Parents & Families

Residence Life

What's provided in my room? ~ Show Answer

All rooms come with extra-long twin beds, dressers, desks and desk chairs, wastebasket, drapes, cable, and campus network jacks. While the furniture is movable, it must remain in your room. Beds may be bunked, you must have 4 people and sign a waiver at the residence hall front desk to bunk the beds.

Ross Hall | Schwitzer Hall | ResCo | UT | Village

What should I bring with me? ~ Show Answer

Students need to provide all personal items, bed linens and towels. Additional items that students might bring include: alarm clock, bedspread, television, computer, laundry supplies, shower bucket, plants, fan, eating and cooking utensils, desk lamp, stereo/radio with headphones, stationary and stamps, storage crates.

What should I leave behind? ~ Show Answer

Pets, other than freshwater fish, should be left at home. Air-conditioning units are not allowed. Medical accommodations, by application, can be made for first-year students to live in ResCo with air-conditioning.

Microwaves are not allowed in resident rooms but are available in commons areas in the halls. Extension cords, halogen lamps, toasters, candles, incense, string lights, and other decorative lights are prohibited due to associated fire hazards. Microwaves, toasters and other kitchen items are allowed in the apartment kitchens.

Instead of extension cords, residents are encouraged to use surge-protected power strips with a manual on/off switch and a circuit breaker.

View List of Prohibited Items (DOC)

What do I need to know about requesting special accommodations for physical or medical reasons? ~ Show Answer

Any student who has a request for a housing accommodation based on his/her medical or physical condition is required to submit the necessary supporting documentation as well as all standard housing forms.  More information on special accommodations can be accessed at Student Disability Services.

Are the halls air-conditioned? ~ Show Answer

ResCo, University Terrace, and the Apartment Village are air-conditioned, but Ross and Schwitzer are not.

What cable channels do I get in my room? ~ Show Answer

The Information Technology Cable TV Channels page provides a list of channels that are provided via the cable outlet in your room.

How big are the beds? ~ Show Answer

Your room contains twin beds that are a little longer than the standard size (80").  Residents suggest that extra-long twin sheets fit best.

How big are the rooms? ~ Show Answer

Room sizes vary from hall to hall, but a typical room is 12' x 12'. See residence hall diagrams for more info.

Ross Hall | Schwitzer Hall | ResCo

When do I find out who my roommate is? ~ Show Answer

Roommate assignments are mailed out in late July, so you should receive a letter by the beginning of August.

When can I move in? ~ Show Answer

The Residence Halls and UT typically open the weekend before classes start. The exact date you can move in will be mentioned on your room assignment letter. The Apartment Village contract starts on August 1. View the Housing Calendar

How do I connect my computer to the campus network? ~ Show Answer

Detailed information on how to connect to the network is available at the Information Technology Get Connected web page. Also, IT staff will be in the residence halls at various times during welcome week to help residents get connected.  The Computer Help desk can be reached by calling 940-HELP.

What will my mailing address be? ~ Show Answer

Residential College
Student's Name
630 W. Hampton Dr.
Indianapolis, IN 46208

Ross Hall
Student's Name
629 W. Hampton Dr.
Indianapolis, IN 46208

Schwitzer Hall
Student's Name
750 W. Hampton Dr
Indianapolis, IN 46208

University Terrace
Student's Name
599 W. Westfield Blvd
Indianapolis, IN 46208

Apartment Village
Student's Name
5026 Boulevard Place, Apt LETTER and NUMBER (ex. A301)
Indianapolis, IN 46208
(It is important that the apartment letter and number be included for proper delivery.)

Can I have a single room? ~ Show Answer

A limited number of single rooms are available for upper class students in Ross Hall, Schwitzer Hall, and Residential College. If a student has already checked into the residence hall, he/she should make the request to the Residence Life Coordinator. If no singles are available at the time of request, the student can be placed on a waiting list.

Where do I get more information about the meal plans? ~ Show Answer

Contact the Office of Residence Life at 800-368-6852 x9458 or (317) 940-9458 or by email at  reslife@butler.edu or check the  Aramark web site for more information.

Do I have to live on campus? ~ Show Answer

All first-year students not living at home with a parent or legal guardian are required to live in one of the University residence halls. All sophomore and junior students (including those affiliated with a Greek organization) not living at home with a parent or legal guardian will be required to live in University housing or an approved Greek Housing unit of which he or she is a member.  Exceptions to this policy, or requests to live at home as a commuter student, must be approved in advance by the Residence Life Office. 

This regulation applies during summer, as well as during the regular academic year; it also applies regardless of the number of academic hours taken or the student's age.

Students who move off campus during the semester or a summer term will be required to pay the full charges due to the University.

What if I have concerns about living with a roommate? ~ Show Answer

Living with another person takes effort. It is important for roommates to talk to each other early on. Don't let issues go unaddressed because they will likely just get worse. If you need assistance with roommate problems, feel free to contact your Resident Assistant. They are trained in conflict mediation and can help define what the issues are and help the parties come to a resolution. The Residence Life Coordinator is also a resource in times of conflict. We strongly urge roommates to attempt to sort out their difficulties but if you feel your roommate situation is not working, we allow room/hall changes with approval of the RLC.

Can I have a car on campus? ~ Show Answer

Yes, you should receive information on parking permits during the summer.  Parking for residents is marked on thiscampus map (PDF). If you have other questions about parking, please contact the Butler University Police Department (BUPD) at 317-940-9396.

How do I get a parking permit? ~ Show Answer

Parking permit tags are available from the Butler University Police Department office located on the corner of 46th St. and Hampton Dr. Parking for residents is marked on this  campus map (PDF). It is possible that permits may not be delivered to students prior to the start of classes. During the first week of classes prior to permits being distributed, students are allowed to park in residence hall parking spaces without being ticketed.

What is the purpose of the $100 housing deposit? ~ Show Answer

During the first semester of residence, the student will be charged a $100 refundable housing deposit. The $100 housing deposit will be credited to the student account after the student officially leaves university housing and any charges for damages or missing property have been made to the student account. Damage or missing property noted at checkout will be billed to the student account. If a student damages common areas or requires a key to be replaced, the charges will be billed directly to the student's account. In cases where responsibility for common area damage or missing property cannot be specifically assigned, all students occupying the living unit will be responsible for damage on a prorated basis. The liability assessment for each student will be charged directly to the student's account. A student's liability is not limited to $100. After all charges have been made to the student account, and if the student does not have an active housing contract for the following year, the housing deposit will be credited back to the student's account.

What are the room and board charges for this year? ~ Show Answer

The charges for room and board are set by the Board of Trustees (usually in March or April for the following year). The charges for the current year are available from the Office of Student Accounts. Click  here for a complete list of tuition and fee charges (room and board rates are at the bottom of the page).

Can I stay over break periods? ~ Show Answer

Housing is not available during break periods in the residence halls and UT, including Thanksgiving break recess, semester break recess, spring break recess or any other stated recesses of the University. These periods also are board exceptions.

Some housing exceptions are made for students if a request is made from a university official. Individuals and groups seeking exception should plan in advance and contact the Director of Residence Life.

The Apartment Village does not close for breaks. Residents are allowed to stay for the entire contract period of August 1 to May 31.

How do returning students sign up for rooms? ~ Show Answer

Returning students receive information about the housing selection process, in February for the following fall semester (those who will be seniors will receive information in November about living in the Apartment Village). Returning students will complete the housing contract and application process on-line via their my.butler account. Students who complete the on-line contract by the deadline are eligible for a lottery number. Lottery numbers are assigned based on completed credit hours and are what is used to allow students to select rooms in a fair and orderly process.

After Spring Break, students choose their rooms in lottery number order. Students are allowed to "pull in" roommate(s) as well as suite-/apartment-mates (if applicable). For those who wish to live in ResCo, University Terrace and the Apartment Village, roommate groups of four are the most desirable, as this is a natural number for suites/apartments in those areas. Also, Residence Life may allow students sign up for a single occupancy room based on projected occupancy of all facilities.

What are the residence hall policies? ~ Show Answer

The residence hall policies are detailed in  The Student Handbook. The handbook includes not only information about residence hall policies, but also includes University policies governing student conduct. It has helpful information about campus resources and processes both academic and non-academic.