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Relocation of Hilltopper Hall Residents

Relocation of Hilltopper Hall Residents

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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions will be added often; please check back for updates. 

 

General FAQ

Earlier this academic year, members of WKU’s Facilities Management team noticed that some of the exterior masonry work on Hilltopper Hall had shifted out of position. The WKU Student Life Foundation, which owns WKU’s Residence Halls, engaged a team of experts (including an architect and civil engineers) to investigate, review and assess the building. The team of experts is still performing this work. However, on Wednesday, January 17, the Board of Directors of the Student Life Foundation met to hear and discuss preliminary findings. 

Based on professional recommendations, and after careful and deliberate discussions, the Student Life Foundation Board of Directors made the decision to restrict all occupancy within Hilltopper Hall while this investigative work continues. In the interest of safety and to facilitate continued assessment of the building, WKU Housing and Residence Life will personally work to relocate all residents by Sunday, February 4. 

We understand that any transition in housing poses an inconvenience and additional stress at the beginning of the semester. Our guiding principle is the health and safety of each of our residents and remains at the forefront of every decision we make. WKU Housing and Residence Life is committed to providing you with a safe and comfortable environment in which you can thrive. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we navigate a challenging situation. 

The Student Life Foundation only received the preliminary findings and met to review them on January 17, 2024, and at that time they made the decision to relocate the Hilltopper Hall residents.  The preliminary findings were not provided to the Student Life Foundation prior to winter break. 

At every decision point as a university we will make choices that are in the best interest of our students, and we acted immediately in the interest of their safety and welfare, even though the studies are not yet complete. 

The decision made by the Student Life Foundation’s Board of Directors on January 17 was that all occupants of the building be relocated as soon as possible. Recognizing there are logistical and other considerations that may vary depending on individual circumstances, the Board understood each student may not be in position to relocate immediately. Because of those considerations, but in keeping with the decision that the relocation be made as soon as possible, the Board directed that relocation of all students be completed by no later than February 4.

WKU Housing & Residence Life has met with Athletics staff and coaches and shared that student athletes may choose from the same options as all students in Hilltopper Hall.

McCormack Hall will be operated as an extended living hall, staying open during spring break, for teams that are in season and need housing duringthat time. 

The decision to relocate residents in Hilltopper Hall was based on preliminary findings by team of experts (including an architect and civil engineers). The teamwill continue performing the work of investigating, reviewing, and assessing the building during the coming months and determinations will be made later about the future of Hilltopper Hall.  

Students are welcome to move back to campus for the 2024-2025 academic year, and the application fee will be waived for our relocated Hilltopper Hall residents.  

Students need to update their address on all applicable platforms as soon as possible. 

USPS will be directed to deliver mail to McCormack Hall. All other delivery carriers are unable to redirect their deliveries. Please contact the seller or carrier to redirect your package as soon as possible. 

Students who have moved to another location on campus can look up their new address at wku.edu/housing/resources/addresses.php.

 

Relocation Options & Process

Hilltopper Hall residents have two relocation options: 

Option 1: Remain on campus in a different hall (at that hall’s rate) and receive an additional $1,000 housing credit for the Spring 2024 semester. The Hilltopper Hall spring housing charge will be removed from your spring bill. The following halls are available:  

  1. McCormack Hall - Double room with roommate and extended living (hall will remain open during spring break); Housing rate of $1,956 (reflects $1,000 credit). 
      
  1. Private rooms at PFT and Douglas Keen - A limited number of private rooms are available; Housing rate of $2801.60 (reflects $1,000 credit). With a limited number of private rooms available, this option will be provided by a random lottery draw. 
     
  1. Students with housing accommodations on file have been reserved a space that meets their needs and will receive a separate email with that option. The options listed above remain available to you as well. Please follow the instructions in the separate email. If you choose to move to the accommodated room assignment, a one-time $1,000 scholarship will be applied.  

Option 2: Move off campus: 
All Hilltopper Hall residents will be granted an exemption from the required housing policy for the Spring 2024 semester and will not be charged a contract termination fee. The Hilltopper Hall housing charge will be refunded on your spring bill. One resource to research off-campus rental properties is: https://wkuapartments.com/.  

  • January 18 – Hilltopper Hall residents received the Hilltopper Hall relocation announcement. 

  • January 19 – Hilltopper Hall residents will receive an email and text from WKU Housing & Residence Life with a personalized survey link to submit their preferred relocation option. 

  • January 19-22 – Town hall meetings will be available for Hilltopper Hall residents to ask questions about the relocation process on the first floor of Hilltopper Hall (Jan 19-3 PM, Jan 21-2 PM, Jan 22-4 PM)  

  • January 22 – The personalized relocation option survey will close at 11 PM.  

  • January 23-25 – HRL will provide additional information and instructions to students about their selected relocation option.  

  • January 26-February 4 – moving help and appointment timeslots will be offered for students moving to another location on campus.  

  • February 4 – all residents must vacate Hilltopper Hall by 6 PM.

All students will receive a roll of packing tape and an open supply of boxes, located in the lobby (once they are delivered). The large moving boxes utilized during regular move-in will also be available. 

For students moving to another hall on campus, box trucks will be available to move your belongings.

All Hilltopper Hall students will be able to sign up for move-out timeslots when we will have volunteers available to help load vehicles. You are not required to utilize volunteers if you would like to move during your own preferred timeframe. 

Yes, roommate pairs can be assigned together at McCormack Hall.  

There is very little space available in other halls; In order to guarantee that relocating residentsreceive a room assignment, residents (who are staying on campus) must choose one of these three halls (McCormack, PFT, or Keen).

However, once the room change process begins on Thursday, January 25, then any residential student, including those relocating from Hilltopper Hall, may request a change.

If choosing to submit a room change after choosing McCormack, PFT, or Keen, we recommend choosing a move-out timeslot closer to February 4 to see if the room change can be accommodated prior to the move. While we cannot guarantee a room change approval and within the relocation timeframe, we will do our best and will make the transition as smooth as possible. 

To learn more about how to make a room change request, please visit wku.edu/housing/resources/roomchange.php.

The WKU Apartments on Kentucky Street are owned and operated by WKU Housing & Residence Life, and we do not have any apartments available to offer. If we did, we certainly would have offered these to our relocating Hilltopper students. 

The required housing exemption for relocating Hilltopper Hall residents is only for Spring 2024.

Those wanting to request an exemption to the required housing policy for 2024-2025 may do so beginning February 1. Students are welcome to request an exemption, and decisions will be made on a case by case basis. 

The required housing policy applies to students who have not lived on campus for two years. 

View the Required Housing Policy 

If students prefer to move off campus instead of living in one of the on-campus options, they are able to do so.  
 
We have been in contact with many property management groups in Bowling Green to see if they can provide short-term leases to students. While there are limited options and availability, the following groups are offering short term lease options:  

*More locations will be added to this list as we receive information.  

**If you are a property group offering a short term lease option, please email hrl@wku.edu to be included in this list.  

Since the construction of Hilltopper, Normal, and Regents Halls, WKU has had an excess of bed space on campus, which meant we could take one building of McCormack’s size offline. McCormack has the setup of a hall that could be easily renovated without demolishing the entire building. Therefore, ithas been offline so we could continue to evaluate the space for future renovation plans.  
 
While McCormack Hall has not been used for regular academic year housing, it has continued to be used to house students on campus for the summer, summer camps and conferences, and other special housing needs. McCormack is undergoing an additional deep cleaning prior to opening for relocated Hilltopper Hall students. We also plan to relocatethe lobby furniture from Hilltopper Hall over to the McCormack Hall lobby.  

Hilltopper students need to complete the official checkout process. 
In addition to removing ALL personal belongings, no trash can be left behind, and rooms should be set up in their original, clear left/right sides.  
 
After you have completed all steps, you will officially check out by completing the express checkout envelope and returning the envelope and room key to the front desk. Your key must be returned at the time of checkout to avoid an additional charge. 

View the Check Out Process

 

Refunds/Credits 

With the relocation of Hilltopper Hall students for spring 2024 semester, students will receive a credit adjustment to their accounts. Adjustments will begin to be made the week of Feb. 5. 

Students who received a scholarship for their housing for the semester will have these credits returned to the entity that awarded their scholarship.  Below are more specifics related to the credit. 

Housing Credit 

$4086, the full housing charge for Hilltopper Hall, will be credited to the student’s account. This credit will first be applied to any new housing charges for those remaining on campus. If a student is moving off campus and has any outstanding balance, the credit will then go towards any unpaid portion of the student’s account. If the student’s bill is paid in full and there are excess funds due to the Hilltopper Hall refund, those funds will be released to the student unless the housing charges were originally paid by a housing-specific scholarship.    

Timeline: 

Adjustments will begin to be made the week of Feb. 5th through BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution, powered by BMTX, Inc.; please ensure you have a refund preference selected with BankMobile Disbursements.  For more information on refund process, please contact the Office of Billings and Student Accounts at 270.745.5551. 

The credit was given to students as an incentive to remain on campus. The credit will be applied as a cost adjustment for their spring housing.HRL is committed to providing staff and resources for each student to be successful in their WKU experience, and given this relocation, remaining on campus gives a student the best access to academic classes and resources for their education. 

There is very little space available in other halls; In order to guarantee that relocating residents receive a room assignment, residents (who are staying on campus) must choose one of these three halls (McCormack, PFT, or Keen). 
 
However, once the room change process begins on Thursday, January 25, then any residential student, including those relocating from Hilltopper Hall, may request a change. 
 
If a Hilltopper Hall resident is granted a room change to another residence hall, a one-time $1,000 scholarship will still be applied to the student’s billing account. 

 

Dining & Parking

Students who have a meal plan can choose to change their plan through the first three weeks of the semester, by Feb. 4, by contacting the ID Center. Learn more about the cancellation policy at https://www.wku.edu/wkurg/mealplancancel.php.

Students who are choosing to move off campus must first check out of Hilltopper Hall, and then they will be able to adjust their meal plan to one that better fits their needs.

Meal Plan Options can be viewed on at wku.edu/wkurg. Should a student decide not to choose a traditional meal plan, the Flex $325 Plan will be added to their account.

For assistance changing your meal plan, please contact the ID Center at (270)745-2417 or email at idcenter@lists.wku.edu.

Contact wkurg@wku.edu with questions about meal plan options and what might be best for you.

Students wishing to exchange their current housing parking permit for a different housing parking lot should visit the Parking and Transportation office located at 578 Campbell Lane. 

If moving off campus, commuter students may use their current housing parking permit and park in that designated lot, or they can inquire about commuter lots. 

For more information, contact Parking and Transportation at (270)745-2361.

The Hilltopper Hall resident relocation is also impacting Hilltopper Hub. Hilltopper Hub is now closed. 

 

Contact

WKU Housing & Residence Life: (270)745-3143, hrl@wku.edu 

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 Last Modified 8/7/24