First Year Residential Life FAQ
NEW STUDENT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What do the room numbers in Bethel mean?
A: You enter Bethel on Floor D. Thus, floors C, B, A are down the stairs (descending in that order), and floors E, F, G, H are up the stairs (ascending in that order). The N or S indicates if you’re on the North side (left as you face the building) or South side (right as you face the building).
Q: What is the difference between a Semi Suite and Full Suite in Westside?
A: Semi-suites include a small, unfurnished walk-in foyer that connects the two rooms. Full suites are entered through a small living room that includes a 2-seat couch, a 3-seat couch, a coffee table, and an end table. First-year students are assigned to the semi-suites in Westside Hall.
Q: Does my residence hall have a kitchen?
A: Only Westside Hall has a kitchen, which is located in the main lobby area and only available for Westside Hall residents. The kitchen is stocked with pots, pans, appliances, and cooking utensils. Students must provide their own dinnerware and flatware.
Q: Does my residence hall have air conditioning?
A: Westside Hall and Bergami Hall feature central air conditioning. Bethel has air conditioning in the building’s large common lounge. Bxiler and Gerber have air conditioning in the common areas on each floor.
MY ROOM
Q: What can I bring or not bring to the residence halls?
A: Please review the page specific residence hall guides.
Please refer to the Student Handbook for a list of items that are prohibited in the residence halls.
Q: I want to get an area rug (or something else that requires a measurement). Can you tell me the dimensions of my room?
A: With the large number of rooms on campus and varying sizes, it is impossible for us to provide each person with their room dimensions. We recommend waiting until you arrive at school and arrange your room (which may impact your available floor space) to purchase these items.
Q: What furniture is included in my room?
A: Each student will receive a bed, desk, desk chair, and a dresser. Additionally, students in all residence halls will have either a wardrobe or open closet space.
All the desks in Westside Hall are capable of being locked, however students must provide their own locks. These lockable desks are sometimes also found in other residence halls, but they are not standard to any other hall.
Q: What are the rules about microwaves and mini-fridges?
A: Residents are allowed one shared microwave per room and one mini-fridge per person. Microwaves should not exceed 1,000 watts and maximum size for the mini-fridge is 3.2-3.3 cubic feet. If roommates opt into renting a MicroFridge unit, this will count as their one shared microwave and one of the mini-fridges allowed in that room.
Please note: You can only have ONE MicroFridge unit (the combined microwave/refrigerator) per room. More information regarding MicroFridges, is available at mymicrofridge.com.
Q: Can I loft the bed, and how?
A: The standard setup in Bergami Hall and Bixler Hall includes one lofted bed and a bunk bed setup. Residents who are looking to unloft their bed can submit a Work Order to the Facilities Operations on myCharger. All residence halls offer adjustable beds, which can be raised and lowered.
Q: How many beds can be lofted in each residence hall?
A: There can only be one lofted bed in both Bergami Hall and Bixler Hall. Lofting is not permitted in Bethel Hall, Gerber Hall, or Westside Hall, however those beds can be raised.
Q: Hold on, what’s the difference between a lofted bed and a raised bed?
A: Lofting is when you bring a bed all the way up using a bunk bed double frame, but without the bottom bunk. This is high enough to put all your furniture beneath the bed. As mentioned above, one bed is automatically lofted in Bergami Hall and Bixler Hall triple rooms.
Raising the bed is when it’s raised up using to the highest setting on its existing frame (not as high as a bunk bed). Raising the beds in our residence halls allows the dresser to be placed beneath the bed to conserve space. Students can submit a Work Order to Facilities Operations to raise the bed.
You can gain additional height, if needed, by using bed elevators or “risers.”
Q: Do I supply my own bed “risers”?
A: The University does not provide bed risers for residents. Bed risers can be purchased at local retailers and the University Campus Store (http://www.bkstr.com/newhavenstore/home , search “Bed Elevator”).
Q: What about power cords?
A: You must use approved surge protectors. No non-surge extension cords are allowed. Please see the Student Handbook for more details.
Q: Is there a limitation on TV size?
A: No, there is no limit on the size television residents are allowed to bring. However, residents may wish to consider the size of their room and take count of how many televisions will be occupying their room when selecting a television size.
Q: Is my TV compatible with the campus network? And, how do I hook up my TV?
A: For more information, please review the Office of Information Technology’s myCharger page regarding streaming services.
Please note these services and polices are subject to change at any time without notice.
Q: How about printing or printers?
A: You can print on campus or bring your own printer. For more details about printing on campus, visit the Print Green page.
If you want to bring your own printer for your room, please note that we do not support WiFi printing. Your printer must connect to your computer or other devices directly via USB cord or Bluetooth.
Each residence hall (except Atwood, Savin, and Main) offer community printing locations in the lobby area (or adjacent room) of the residence hall.
Q: My family wants to send me mail. What is my address?
A: The mailroom will reach out to students via email during the first week of the semester to sign up for a mailbox number. Students will use the University’s address and include the mailbox number when they receive one. More details will be available from the mailroom once you arrive on campus.
THE BATHROOM
Q: What do we need to supply vs. what is supplied for us?
A: Each area with a private bathroom (Bergami Hall, Gerber Hall, and Westside Hall) is provided one shower curtain for the academic year. It is the responsibility of residents living in this space to keep the shower curtain clean. Residents can also opt to purchase their own decorative shower curtain.
Toiletries and paper products are not provided in private bathrooms (Bergami, Gerber, and Westside).
Residence halls with common bathrooms (Bethel and Bixler) are supplied with toilet paper, hand soap, and paper towels.
Q: Do we clean our own bathrooms?
A: In Westside Hall, Gerber Hall, and Bergami Hall, residents are responsible for cleaning their own private bathrooms. It would be helpful to pack cleaning supplies and establish a chore chart with roommates. In Bethel Hall and Bixler Hall, the bathrooms are cleaned by University Facilities staff each day.