Student Services
Student Services Biola recognizes that education does not take place exclusively in the classroom; rather, the individual student is viewed as a “whole person.” We are committed to contributing to student development in the social, personal, physical and spiritual areas of life, as well as that of the intellect. Toward that end, a number of departments and programs are devoted to student development. The Division of Student Development is responsible for programs and services for both residential and commuter students. Also, it is involved in such areas as career planning; chapel programming and accountability; housing placement; discipline; spiritual and character formation; leadership development and advisement to student organizations; learning skills development; services to students with disabilities; and international student services. The Auxiliary Services Department is responsible for the business management of the residence halls and apartments, food services, health services, the bookstore, computer store, ID cards, the duplicating center, fitness center, and the swimming pool. Residence Life The residence halls and apartments are more than a place for students to sleep and study. We also see the halls and apartments as a place for students to develop in all areas of life. For this reason programs and staff are available to provide an environment for such growth. The residence halls and apartments are an exciting and challenging place to live. Resident Directors and Resident Advisors, or Resident Coordinators, are available in each hall to serve as a resource for students. Residence Halls Rooms accommodate two to three students and are equipped with individual study desks, single beds, closet space, chest of drawers, bookshelves, and a wastebasket. Each residence hall has laundry rooms equipped with card-operated washing machines and dryers. Residents receive a laundry card the first time they check into housing. Students are expected to supply their own linens (sheets, pillowcases, towels, blankets, and pillows), School supplies, decor including desk lamps, laundry supplies and personal toiletries. No cooking equipment is allowed in the residence hall rooms except in kitchen facilities (excluding apartments). Additional information may be found in the Housing Handbook at studentlife.biola.edu/campuslife- housing/housing/housing-handbook/. Housing for Graduate Students Biola owns and leases houses and apartments in the local community to provide housing for single and married graduate students. Some units are furnished and provide housing for single graduates at a per person, per month rate which is based on the number of occupants per bedroom. Unfurnished one- and two-bedroom units located in three complexes near campus provide housing for couples and singles at a per apartment, per month rate. For information on availability, locations and rates contact Auxiliary Services at grad.housing@biola. edu or at (562) 944-0351, ext. 5814. Residency Requirements Students under 20 years old by the first day of Fall classes are required to live on campus for the entire academic year, unless commuting from home. Students commuting from home are required to complete the online “Request to Commute” application located in MyHousing within my.Biola.edu. Students enrolled in less than 12 credits are not required to live on campus. Incoming students 20 years and older or with less than 12 credits may live in residence halls or apartments on a space-available basis. Students who turn age 20 during the academic year are not permitted to cancel their Housing Contract and move off-campus to non-Biola Housing, unless electing to move to their parents’ home, in which case cancellation fees will apply. See the Contract Cancellation section of the Housing
Handbook. Requests for exceptions are to be directed in writing to the Residence Exception Committee, care of the Housing Office in Student Development. All students living in undergraduate residence halls are required to participate in the food service program. All University undergraduate residence halls will be closed over the Christmas holiday. Housing Reservation Once University applicants have paid the $300 enrollment deposit, they will pay the $250 Housing Deposit at the same online location they paid their enrollment deposit. Housing applicants must pay the housing deposit in order to access the online housing application located on my.Biola.edu. Applicants who have paid the Housing deposit but decide not to attend Biola or obtain exemption from the residence requirement may request a refund of this deposit by contacting the Housing Department in writing (undergrad.housing@biola.edu). The Housing Department must receive this notification by the deadlines listed below. Failure to notify the Housing Department by the designated dates will result in forfeiture of the deposit. Fall applicant deposit refund deadline: Incoming students: July 1 Continuing students: prior to selecting/being assigned a room Spring applicant deposit refund deadline: Any new housing applicant: January 15 Once the contract year begins, incoming students will be considered continuing students. Continuing residents must have a $250 Housing Deposit balance. This deposit will be considered refundable if residents fulfill the Housing Contract for the full duration of the contract year. Refunded deposits will be credited to the student’s University account balance within three months of the fulfillment of the contract. The $250 housing deposit will be kept by the University to hold a space in on-campus housing until such a time as the student withdraws, graduates, or fulfills the academic year housing contract. Residents who do not fulfill the academic year housing contract will forfeit their housing deposit. In the case of withdrawal, the student must submit a written request for refund of the housing deposit to the Housing Office by the deadlines listed above, otherwise the housing deposit will be forfeited. Continuing Students Continuing on-campus students desiring to reserve on-campus housing for the Fall must sign up for the room of their choice according to the reservation schedule in the Spring. Commuter students desiring to live on campus need to contact the Housing Manager. Commuter Students Students who live off campus are a valued and important part of the Biola community. The Department of Commuter Life serves Biola’s Off-Campus Community members via special Orientation Events, Off-Campus Housing Services, Good Morning OCC!, the weekly OCC Update, Commuter Lockers, OCC Events and the Collegium, our home-away-from-home for off-campus students, located centrally in the upper Student Union. The Commuter Life Team—Director, Associate Director, Coordinator, and 25–30 peer leaders—work together to facilitate connection within Biola’s vibrant campus community, as well as connection to valuable campus and local community resources. We want off-campus students to be community-connected, resource-connected, and information- connected, thriving spiritually, emotionally, relationally, and academically throughout their time at Biola. Additional resources are available for students through the Commuter Life website: studentlife.biola.edu/commuter.
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