All of the Residence Halls at BHSU are co-ed. This means that men and women share the same living facility and that mixed-gender visitation is permitted throughout the building. Heidepriem and Thomas are located on the west side of campus, built around the same time, and are structurally similar. Heidepriem and Thomas have built-in closets and desks. Wenona-Cook (WC) is our oldest hall (built in 1899) and has recently been renovated. Room sizes in WC are generally bigger and have new desks and wardrobes. Parking is limited around WC, so students residing in WC have to park down in the Young Center parking lot. Humbert hall is a smaller residence hall that will be comprised of all larger single rooms billed at the DAS rate and guarantees a student his/her own room in the residence hall.

 COMPARE OUR HALLS

Fans, rugs or carpet, under-bed storage bins, microwaves--must be UL600 or under, TV, refrigerator--less than 3.6 cubic feet, computer, bedding (extra-long twin sheets-36X80, see Campus Linen Offer), couch or chairs, computers, charging cables, and items to decorate with.

RECOMMENDED PACKING LIST

Each double room is furnished with two adjustable-height beds, while beds can be bunked they are not made to be lofted, two dressers, two desks, and two chairs. Each room has a sink and mirror, tile floors (Heidepriem and Thomas Hall have carpet floors), and mini blinds on windows.

Compare Our Halls

BHSU has 56, two-bedroom Yellow Jacket Apartments. Apartments are unfurnished except for beds, air-conditioners, and a full kitchen. To apply, designate on the Contract for Room and Board, which is mailed after a student has been accepted to BHSU, your preference to live in a Yellow Jacket Apartment. Yellow Jacket Apartments are reserved for students 19 or older.

Room sizes for Humbert, Thomas, and Heidepriem are 14' X 12'. Wenona Cook has a variety of room sizes since some rooms will accommodate up to three people. Average size 14' X 19'. Bordeaux Hall's rooms are 20' X 10'. In the Yellow Jacket Apartments, the single room is 11.3' X 10', the double room is 11' X 12', and the living room is about 13' wide.

Appeal forms can be found at Online Housing Appeal. A student wishing to appeal should read and understand the Housing Contract Exemption & Appeal Process. Please print and complete the appropriate forms for your individual situation and return them to the Residence Life office.

Each Residence Hall does have a kitchen facility that includes a stove/oven, microwave oven, sink, and refrigerator.

The room assignment a student receives is the best Residence Life can do to accommodate a student's preference. If you are interested in moving, let your hall director or the hall director of the building you wish to move into know--he/she will put you on their waiting list. The hall director will inform you if a room opens up. Room changes are not allowed during the first two weeks of each semester. Your hall director must authorize room changes—a room change form must be filled out when you change rooms. The hall director of the building you want to move to handles moves between halls.

ROOM CHANGE REQUEST

Basic Extended Cable services is automatically provided to your room. You might find it helpful to bring an extra HDMI cable, just in case.

Residence hall rooms are wired for internet access. Each room has two Ethernet connections, which require an Ethernet network card to be installed on your computer. All of our residence halls are also set up with a wireless network.

We at Residence Life want your room to feel like your home. While painting or any permanent decorations are not allowed, we do encourage posters, curtains, pictures of family and friends, or any other decorations that will help you to make your room your own. If you are unsure whether or not something can be put up in your room, ask your RA, they're always there to help!

We are an organization of people like yourself, designed to answer your questions about living in the residence halls and to involve you, the residents, in various services and activities in and around the campus. We:

• Represent all on-campus students.
• Provide leadership training and opportunities.
• Act as a liaison between the on-campus students and Residence Life.
• Promote residence hall experience through community and programs.
• Provide input for the Residence Life Standards of Living.
• Recognize corporate and individual achievement in the residence halls.
• Sponsors gift baskets and linens as fundraisers.
• Represent BHSU on a local, state, regional, and national level.

At the beginning of the year, each hall seeks out students who are interested in being part of the community council as Wing Reps. Officer positions are generally elected in the spring semester.

If you'd like more information about campus clubs and organizations, please visit the Student Engagement and Leadership Center (the SELC) for a detailed list of active clubs and orgs at BHSU.

Explore Clubs and Orgs at BHSU

Each wing in the residence halls has a Resident Assistant (RA), an undergraduate student who serves as a resource person to the residents of the floor. The RA is in a position to guide the community toward an understanding and implementation of individual and group responsibility and accountability based upon mutual expectations and desires. The entire staff works cooperatively in creating an environment conducive to personal growth and academic achievement.

Residence Life is generally looking for Resident Assistants in December for the spring semester and in January for the fall semester. A student desiring to be an RA must have live-in residence hall or related experience for a period equivalent to one academic semester and must have earned a minimum of twenty-four semester hours prior to employment. In order to sign RA contract (thus allow employment), the applicant must be currently registered for classes and carrying a cumulative GPA of at least 2.25. Residence Life encourages all students seeking RA employment to get involved in their hall's community council.

South Dakota Board of Regent Policy requires unmarried students to live on-campus during their first two years of school. Specifically, the policy reads as follows: "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."

Residence Life has five Standards of Living. Standards of Living are specifically designed to optimize living conditions in the residence halls. BHSU is a dry campus, no alcohol is permitted on BHSU property.

Yes, our refund policy is based on a percentage that reduces as the semester proceeds. Please email or call our office at 605.642.6464 to determine the amount of refund you'd receive depending on the date you plan to withdraw.

Room deposits are refundable if notice of contract cancellation is postmarked and mailed to the Department of Residence Life no later than July 1 for contracts beginning the fall semester and December 1 for contracts beginning the spring semester.

Students who have graduated, have left to student teach, have married, have completed their pre-professional programs, are under academic suspension, or have received a financial hardship release (from the department of Residence Life) are eligible for a deposit refund. Such students must notify the Residence Life Office in writing and request that their deposit be refunded. Students leaving the residence facilities for any other reason during the contract term are NOT eligible for a deposit refund. Failure to fulfill the terms and conditions of the agreement, return keys, or pay University fines will cause partial or full forfeiture of the deposit.

Bicycle racks are available outside each residence hall. We do not allow bicycles to be hung from room ceilings or walls, but with roommates' permission, a bicycle can be stored in your room.

The business office consolidates all your BHSU bills (except parking, books, and campus apartments). A student may choose to pay their bill early by check or credit. Or, a student pays at Fee Payment, which takes place at the beginning of each semester. Students expecting financial aid or scholarships generally pay during Fee Payment.

*There are a limited number of Single rooms at BHSU. We do not honor Double as Single rooms until after the first 2 weeks of school, as we need to verify that we have adequate housing for all students that desire to live on campus.

Residence Life assigns rooms based on priority (first-come first-serve basis). A student's priority date is the date Residence Life receives a student's CONTRACT and DEPOSIT. The priority system allows us to be fair in assigning rooms. We take a look at your priority of preferences (Roommate, Hall, or Smoking) and do our best to fulfill your preferences. If you did not get the hall or roommate you requested, it is due to your priority of preference and the availability of your requests.

1. Housing information is sent out after a student has been accepted to BHSU. So, apply early to BHSU, then return the contract and deposit as soon as possible after receiving it.
2. Priority dates for students whose roommate preference is priority one is the date Residence Life has received both roommate contracts. So, send both contracts and deposits in together.

Residence Life's ability to accommodate room preference decreases significantly after March. Also, the deadline for Scholarship Applications is March 1st.

Residence Life will hand out room and roommate assignments during summer NSR (New Student Registration) sessions. It is highly recommended that each incoming freshman and transfer attend a summer NSR session. But, if you are unable to attend a summer NSR session, you may get your room and roommate assignment by phone, 605.642.6464

BHSU has eight, two-bedroom apartments designated for families and married students. The apartments are unfurnished except for an electric stove, refrigerator, and air conditioner. To apply, complete the Apartment Application.

Housing information is sent out after a student has been accepted to BHSU. Included in the housing information are the Contract for Room and Board, Terms and Conditions Document, Residence Life Brochure, Dinning Service Brochure, Tips Sheet, and RHA's linen and carpet program. Residence Life assigns rooms based on priority (first come first serve basis). A student's priority date is the date Residence Life receives a student's CONTRACT and DEPOSIT.

No, there is no age requirement to live on campus at BHSU. While we welcome all students in our residence halls and apartments, there are some differences. One is that minors (those under 18 at the start of their contract) need to have a parent or legal guardian co-sign their housing application and agreement. The link to a paper/pdf version of the contract is below.

 2023-2024 Housing Application and Agreement