Focus
Student Development is focused on enriching the lives of ORU students through supporting the University's mission and vision of creating whole persons. Through the areas of Residence Life, Spiritual Formation, Student Experience, and Student Resources, the Student Development staff is committed to the whole person education by providing students with opportunities in leadership development, spiritual growth, missions and outreach, and academic support. The staff assists in the areas of campus ministry, student live and outreach opportunities. The Housing Office is also a part of Student Development.
The Dean of Student Development provides leadership to an Associate Dean of Student Development, the Director of Housing and the seven Residence Hall Directors. Collectively the Student Development staff addresses the needs of all undergraduate students at ORU.
Residential Policy
ORU is a residential campus. All Freshman are required to live on campus. Additionally, all undergraduate students who are younger than 23 years of age are required to live on campus unless they meet one or more of the following criteria to be a commuter. Those who meet the criteria must file a Petition for Policy Exception* with the Office of Student Development. Legacy scholarships are reduced by 50% and Quest Scholarships will be reduced by 25% for unmarried students younger than 23 who are granted commuter status.
Commuter Status Eligibility Criteria
- Live with a parent or legal guardian who resides in Tulsa or surrounding area (within a 50 mile radius). In addition to submitting the Petition for Policy Exception, students must also submit the Parent Verification Form in order to be considered for commuter status for this reason
- Married
- Single parent with custodial responsibilities
- Graduate or Doctoral Student
- Enrolled part-time (defined as being enrolled in 11.5 or fewer hours per academic year semester Fall or Spring). Students enrolled in any on campus class during the summer are required to live on campus.
Overnight Sign-Out Procedure
All students (male or female) who plan on taking a trip of spending a night off campus must officially sign out with their Residence Hall Director or Student Development staff.
- Students may sign our online at signout.oru.edu. Emergency sign-outs will be handled on an individual basis via the Residence Hall Director on duty.
- Students are eligible to sign out for no more than three nights a week. Signing out for an extended period of time requires approval from the Residence Hall Director during specified office hours. Dual residency is not permitted.
- Students are expected to sign out properly and truthfully; falsifying a sign-out can result in disciplinary action.
- Parents of dependent students will be called for approval of sign-outs to hotels or a residence belonging to someone of the opposite gender.
Chapel Excuses
Chapel Attendance Policy
- During fall and spring semesters, chapel services are held every Wednesday and Friday at 10:55 a.m. All resident and full-time commuter students are required to attend both weekly chapel services. Part-time commuter students taking seven or more hours are required to attend chapel services once a week. Part-time students required to attend chapel have the option of attending Wednesday or Friday.
- Students are expected to be in their seats by 10:50 a.m. Students leaving early must present their Student ID card to the appropriate staff person. Commuters and part-time students required to attend chapel must have their student ID and swipe in the appropriate card reader to be counted present. Students must swipe in between 10:45 a.m. and no later than 11:05 a.m. to be counted present. Students swiping in before or after these designated times will be counted absent.
- Chapel absences resulting from an emergency or illness must have an excuse submitted within 48 hours to the appropriate office on official letterhead or documentation. Residence hall residents must submit excuses to their respective Residence Hall Director; commuters and part-time students required to attend chapel submit excuses to the Student Development Office and graduate students to the Dean of their graduate school. Seating assignments are made for all students required to attend chapel by block assignments at the beginning of each semester.
- Three unexcused absences result in automatic cancellation of a student’s enrollment at the University. Graduate students who are allowed to re-enroll must obtain an approved petition to do so from the Dean of their school; undergraduate residential students must obtain the approved petition from the Dean of Student Development; commuter students and part-time students required to attend chapel must obtain the approved petition from the Student Development Office. These students present the approval to re-enroll to the Student Accounts Office and pay a $50 reinstatement fee. No appeal will be accepted if it is submitted after the next semester of enrollment (e.g., an appeal for the fall semester will not be accepted after the spring semester ends).