurring at their residences, including outside areas, and for their visitors’ behavior.

Overnight guest

Housing residents may have one overnight guest (18 years of age or older) of the same sex with prior permission from his/her other roommates.  Guests are limited to two nights in any given month during the semester.  All guest must be registered with Housing Services prior to their arrival.

Required for all Students:

The State of Arkansas requires that all newly admitted UA Rich Mountain students comply with the two-dose measle Immunization Policy.

Students must have immunization documents on file. No student will be allowed to move into the residence halls without proof of immunization.

To attend a public or private college or university within the state of Arkansas, students must show proof of 2 MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) immunizations, immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella, a medical or non-medical exemption, or birth before January 1957.

Acceptable proof of immunization is an official immunization record from another educational institution in Arkansas, a licensed medical doctor or an authorized public health representative, or military service. Documentation must state the vaccine type and dates of vaccine administration including month and year. Terms such as “up-to-date,” “complete,” “adequate,” etc. will not be accepted.

1. In lieu of receiving the vaccine, immunity can be shown by providing documented evidence of appropriate serological testing- also known as a titer.  Contact your health provider for more information.
2. Medical Exemption: The physical condition of the person is such that MMR immunization would endanger life or health or is medically contraindicated due to other medical conditions.  Contact the UA Rich Mountain Registrar's Office for more information.
3. Proof that the student was born before January 1, 1957, will be accepted in lieu of receiving the vaccine.
4. Proof that the student has applied for or received a non-medical (religious or philosophical) exemption will be accepted in lieu of receiving the vaccine.  This type of exemption is granted by the Arkansas Department of Health.  Contact ADH to request a non-medical exemption form.  NOTE: A new request must be submitted each school year.

You must comply with the State of Arkansas Tuberculosis Screening Requirement if:

1. You were born outside the United States and not a permanent resident of the United States. Provide documentation of TB Screening done in the United States or Canada within the past 6 months. Chest x-rays will be required for anyone with a positive TB test. A negative chest x-ray is not a substitute for a TB test.
2. You have had any contact with a person with known active TB.

Act 1233 of 1999 requires colleges and universities to inform students of the increased risk of meningococcal disease (commonly called meningitis) for those who live in close quarters. UARM highly recommends that all students living in on-campus housing receive a meningitis vaccine. Students should contact their health care provider or local health department for information on this vaccine.