Carleton College Housing FAQs

Will there be a phone in my room? What will my phone number be?

Fri, 15 Apr 2005 10:00:40 -0500

Each room has a phone. Your phone number will always start with 507-222-. The last four digits of your number are determined by your room assignment. Your room and phone number will be included in the mailing you receive with your roommate's name, address, phone number and e-mail address. You will receive an authorization code from Telecommunications which will make it possible for you to make long distance calls from your room phone.

Can I move in any earlier than 9 a.m. on Wednesday, September 10?

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0500

We are able to accommodate first year students who must arrive early because of travel difficulties or family conflicts. However, the earliest we can provide housing is Tuesday, September 9, at noon. There is a nominal fee of $25 which includes the cost of your room and meals for September 9. The charge will be applied to your student account in the Business Office. If you would like to reserve housing , please complete the Early Arrival Request for First Year Students form. We are very sorry but we cannot accept any reservations after August 15.

As you make your reservation, please keep in mind that transportation will not be provided from the airport to Carleton College on September 9. For available transportation options, please visit the Campus Activities website. Keys and OneCards will only be issued from noon until 4:30 p.m. on September 9.

Are refrigerators available in the residence halls?

Fri, 15 Apr 2005 08:59:19 -0500

Refrigerators are available in every floor lounge. Many students enjoy having small refrigerators in their rooms, but they are by no means necessary since there is space in the floor refrigerator.

Small residence hall or apartment-style refrigerators (no greater than 3.6 cubic feet) are permitted in the student rooms. On Campus Marketing rents 2.5 cubic foot, 3.6 cubic foot and combination microwave/refrigerators to our students. Refrigerators are delivered at the beginning of the year and picked up at the end of the academic year. Roommates frequently share the cost of renting a refrigerator for their room.

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How does Carleton encourage sustainable living and what can I do to help?

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Sustainability is becoming more and more important on Carleton’s campus. For example, Carleton students are encouraged to be conscious of their energy use by setting computers to energy-saving modes, turning off extraneous lights, using power strips that can be turned off at night, using energy-maximizing CFL (compact fluorescent) light bulbs, being conscientious about shower time and water use, using energy-maximizing settings on washers, thinking about air-drying clothes and minimizing wintertime heat loss by keeping windows closed and adjusting the heat to comfortable levels.

Sustainability is about creating and maintaining a long-lasting, healthy community and well as minimizing impact on the environment. The many student and campus-sponsored activities, programs and organizations at Carleton create a healthy, happy, sustainable community that is also sustainable in its low impact on the environment.

We encourage you to be conscientious of the environmental impact of your purchases as we move towards being a more sustainable campus community.

For example,

Where was the product made? What were the environmental costs in transporting it?
Is the package recyclable? Is the product made from recycled materials? Can the product be recycled?
Do cleaning and toiletry products include toxic chemicals? Are they biodegradable?

Are there laundry rooms in the halls and houses? How do you pay for laundry?

Fri, 15 Apr 2005 08:40:33 -0500

Each hall and most campus houses have laundry facilities on the main floor or in the basement. The laundry machines in the residence halls accept OneCards. Laundry machines in the houses still use quarters.

Are there kitchens and lounges on each floor? What equipment do they have?

Fri, 15 Apr 2005 08:36:43 -0500

There is a kitchen and lounge area on every floor but one. The kitchens have a sink, stove/oven, microwave, and refrigerator. We do not provide any cooking utensils so you may want to have a few essentials in your room. Many floors have floor funds which they use to purchase kitchen supplies such as dish soap and baking pans. Students who use the facilities are expected to clean the kitchen. Caution: items left in a public kitchen may disappear.

Is there a place to store trunks, giant pieces of luggage, bikes and boxes?

Fri, 15 Apr 2005 08:55:25 -0500

Yes, Carleton has limited storage available. Storage tickets can be purchased from the Bookstore. Contact Custodial Services or your building custodian to make arrangements to get into the secure storage area. We recommend that you confirm with your home owner's policy will cover any valuable items left in the storage areas. Storage insurance is not provided by the College.

Student belongings remain in their rooms during the winter and spring breaks if they will be returning to campus the following term. Custodial Services manages storage in the residence halls. Storage is available for students during the summer months, for those who will be on off campus study programs and for those who are taking extended leaves from campus.

I have additional questions about residential policies, problems, etc. Who can I turn to for answers?

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:58:51 -0500

The Residential Life staff oversee residential facilities (room assignments and changes, keys, damage charges), but more importantly, the hall directors and resident assistants are the first line of assistance for students within their residential environment. The staff is here to help you—to answer questions, to plan fun floor and hall programs, to help you learn about Carleton and yourself, and to just listen. Central office professional and student staff members are available to advise students on any educational or personal concerns. In addition, the central staff selects, trains, and supervises hall directors and resident assistants. They also develop and administer residential policies. The residential life staff is led by the director of residential life and an assistant director of residential life. We welcome your questions and suggestions; please e-mail us, stop by our offices for information, to meet the staff, or to just learn your way around campus.

Is cable TV available in College-owned houses?

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 10:28:28 -0500

Some of the College-owned houses are wired for Cable TV installation. Residents of the houses must subscribe for service using house funds to secure the subscription. Information is provided to the residents of the houses regarding cable TV installation at the beginning of each academic year. Houses that may subscribe for service are Allen House, Benton House, Chaney House, Geffert House, Huntington House, Prentice House, Stimson House, Watson House, Williams House, and Wilson Houses.

Carleton College network cable has been installed to Berg House, Brooks House, Clader House, Collier House, Colwell House, Dacie Moses House, Dixon House, Douglas House, Dow House, Eugster House, Hall House, Hill House, Hunt Cottage, Hunt House, Jewett House, Nason House, Owens House, Parish House, Parr House, Reynolds House, Rice House, and Scott House. The College network provides only the basic cable package. Telecommunications staff can respond to questions regarding the Carleton network cable.

Unfortunately cable connections are not available to Page House or Stadium. Street addresses are available on the staff listing page.

The College administration and the Committee on Student Life continue to evaluate the possibilities of cable installation to the houses on an annual basis.

I lost my key. What do I do?

Fri, 15 Apr 2005 08:26:19 -0500

If you lose your key, Residential Life Office staff (Sevy G10) will issue a temporary pass key which you can use for three days. If you have not found your key after three days, a new lock is put on your door at a cost of $40. You and any roommates will be issued new room keys and will need to return any old keys. If you lose your key after office hours (8am-5pm, M-F), please contact your RA or another RA in your building who can let you into your room for the night. Please stop by the Office the next morning to get a temporary pass key.

Do I need to purchase my own printer?

Fri, 18 May 2007 00:00:00 -0500

No. Printers are available in the library and the many computer labs located around campus. If you tend to print many personal documents, it may be a good idea to purchase your own printer, but if you are respectful about what you print in order to conserve paper and printing resources, common printers are free for you to use.

Is housing available during the winter and spring breaks and during the summer months?

Fri, 15 Apr 2005 08:56:43 -0500

Limited housing is available during the winter and spring breaks and during the summer months at a nominal fee. Housing is only available for international students and students who live at least 450 miles away; students taking courses at St Olaf and students who have 20 hour per week jobs on campus. Applications for break housing are available online and in Residential Life about six weeks prior to the break. During the winter and spring breaks, students who wish to remain on campus will need to locate a permanent resident of Burton or Davis (winter) or Watson (spring) who is willing to "sublet" their room for the break. During the summer months, off-campus houses are used for housing. The dining halls are not open during the breaks. The break housing fee is for room only.

How are first year student room assignments determined?

Thu, 17 Mar 2005 03:21:01 -0600

Remember that Roommate Preference Questionaire you completed? Residential Life staff read each and every Roommate Preference Questionnaire and match students based on responses to the questions on the form. They take into consideration your habits and patterns. Students are sorted based on the main issues that tend to cause conflicts in roommate situations (room cleanliness, noise/activity levels in the room, and bed times). Once students are put into those broad categories, we look at their academic and extracurricular interests and the other personal information they share. We work to put students together who have some overlapping interests, but who are not identitical matches. We believe that part of the learning that takes place at a residential college is meeting and living with people who are different from you. Because of this philosophy, we strive to not place people from the same state or schools in the same rooms. Siblings are not placed together as roommates and we try not to place siblings in the same buildings together. We typically don't honor roommate or specific dorm requests either. We also don't place athletes from the same team together as roommates. We believe that all of our communities are great places to live and that each student will have a fulfilling experience in the living environment that they are assigned to.

In late July, you will receive a letter informing you of your room assignment and roommate(s). After your first year at Carleton, you will be able to select your own room and choose your roommate(s) via a housing selection process that occurs every spring. If for some reason during the year, you would like to petition for a room assignment change, talk to your hall director.

What are the differences between halls, larger houses, small houses?

Fri, 15 Apr 2005 08:30:40 -0500

There are differences in architecture, room size and type, privacy of bathrooms, student class years and meal plan options. Check out the Floor Plans to learn more.

What furnishings are provided in the rooms? What should I bring myself?

Wed, 23 Mar 2005 02:40:39 -0600

All rooms are furnished with a bunkable bedframe, 80" (extra long) twin mattress, desk, desk chair, wardrobe or closet, trash can, mirror, and overhead light. Please note that lofts are not permitted. You are welcome to bring a few additional items to personalize your room: a small comfy chair, a desk lamp, etc. If you choose to bring a lamp, avoid halogens. During the past few years, halogen lamps have caused a large number of fires in residence halls across the country due to the intensity of heat they generate, and they are prohibited at Carleton. To protect and maintain the furniture for future residents, all room furniture must be kept in the room, and all lounge furniture must be kept in the lounges.

Students must provide their own linens which may be ordered from a linen company. The extra long twin size linens are also available at most major department stores. Our student staff have developed a listing of useful items to bring with you to campus. We encourage you to coordinate with your roommate to avoid duplicates.