New Student Housing Information and Frequently Asked Questions
As a residential campus, our mission in the Residence Life Office is to build community and provide learning outside of the classroom. We are very intentional when placing students and building communities in our first year centers. As a new student, you will be asked to complete the new student housing application. This application will collect information about how you like to keep your living space, when you like to go to bed/wake up, how you want the room to be used, and expectations for visitors in the room. We will use this information to pair students with a roommate who has similar living preferences and interests as themselves.
We will also take this information to build communities in our first year centers. Additionally, there will be students in the same community that have different passions for you to learn about. There will also be one or more Resident Assistants (RAs) living in the community to provide programming, community building, and help in the transition to Wooster.
Can I request a roommate, building, or type of room?
Since our priority is to build communities, we do not accept roommate or building requests as a first year student. If students have a friend that they would like to live near, they can email reslife@wooster.edu, and we will try to place them on the same hall or in the same building with that student if possible.
Timeline & guide for new student housing fall semester
Once students turn in their enrollment deposit, they will receive information from the College about a checklist of items to complete and their Wooster login in information. Here is a simple breakdown of what is needed by June 1st for housing :
- Students will login to eRezLife (our housing system) using the Wooster login that was sent to them. eRezLife is a portal that students will use to select housing, coordinate break housing, fill out Room Condition Reports, and find roommates during their time at Wooster.
- Under “Recommended Actions” on the home screen, students should see “Apply for Housing.” This will bring students to the application page to select the off campus application or the residential application.
- A step-by-step guide to the New Incoming Student application process can be accessed here. Please email reslife@wooster.edu with any issues or questions!
- Housing placement and roommate information will be sent out to all students via their College of Wooster email address in early July.
Single Rooms
There are limited single rooms in First Year housing, however we do not accept requests for single rooms. Students who have a medical need for a single room can apply for a Housing Accommodation through the Academic Resource Center website.
What is Women of Images and how does it relate to housing?
Women of Images: Women of Images is an organization that is determined to help women of color grow, uplift each other, and achieve success. These goals are achieved through the affirmation of the inherent beauty of all women of color as well as the education, leadership, and mentorship of first-year students. The Women of Images House, Colonial House, and organization both strive to empower minority members of our campus and community, and we are unyielding in our determination to assert the validity of our culture and heritage. Through living in the house and being a member of the organization, women of color on campus are given the opportunity to interact, bond, and learn from many other minority students at the College of Wooster. One of our program house’s main purposes is to serve as a support system for the incoming and current women of color on campus. In this program, new members have the opportunity to learn from active members about the many adjustments needed in the transition from high school to college, as well as what it means to be a woman of color in America today. Our organization also furthers cultural awareness on the college campus and in the Wooster community. First-year students will participate in assorted Women of Images traditions and events that serve to increase campus awareness of the contributions made to America by women of color. The mission of Women of Images is to provide a safe space for women of color as well as Women of Images members on campus, while simultaneously fostering a healthy learning environment about what it means to be a woman of color in America.
Interested students should apply here.
Applications are due by July 22, 2024 and will be reviewed by the Women of Images board. Selected students will be notified and have their housing assignment updated to be in Colonial House with other Women of Images members.
Can I see my room before I move in?
Our Residence Halls are very busy over the summer with camps and conferences. Therefore, we are unable to show students their rooms before they move in. There are videos for a couple of the halls on our website. These will give you a good idea of what the rooms, as well as the building, look like. We are working to have more of these videos developed. There are links to building floor plans also available on the website.
In general, students can expect to have a bed with XL twin mattress, desk, desk chair, dresser, bookshelf, closet or wardrobe, and the ability to loft or bunk their bed. Windows will have blinds or shades. Posters and pictures can be hung with 3M strips or painters’ tape. Feel free to call the Residence Life Office if you have questions about specifics.
Air Conditioners
We are working to provide central air to our Residence Halls as we renovate spaces. As of the 20-21 academic year, 9 of 15 Residence Halls will have central air. Students are not able to bring air conditioning units to campus. If there is a medical need for air conditioning, students can seek a Housing Accommodation through the Academic Resource Center. If approved, an air conditioning unit will be provided and installed by the College.
Emotional Support Animals
The only pet that students are able to bring to campus are small fish. Students can apply for Emotional Support Animals through the Housing Accommodation process. Students are not able to bring animals, other than small fish, to campus unless they are approved first through the Housing Accommodations process.
What should I bring to campus?
While every student is different, here are some suggestions of items that you may want to bring with you to Wooster.
Storage
The College works with an offsite company to provide discounted student storage over the summer. The company will bring a truck to campus during scheduled times to provide boxes, register the student’s belongings, and allow for drop off. Then the truck will return to campus in the fall for student pick up. The student’s belongings are stored in a safe, climate-controlled environment during the summer months. More information about storage will be sent to students’ College of Wooster email address during spring semester.
Sending Items to Campus
Students are able to ship belongings to campus in the summer to prepare for their arrival. They should address them as follows:
Student Name
[C-Box Number]
1189 Beall Ave.
Wooster, OH 44691
Their packages will be inventoried and stored by our Campus Mail room before their arrival to campus. Students will provide information on how to access their packages before they arrive.
What is a RA? When will I meet them?
RA stands for Resident Assistant. A RA is a College of Wooster student who is working for the Office of Residence Life. RAs will be holding programs or events to connect you to other students and resources on campus. RAs will also hold weekly office hours to offer support and someone to talk with should you need it.
Your RA will hold a floor meeting when you arrive to campus. In this meeting you’ll learn more information about what it means to live on campus, meet your floor-mates, and start talking about what it means to live as a community.
What if I am arriving early for Band, ARCH, or an Athletic Team?
The leader of the College activity will be able to provide you specifics about your approved date of arrival. Under most circumstances, you will be able to move into your Fall Semester housing assignment when you arrive to campus. If this is not the case, we will reach out to you to communicate a temporary assignment until your space is ready.
When you arrive to campus, you will go directly to the Campus Access office located in the Security building on Wayne Ave. The Campus Access office will issue you either your student ID or a temporary ID until your permanent ID is ready. This ID will allow you to access the exterior doors and your room.
Resident Assistants are available during this time and information about how to contact them will be posted in your hall.