Residence Hall Contract Cancellation and Termination Requests



Terms of the Residence Hall Contract

The residence hall contract may be canceled only before the start of the contract term. The residence hall contract is fully activated once the contract term begins and is in effect for the entire academic year. Residents are required to fulfill the contractual obligations unless a contract termination is initiated or approved by Residence Life.


  
2024-2025  Academic Year

Fall: Semester of enrollment begins Sept. 3, 2024 for students beginning fall semester.
Spring: Semester of enrollment begins Jan. 27, 2025 for students enrolling for spring semester only.


  
Breach of Contract

If a resident vacates before the final week of the academic year without receiving approval for contract termination, it will result in a breach of contract. The resident will be responsible for 100% of the remaining cost of the entire academic year contract based on check out date and the resident will forfeit the $100 deposit.


  
Requests may be made when:

  1. You have a completed contract in the Residence Hall Portal and
  2. The contract term has not begun and
  3. You will not be attending UWRF and/or you are not required to live on campus due to the 2-year residency requirement.


Please note: If you are required to live on campus due to the 2-year residency requirement, you must be approved for an exemption prior to canceling your contract.

  1. You have a completed contract in the Residence Hall Portal and
  2. The contract term has begun and
  3. Your circumstances have changed or will be changing the next semester due to one or more of the following:
    • You will no longer be enrolled at UWRF due to graduation, transfer or withdrawal.
    • You have been married, had a child or have been called to active military duty.
    • You are enrolled in a university-sponsored program such as study abroad, internship or student teaching that requires you to live away from River Falls.
    • You have experienced an unexpected and extreme personal or financial hardship.

  
Request Process:

  1. Log in to the Residence Hall Portal, visit the "Contract Status" page and click the "Cancel Contract Request" button at the bottom.
  2. Complete the necessary information and submit.
  3. To be eligible for refund of the residence hall deposit, submit request by May 1 for fall semester or Nov. 15 for spring semester.
  4. You will receive an email response, typically within five business days. 
  1. Use the online form below to submit your request.
  2. You will receive a response via your UWRF email only after your request and required documentation have been received.
  3. Appeal requests must be submitted in writing to the Director of Residence Life and emailed to reslife@uwrf.edu.


Please note: Submitting a request does not guarantee that your request will be approved. 


  
Common Situations and Reasons Exemption Requests Would Be Denied

Since students who live on campus are more likely to continue at UWRF and earn better grades than those who live off, there are limited reasons for which exemptions are approved. Below are some of the common reasons exemption requests are denied

Residence hall living is a new experience for most students and requires a certain amount of adjustment. If a student has made a fair adjustment to the hall environment, but is still unhappy a change of hall, room, floor or roommate may be an effective remedy. Residence hall staff are available to work with residents individually to find a solution if a specific issue continues to be a problem or concern.

Even with documentation from a doctor or therapist, most conditions do not automatically exempt students from policy and contract obligations. Specific health-related conditions and needs must be outlined by a medical or mental health professional. We will work with students individually to make residence hall rooms environmentally and health-friendly.

Requests based on disability require students to identify and discuss with Residence Life staff the specific areas of concern and issues they are experiencing in the living environment. Through this process, the student and staff member will explore access solutions. Residence Life works collaboratively with the Disability Resource Center to meet students' disability-related needs.

Lack of funds alone is not a basis for exemption or contract termination. Finances for the academic year should be considered before choosing to enroll at the University or activating the residence hall contract. Financial aid is available to those who qualify based on need and Residence Life relies on the expertise of the Financial Aid Office to determine if a student has sufficient financial aid and other funding options to attend UWRF. Financial hardship means there has been a significant change in your financial situation since the activation of the contract that cannot be rectified.

Needing to be at home to help with a family business, take care of siblings or other family members or take care of pets or other animals is not a reason for an exemption or contract termination. The student, along with their family, must explore alternative solutions to accommodate these needs.

The choice to commute from the home of a parent or legal guardian must be made before activation of the residence hall contract. Students who are eligible to commute from the home of their parent or guardian must submit their request and be approved before the start of the academic year. The commuter exemption does not allow a student to live with siblings, grandparents, other relatives or a partner/significant other.

A contract termination will not be granted for a student who wants to become a commuter after the start of the academic year.

Pets are not allowed in the residence halls, but if a student has a documented need for an emotional support animal, they will need to go through the housing accommodation process. Students are encouraged to review materials available on the Disability Resource Center website before starting the request process to ensure they qualify for an emotional support animal accommodation.

Residence Life

410 S. 3rd St.
B3 East Hathorn Hall
River Falls, WI 54022

reslife@uwrf.edu

715-425-4555

Monday-Friday, 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m.