Housing & Food

Living on campus is an important part of the Oxy experience.

My student is having roommate issues. What can I do?
Do the college residence halls have a curfew?
How are students matched to their roommates and residence halls?
Where can I learn about meal-plan options, locations for food on campus and my student's special dietary needs?
Can my student bring a car to campus? If my student does not have a car, is there public transportation available?

My student is having roommate issues. What can I do?

Many disagreements between roommates can be worked out with an open mind and a willingness to talk with each other. If the conflicts persist, encourage your student to speak with their Resident Adviser (RA) as a first step. The RA has received training on how to mediate roommate conflicts and help them learn how to have dialogue around disagreements. The RA is also the person who will inform them of how to work through the room-change process that happens during the third and fourth weeks of school. This information will also be published on the REHS Facebook page. Should students still need assistance, they can schedule a meeting with a professional staff member overseeing the building who will be able to assist with the situation.

Do the college residence halls have a curfew?

The residence halls are open to student residents of that hall 24 hours a day. The Academic Commons, which houses Oxy's Library, is open until midnight Sunday through Thursday and 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

How are students matched to their roommates and residence halls?

New students will be asked to submit the incoming student Housing Application (available online in June). After this is submitted, Residential Education and Housing Services (REHS) uses a housing software roommate matching algorithm to provide the best possible roommates for students based on student responses and preferences. To get the best match, students should complete this form on their own and be completely open and honest. This process takes some time, so please be patient; housing assignments will be sent to your student's Oxy email in early August. Once students have received this info, they are encouraged to reach out to their roommate(s) to talk about who will bring what, etc. In addition to the first-year residence halls, incoming students also have access to several themed living communities.

Following their first-year, your student is able to choose their own roommate(s) and residence hall. Room Draw is the process by which students select their specific living space on campus for the following academic year. Rising Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors are provided a designated day and time slot indicating their place in line to select their room. Room Draw is completed online using our housing software and time slots are generated and assigned randomly. According to the time slot, students are given the option of living in a single, double or triple room (depending upon what is available).

Where can I learn about meal-plan options, locations for food on campus and my student's special dietary needs?

Campus Dining offers a variety of meal plans, and has several locations to grab a snack or enjoy a full meal. Options to accommodate special dietary consideration are available at every dining facility. If you are a student living in traditional campus housing, you must purchase a residential meal plan (Meal Money). Residents of off-campus Oxy houses as well as off-campus students are not required to purchase a meal plan, but may choose to take advantage of a residential plan or a Bengal Bucks plan. Meal plans should be selected at the start of the academic year, but can be changed prior to the spring semester if needed.

Menu items in the dining facilities are priced individually (á la carte), and residential meal plan participants receive a 50% discount off the posted prices in the dining facilities. Students use their Oxy ID at the cashier to check out, and purchases are deducted from their account balance.

All Meal Money accounts are set up with a pre-set vending account. Food and beverage vending machines with card readers are located at various locations around campus. If a student runs out of meal money, any remaining vending funds will automatically be converted to meal money to be used in the dining facilities.

If a student is running low on meal plan funds, online additions may be charged to the student account. Additional funds not spent at the end of a semester will be transferred to a rollover or Bengal Bucks account for continuing usage. Oxy's Card Office can assist your student with account balances and next steps.

Can my student bring a car to campus? If my student does not have a car, is there public transportation available?

Students can park for free on campus, but must register their vehicle with Campus Safety. Parking lots can be found adjacent to each residence hall and near most academic buildings. About 60% of Oxy students bring a car with them.

For students who do not bring a car, there are many transportation options on and near campus. Students can check out one of the Zipcars parked on campus, or hop on one of the student-run Bengal Buses to run errands. There is also a growing community of bike riders who rely on Bike Share for free bike rentals, repairs and camaraderie. The Los Angeles public transportation system is also easily accessed from campus. The DASH bus can get you to and from the Gold Line, the light-rail system that connects Pasadena with downtown L.A., the San Fernando Valley, Culver City and Long Beach. Metro buses on Eagle Rock and York boulevards also provide easy access to life around Los Angeles.

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Contacts

Residential Education and Housing Services
Phone: (323) 259-2531
Email: resed@oxy.edu

Campus Safety
Phone: (323) 259-2599
Email: campussafety@oxy.edu

Campus Dining
Phone: (323) 259-2629
Email: dining@oxy.edu

Mailroom
Phone: (323) 259-2888