HOW TO APPEAL

The following are the suggested guidelines for completing the Housing Appeal. Once submitted, please allow two to four weeks for your decision letter. Typically a decision letter is emailed within 10 business days. A decision can be delayed if supplemental information is not submitted or if we request information from our campus partners.

1. Determine your appeal period

• New Student Appeals: Year Round
  • Appeals for new students will be accepted and reviewed on a year-round continual basis. New students are those who have applied for and been accepted to BHSU but have not yet attended classes. (Appeals will not be reviewed on state holidays or weekends.)
• Current Students: Limited/Moderated Appeals:
  • The appeals window for current and returning students to appeal for the 2024-2025 Academic year has closed. 
  • November 12, 2024, through December 18, 2024.
    • We will accept appeals during this time period for financial or medical needs only.
  • April 1, 2025, through May 9, 2025.
    • During open appeals, all current and new students may appeal for any exemption status.

Any appeal submitted outside or after the deadline will only be considered on the basis of a significant circumstance (medically or financially) or for an unseen circumstance.

2. Determine your desired exemption status

• Married Exemption: Students must provide a valid marriage certificate.
  * Engagement does not qualify as marriage under this exemption.
• Legal Dependent Exemption: Students must provide a birth certificate for their dependent.
• Commuter Exemption: For students residing full-time with their parent or legal guardian within 35 driving miles of the BHSU main campus. Students must explain how commuting will be academically advantageous as part of the appeal process.
  • Examples of communities within the 35-driving mile radius include Lead, Deadwood, Belle Fourche, Whitewood, Beulah, St. Onge, Sundance (WY), Sturgis, Tilford, etc.
  • Examples of communities outside the 35-driving mile radius include Newell, Piedmont, Summerset, Black Hawk, Rapid City, Gillette (WY), Hueltte (WY), New Castle (WY), etc.
• Financial Hardship Exemption: For those students with extenuating financial hardship, verified through a student's completed FAFSA report. Students must submit a correct FASFA Application as a requirement for this exemption.
  * Releases are not based on the assertion that living off-campus may be cheaper.
• Medical Exemption: Students seeking medical exemption (mental or physical) or accommodation requests are usually looking to:
  • Live off-campus
  • Be placed in single occupancy on-campus housing
  • Have an approved assistance animal in on-campus housing
  • Placement in a specific location

  Medical-need requests are handled by Disability Services and require supplemental documentation. Please have your healthcare provider complete the Disability Services Intake Form. To start this process, please contact Disability Services to request an exemption. 

3. Complete the Housing Appeal Form

Be sure to have all of your information in order and then proceed to the Housing Appeal form. Complete the form and any supplemental form as directed. Please be specific with the information you submit, included information should pertain specifically and directly to your exemption status. Include as much or as little information as you see fit, knowing that someone from Residence Life might contact you with supplemental questions. Applications will be automatically submitted to the appeals committee. All supplemental information should be sent to :

BHSU Residence Life
Attn: Housing Appeals Committee
1200 University St. Unit 9100
Spearfish, SD 57799-9100

or emailed to:

BHSUResidenceLife@BHSU.edu 

4. Await the Arrival of Your Decision Letter

During the academic year, your decision letter will be sent digitally as a PDF to your BHSU student email.  It is also beneficial to check your BHSU email regularly while waiting, as official inquiries will be sent to that address. If you feel that you have not received your decision letter in an appropriate or expected time period, please contact Residence Life at (605)642-6464. 

Outcome Letters can be provided by mail upon request.  Please email BHSUResidenceLife@BHSU.edu, or by calling (605)642-6464.  Please provide your name, Student ID Number (BuzzCard), Phone Number, and details of your request.

5. If My Appeal Has Been Approved...

Sometimes, residents who are approved chose not to live off-campus. For that reason, Residence Life will not cancel room arrangements until verbal or written confirmation is received by the Residence Life office. To confirm the cancellation of your room assignment, please call Residence Life at (605)642-6464 or email Residence Life.

6. If My Appeal Has Been Denied...

If you have already received a room assignment or completed the Online Housing Agreement, your contract will still be intact, and your accommodations will remain the same. If you have not applied for a room, please proceed to our Online Housing Agreement and complete the application at your earliest convenience. Please contact the Residence Life office at (605)642-6464 for questions regarding room reservations.

You can re-appeal under a different exemption status. Current students are permitted to submit a total of two appeals.

HOUSING CONTRACT EXEMPTION & APPEAL PROCESS

APPEAL FORM

The South Dakota Board of Regents policy manual states that "Students who are enrolled at a university for a minimum of six (6) on-campus credits are required to live in on-campus housing during the first two (2) years following their high school graduation. Institutions may grant waiver exceptions to the housing requirement based on the waiver exceptions," and "exceptions to the housing requirement will ordinarily be granted to students who are married, to students with dependent children who reside with them, and to students who reside full-time during the academic year at the primary residence of the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) within a designated radius determined by each institution."

This residency requirement serves important educational and developmental purposes. Education professionals widely recognize that where students live during their freshman and sophomore years has a significant impact on the quality of their academic and personal preparation for post-collegiate life. Students prosper in stable living environments that are close to academic resources and organized student activities that promote social interaction and exposure to new and diverse life experiences, and that afford supervision, counseling, and other assistance as may be needed. In short, the on-campus residency provides unparalleled opportunities for multi-dimensional student development and is part of the university's broad educational program.

The Housing Contract Policy is strictly enforced. However, BHSU recognizes that some off-campus living circumstances may closely approximate the advantages of on-campus residency. Also, some students may have living requirements that the University cannot accommodate on campus. The following exemptions will be considered:

Exemption Categories

After proper documentation and university inquiry, students may qualify for an exemption to the Housing Policy.

• Married Exemption: Students requesting a release because they are married must meet the following criteria: A copy of a valid marriage certificate must be submitted to the Residence Life office before a release can be approved or rent charges canceled. The release date will not be earlier than the date of marriage.
  
  
• Legal Dependent Exemption: A copy of the dependent's birth certificate must be provided to the Residence Life office before a release can be granted.
  
  
• Commuter Exemption: A commuter exemption may be granted to students desiring to live at the permanent residence of a parent or legal guardian within 35 driving miles of the main BHSU campus who can also demonstrate through written means how commuting will be academically advantageous. If the appeal committee determines that commuting is not academically advantageous to the student, commuting requests may be denied. Students must be in good academic standing with the university to qualify for the commuting exemption.
  
  • Examples of communities within the 35-driving mile radius include Lead, Deadwood, Belle Fourche, Whitewood, Beulah, St. Onge, Sundance (WY), Sturgis, Tilford, etc.
  • Examples of communities outside the 35-driving mile radius include Newell, Piedmont, Summerset, Black Hawk, Rapid City, Gillette (WY), Hueltte (WY), New Castle (WY), etc.

• Financial Hardship Exemption: Applicants requesting release based on this criterion must complete and submit a FASFA report. Releases are not based upon the assertion that living off-campus may be cheaper. A release will be considered when the applicant has a significant verified need for financial aid as defined by the personnel of the BHSU Financial Aid Office and that need is not fully funded by University financial aid. OR When financial circumstances are created by situations over which you have no control (such as a loss of parental support due to death, divorce, loss of employment, catastrophic health issues, bankruptcy) which create a financial hardship.
  
  
• Medical Exemption: Students who need to submit a medical exemption (mental or physical) or accommodation request are usually looking to:
  • Live off-campus
  • Be placed in single occupancy on-campus housing
  • Have an approved assistance animal in on-campus housing
  • Placement in a specific location

  Medical-need requests are handled through Disability Services and require supplementatal documentation. Please contact Disability Services to request an exemption.

• Mental Health Exemption: Similar to the medical exemption, applicants requesting a release based on mental health or emotional needs must work with Disability Services and will require supplemental documentation completed by your healthcare provider.

Appeals may take 2-4 weeks for a decision and letter to be mailed.

APPEAL FORM

Supplemental Medical Verification Form

• Required documentation for all Physical and/or Mental Health appeals.
• To be completed by your medical or mental health care provider within the scope of their practice.

Commuter Address Verification Form

• Required documentation for all Commuter Appeals.
• Commuting address must be the primary, full-time residence of a parent or legal guardian.
• Commuting address must be within a 35-driving-mile radius of the main BHSU campus in Spearfish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I appeal right now?

• Appeals are only open at certain times to ensure a quick turnaround and an accurate count for residential students.

When can I appeal?

• Moderated/Current Students Appeals: November 12, 2024, through December 18, 2024. We will accept appeals during this time period for financial or medical needs only.
• Current Student Appeals will be open from April 1, 2025, through May 18, 2025.
• New students may appeal at any time.
  
  *Moderated Appeals are for current students.

How can I appeal?

• You can appeal by completing the online housing appeal form located under the "Appeal Form" on this page. Please check the "How to Appeal" tab for further instructions.

Once I am approved, what is my next step?

• Contact the Residence Life Office at (605)642-6464 to confirm the status of your current room reservation. Room reservations will not be canceled unless verbal/written confirmation is made by the student.

Do I get any type of refund if my appeal is approved?

• Due to the timeline of the appeal process, approvals will typically be made before the start of the term for which the appeal has been granted. If a payment has been made on a student's bill, refunds will be made according to BHSU Residence Life policy.
• The $100 housing deposit is not guaranteed and will be refunded according to the Residence Life Policy outlined in the Terms and Conditions section of the Housing Application and Agreement.

If I have questions about the status/outcome of my appeal, who do I contact?

• You can contact Residence Life at (605)642-6464.

Am I qualified to appeal?

• In order to determine if you qualify to appeal, please review the "How to Appeal Tab" or "The Housing Appeal Tab" for a complete list of exemption statuses.

How likely is it that my appeal will be approved?

• Each appeal is handled on a case-by-case basis and voted on by the appeals committee. The committee will vote using standard exemption guidelines, as well as keeping the student's best interest in mind.

Can my parent or guardian complete the appeal for me?

• We encourage students to complete the appeal themselves, as communication regarding the appeal will be directed primarily to the student. Parents may complete the form, however, communication regarding the appeal will be restricted to the student unless a FERPA Education Record Release has been signed and submitted.

If I am approved once, do I have to re-appeal?

• Once approved, unless contacted by the Office of Residence Life, you do not need to appeal again.

What is the deadline to appeal?

• The deadline for Spring 2025 moderated appeals for current students is December 18, 2024.
• The deadline for Fall 2025/Spring 2026 appeals for current student appeals is May 18, 2025.

What do I do if my appeal was denied?

• You can complete the BHSU Housing Application and Agreement to secure on-campus housing accommodations. If you have already completed the housing agreement, please call the Residence Life Office at (605)642-6464 to obtain your house assignment.

Can I appeal more than once?

• You may re-appeal under a different exemption status. Current and new students are allowed to appeal a total of two times.