Living on Campus

Dining Spaces

• Main Dining Center
• Heritage Café
• Eagle's Nest

Dining Plans

Northwestern offers a flex plan for all meal plans, which allows students more flexibility to purchase à la carte items in the main cafeteria and other locations. Flex plans give students more control over how and when they use their meal plan funds. The cost of each food item purchased is deducted from the student’s dining funds balance.

Dining Funds – these are the funds students use to purchase food in any of the dining locations on campus. Students receive a 20% discount at the cash register and are not subject to sales tax when paying with dining funds. Any student with a meal plan can add dining funds at any time during the semester for an additional cost. Dining funds can also be used in vending machines, but no discount is applied.

Dining Fee – this fee covers utility costs, facility maintenance costs, equipment purchases and repairs, and administrative costs in the dining program.

Exceptions to Meal Plan Requirements

• If a commuter student has class on campus fewer than 2 days/week, they may apply for an exemption.

• Students with medical dietary restrictions should submit a Medical Dietary Accommodation Form to begin the process of determining the appropriate course for an accommodation or exemption.

A Residential Student is any student living in University of Northwestern residence halls.

A Commuter Student is any student living off-campus seeking a Traditional Undergraduate degree and taking 12 or more credits, including both traditional undergraduate and undergraduate pathways credits. Commuter Students seeking a traditional undergraduate degree who are taking fewer than 12 credits are not required to have a meal plan, but may choose to have a plan. PSEO students who are commuting are not required to have a meal plan, but may choose a PSEO meal plan.

First Year Students for Fall Semester will continue to be classified as First Year Students for Spring Semester. Students who begin as first year students in the Spring Semester will be considered First Year Students for Spring Semester only. Transfer students are not considered First Year Students.

Questions about meal plan information? Please contact Jane Goedeke at 651-631-5107 or jegoedeke@unwsp.edu

2021–22 Meal Plan Costs

Residential Students

Commuter Students

Full-time Commuter Students (12 or more credits, including both traditional undergraduate and undergraduate pathways credits)

How do I apply for housing?

First you must apply for admission to Northwestern. After you have been accepted, you will receive access to enter your housing preferences by going to theROCK > Student Home tab > Student Services portlet > Housing link> Traditional Undergraduate Housing link > UNW Housing Home Page.

I have special housing needs; who should I contact to discuss my housing arrangements?

You should contact the Academic Achievement Office to discuss any special needs you have that may require special housing accommodations. You can send an email to AcademicAchievement@unwsp.edu or call 651-631-5292.

When should I submit my housing preferences?

Housing assignments are determined based on housing application completion date. We strongly encourage you to make the deposit to admissions as early as possible and then complete your housing application

Which buildings are available for me as a new student?

First-year Traditional Undergraduate students are eligible to live in the Robertson Student Center (Hartill Hall, KnuHa Hall, and Knutson Hall) and Moyer Hall. Traditional Undergraduate students who are continuing at Northwestern or transferring to Northwestern from another institution are eligible to live in Akenson Hall, Ramseyer Hall, and Pittman North in addition to the Robertson Student Center and Moyer Hall. However, since space is limited in each of the buildings, we cannot guarantee you will always get your first choice of residence.

Can I be in a room by myself?

A large part of residence life at Northwestern is building relationships and community, so we do not offer any single rooms. Akenson Hall features units that house 2-4 students per room. Hartill Hall, KnuHa Hall, and Knutson Hall house 3-4 students per room. Moyer Hall is split into quads with 8 students in each quad. Ramseyer Hall and Pittman North are apartment style units with 4-5 people to a room, depending on the apartment layout.

Am I required to live on campus?

All students who are seeking a traditional undergraduate degree, and are under the age of 21 as of the first day of classes of the Fall semester are required to live in university housing for the entire academic year. Students who are part-time (less than 12 credits, including both traditional undergraduate and undergraduate pathways credits), married, or living with one or both parents are exempt from this policy. Students wishing to apply for an exemption must go to theROCK > Student Home tab > Student Services portlet > Housing link> Traditional Undergraduate Housing link > Commuter Application link.

Am I allowed to live on campus?

Students need to enroll in at least eight credit hours to reside on campus. Students must be single to reside in non-leased student on campus housing. Students between age 17 and 24 as of the first day of classes of the Fall semester are approved to live on campus. Students not meeting those age requirements and seeking to live on campus must receive approval from the Associate Dean of Residence Life. Students required to live on campus must remain a full-time resident of their designated room throughout the entire semester/year until their time of official checkout.

When can I move into my room?

New student move-in day is always the Friday before classes begin whether you are coming for Fall or Spring semester. If you are required to move in early due to extracurricular activities, you will be notified of the date and time of your check-in.

When will I find out who my roommates are?

Once you have been admitted to Northwestern and assigned a room, you will be able to see your roommates by visiting theROCK > Student Home tab > Student Services portlet > Housing link> Traditional Undergraduate Housing link >UNW Housing Home Page and selecting Room and Roommate Assignment under the term you are applying for.

Will my assigned room or roommates change before I arrive?

In some cases changes to your initial housing assignment are necessary due to other prospective students cancelling their assignment.

What laundry facilities are provided?

Every residence hall has laundry facilities with washers and dryers. A laundry card is purchased on campus in the residence halls; funds are loaded onto the card using bills or a credit card. Each load costs about $1.50 to wash and $1.50 to dry. Coins are not accepted.

Where can I store my bike?

There are bike racks outside of every residence hall and many of the academic buildings as well. All students are strongly encouraged to purchase a U-shaped metal bike lock. There is limited indoor bike storage in some of the residence halls. You will receive more information about indoor bike storage during check-in.

Can I bring a TV?

Yes, you are allowed to have a TV in your room. We do encourage you to discuss this with your roommates prior to moving in. Rooms in residence halls do not have cable TV.

Can I hang up pictures in my room?

You can hang up anything using plastic tac, but you cannot use nails, tacks, screws, 3M hooks, other adhesives, etc. due to the wall damage they create.

Am I allowed to bring any furniture for my room?

Smaller furniture items (such as armchairs, loveseats, etc.) are permissible but we advise speaking with your roommates before bringing any such items as space is limited. Bringing furniture such as bed frames, mattresses, desks and dressers is not permitted as those items are provided.

Are there any items that are not allowed in my room?

Due to serious fire danger, open flames and heat sources (including burning candles, incense, lighted potpourri, hot plates, etc.) are not permitted. Also, you may not have any pets (other than fish) in your room.