Housing Frequently Asked Questions

Housing Cost for 2024-2025 (Academic Year)
2024-2025 Housing Rates:

• Sullivan Hall
  • Double Occupancy: $1,500
  • Single Occupancy: $1,750
• Dawson Hall
  • Double Occupancy: $2,479
  • Single Occupancy: $3,621
• Keith Hall
  • 4 Bedroom Suite: $3,881
  • 3 Bedroom Suite: $3,881
  • 2 Bedroom Suite: $3,881
  • 1 Bedroom Apartment: $4,625
  • 2 Bedroom Apartment: $4,465

2024-2025 Meal Plan Rates:

• $2,880 – The Standard 19, Plus $200 – The 19 meal plan allows students greater flexibility. Enjoy up to 19 meals offered in the dining hall, Monday – Sunday. Plus, you will receive $200 flex dollars to be used in our retail locations.
• $2,880 – Any 15, Plus $300 – This plan is designed for students with moderate appetites. You can enjoy up to 15 meals offered in the dining hall, Monday – Sunday. Plus, you will receive $300 flex dollars to be used in the retail locations.
• $2,880 – Swipe 10, Plus $400 – This plan is designed for students who spend more time at our retail locations and may go to the dining hall less than often. You can enjoy up to 10 meals offered in the dining hall, Monday-Sunday. Plus, you will receive $400 flex dollars to be used in our retail locations.

Fees are subject to change.

A resident assistant (RA) is a student staff member who also lives within the residence hall.  Resident assistants facilitate the social, academic, and personal adjustment of students to the residence hall(s) and University.

(Please read info in “Student Move-In” Section). 

Residence halls are closed for Winter Break and Summer Vacation. Students who need to stay for the Winter Break must receive approval prior to the stay. Spring Break is not included in housing costs. Therefore, students who request to stay during this time will be responsible for their own meals. Depending on space available and number of students requesting to stay, students may be moved to a different hall.

Students may leave their belongings in their rooms during the Thanksgiving, Winter and/or Spring Break at their own risk.  WVSU will not assume any responsibility if a student’s possessions are damaged and/or stolen. Any belongings left during breaks should be moved to one side of the room along with the mattress, covers, pillows and cases.  The University will not store student possessions over the Summer. 

Students with special medical needs must submit documentation from a physician before the housing priority deadline of June 1 for the Fall semester or November 15 for the Spring semester. Medical requests will be considered after you have filed documentation with the Office of Disability Services and turned that information in to the Office of Residence Life. 

All students are expected to carry personal health insurance and may be asked to show proof prior to moving in the residence hall(s).

All beds are standard Twin XL.

Residential rooms in Judge Damon J. Keith Scholars Hall are wood grain/laminate, while Dawson Hall has tile floors. You are welcome to bring a scatter rug for a more personalized approach to your housing space.

Each room is equipped with a bed, desk, dresser and closet space for each student.  Each suite in Keith Hall has a common area which is equipped with two chairs, while Dawson Hall has a common area in the lobby.  Keith Hall also houses independent apartments that are equipped with a furnished kitchen, living room and bedroom, as well as a study desk. 

Please report the loss to the Office of Housing and Residence Life.  There is a charge of $30 to change a door code (Dawson and Keith Hall). The total amount will be billed to your account.  Additionally, you are responsible to return all campus issued keys and/or slide cards when you leave the halls. Replacement costs will be assessed for failure to return these items. Do not give your ID and/or door code to anyone!

WVSU traditional students are required to live on campus.  All freshmen and sophomore students who do not commute from the permanent legal residence within a 50-mile radius of the campus are required to live in a residence hall.  This requirement is waived if the student has served two or more years in the U.S. Armed Forces or has completed the reserve obligation.  This requirement is also waived for students who have lived in a college residence hall for six semesters or have a disability which makes the University residence halls impractical. A married student, single parent, or a student 21 years of age prior to admission to WVSU can also waive the residency requirement.

Routers and candle/wax burners/melters are not permitted at all. Please refer to “Housing Contract Terms and Conditions” and review the different appliances that Apartment Residents and Suite occupants are not permitted to have in the spaces. Air fryers, hot plates and grills (including George Foreman Grills) are also not permitted.

The following restrictions must be met:
Refrigerators should be no larger than 4.6 cubic feet max, 1.8 amps, 110 volts, UL approved only.  In the interest of fire prevention, electrical outlets must not be overloaded. No devices for the purpose of cooking are allowed in residence hall rooms, with the exception of the following: pop-up toasters (not toaster ovens), blenders, can openers, coffee makers and juicers.  Microwave ovens are permitted in student rooms provided the microwave oven has been UL approved and does not exceed 700 watts.

Laundry facilities are located in each residence hall and are currently free to wash and dry for on-campus residents ONLY.

Residents should complete and sign your suite’s Roommate Agreement Form. The Roommate Agreement Form is designed to eliminate roommate conflict as much as possible while also providing students with their basic room rights. Students should notify their RA’s first with any issues with roommates via email or through scheduling a meeting. If it is not resolved, the resident should contact the Director of Housing via email that the issue was not resolved. It is our duty to ensure that all residents feel comfortable and safe. 

WVSU is not responsible for loss or damage to personal property from any cause, we strongly encourage students to procure and maintain Renter’s insurance or appropriate insurance, covering the student’s personal property from loss or damage and covering the student for liability. 

Resident students are expected to keep personal areas clean along with the public areas such as bathrooms, lounges, lobbies, hallways, laundry rooms, study and TV lounges. Maintenance problems in student rooms should be reported promptly by completing a Maintenance Request on the main Housing and Residence Life page (this can be done on your computer or mobile device) then follow it up with reporting to the Office of Housing and Residence Life via email.

Maintenance personnel respond in the order in which the requests are received.  Maintenance usually tries to complete the work within 24 hours of the request but it is not guaranteed depending on the severity of the issue.

Quiet hours are in effect from:

• 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. on weeknights
• 12 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Friday and Saturday

If other students in your hall are bothering you with noise, you have the right (at anytime of day or night) to ask them to keep the noise to a minimum.  If trouble persists, feel free to notify your RA, who has the option and authority to set disciplinary procedures in motion.  Students are encouraged to keep the volume of their stereos low.  As a rule of thumb, residents are encouraged to have no more than two guests per resident visiting their room at any one time, in order to maintain courtesy quiet hours.

Students residing on campus are required to participate in the University’s meal plan.  However, students residing in the apartments, located within the Judge Damon J. Keith Scholars Hall, are not required to participate in a campus meal plan.  However those students are encouraged to do so.  For more information, please see Dining Services.

Goldston Dining Hall Hours
Monday – Friday
Breakfast 7:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Lunch 11:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Dinner 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Weekends
Brunch 10:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Dinner 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

William F. Pickard Cafe Hours
Monday – Friday
9:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Weekends
Closed

The Nest
Monday – Friday
11:00 – 9:00 pm

Weekends
Closed

During the Academic Year:
Students living in the halls may pick up mail/packages at the Keith Hall front desk. The mail room is completely operated by work-study students and hours are based on their availablity. The hours are listed below, but are subject to change based on the availability of work-study students.

For mail:	For packages:
West Virginia State University	West Virginia State University
Student Name-Hall-Room Number	Student Name-Hall-Room Number
P.O. Box 1001	Fairlawn Ave & Barron Drive
Institute, WV 25112	Institute, WV 25112

Additionally, personal mail boxes are available for rent in the University Union. During Summer, due to the lack of students staying within the residence hall, students will need to pick up their mail from the Post Office. 

Students are able to enjoy free, unlimited access to e-mail and the Internet from any residence hall room. Students without their own computer can use the conveniently located computer labs in the University Union, Library and several other locations around campus. Personal routers ARE NOT permitted in the residence halls as they interfere with the campus WiFi systems. Students found to be using personal routers will be fined and the routers confiscated. 

No pets are allowed in the residence halls, unless approved through the Office of Counseling and Accessibility Services, prior to the pet being on campus. Students are permitted to have non-meat eating fish in a tank no larger than 10 gallons. 

Residents are allowed to have visitors on campus. However, overnight guests are limited to two per resident. Guest can visit for up to three (3) consecutive days (72 hours) and up to six (6) days in a given month on a space available basis in the assigned room of the host. Only if there is advance consent by all residents of the room/suite, and in accordance with the specific visitation policies established.

All students may have the privilege of using a motor vehicle (including motorcycles) on campus provided it is registered with WVSU Public Safety and they pay the fee for a parking sticker.

All students bringing bicycles to campus are asked to register their bicycle with Campus Safety. Students cannot ride their bikes in the hall and any damages caused by the item will be billed to the student.

In order to expedite the process, students should must make sure they are following proper check-in and check-out procedures. Failure to do so will result in an Improper check-in/check-out fine.

• Inspect new room/suite with RA.
• Upon inspection, you will a “Pink” copy from RA for your records.
  • You will have 24 hours to return the “Pink” copy with any additional repairs needed.
• Retrieve new key/code(s).
  • As always, for security reasons do not share codes/keys with anyone 

• Clean room/suite and throw out all trash
• Pack up all belongings before obtaining a cart (Carts are limited. We want to ensure all students have the opportunity to use the carts).
• Have an RA inspect room before moving to new room. 
• Return your key/key card (if applicable) .
• Trash removal, cleanliness, missing/damaged furniture items will result in a bill.

Students who desire to change rooms must wait until after the first full week of classes. All occupants in the desired location must agree to the students moving. Students who move without approval from the Director of Housing and Residence will be assessed a fine and must return to the original space.

Due to limited space within our residential buildings, at certain times during the academic year, it may become necessary to consolidate residents by reassigning them to new rooms/suites. The purpose of the consolidation period is to ensure spaces for incoming students and rectify the inequitable condition which exists when many students end up without roommates and/or suites are not full. 

Students required to move due to the consolidation policy will be required to move within seventy-two (72) hours of receipt of their e-mail. Generally, students will not be required to move into other buildings. Our office will make efforts to keep students affected by the Consolidation Policy within the same building and floor (if available spaces exist).