Residential Life FAQ

Phone: 413-538-2088
Web: Residential Life

What furniture comes in our room?

Each resident is provided with a regular twin bed (36"x72"), bookcase, desk, desk chair, mirror, and dresser. This is standard furniture for all students and must remain in the student room. Each resident is also provided with a dedicated telephone line. There are also wall internet outlets in each room as well as wireless internet access in common areas.

What should I bring to make my room feel like home?

Students are welcome to be creative and have fun when decorating their room. For suggestions, we encourage students to refer to our packing and shopping list. We also encourage student to pay special attention to the prohibited items. Many of the items are common household decorative items such as candles, halogen/floor lamps, electric blankets, and space heaters. Many of the items are safe in homes but pose a greater risk in a college residential setting. 

Will I get a roommate?

Yes. Living with a roommate is an important part of the learning that takes place outside of the classroom. For this reason, first-year students are not eligible for singles. Listening and communication, personal advocacy, and negotiation are just a few of the skills learned during one's first year in a residential community. While the majority of our first year rooms are doubles, some students will live in triple and quad configurations. After the first year, all students participate in our housing lottery to determine their room assignment and roommate for the upcoming year. There are a limited number of singles available on campus. Priority for singles is giving to seniors, followed by juniors, then sophomores.

How are my room and roommate assigned?
The procedure for assigning rooms and roommates is very straightforward. In your new student packet, you will receive a Housing Assignment Form. This form asks for specific information on your basic interests, preferences, and living habits. We encourage residents to be honest and upfront when completing this form as roommates pairing occur based on this information. Preference is given to living habits such as smoking/non-smoking, sleep times, and cleanliness. Our primary goal is to find pairs with common living habits followed by study and social preferences. The Housing Assignment Form also asks for your preference of residence hall. While we cannot guarantee you will receive your preference, we consider this during the assignment process. We do not make placements based on race, sexual orientation, or national origin.   

If my roommate and I do not get along, what can be done?
Living with a roommate is a delicate transition that takes time. We encourage students to be open and honest about their needs and communicate these needs to their roommates. It is essential that you speak with your roommate when habits or living matters are in conflict. It has been our experience that early conversation about differences helps to resolve problems.

When the resolution is not readily found, you can seek the advice of the Residential Life student staff members in each hall. Each floor in the residence hall has an assigned Student Adviser who can assist roommates in having the difficult conversations. The Student Advisor is trained to specifically deal with conflict and tensions between roommates. The Student Advisor works with an Assistant Director of Residential Life to make sure the residence halls are safe and supportive living communities. The Assistant Directors (ADs) are full-time, live-in professional staff available to advise, support, and assist students during their transition to college.

Will my parents be notified if I ask for a room change or mediation?
Our goal in resolving conflict is to get each party involved in conversation and have everyone be a part of the solution. While parents are our best allies in supporting students through the transition of college, we see you as an adult. Our choice is to work with students directly.

Who should I call if there is a maintenance concern in my room?
Facilities Management works to preserve the campus facilities while creating and sustaining an environment that will support the best and brightest students. You should complete a service request form whenever you have a maintenance issue in your room or residence hall. Service requests can be completed online using the MAXIMO work order system. In an emergency, contact Facilities Management by calling 413-538-2012. Service requests usually take 48 to 72 hours to process.

Where can I store my belongings?

 Each residence hall has an assigned trunk room available for students. The trunk rooms are designed to provide storage for those extras in one’s room that make it too close for comfort. Trunk room space is available to all current Mount Holyoke residential students during the academic year only. Trunk room space is a community resource and available on a first come – first move basis. Access to the trunk room can be arranged through your Hall President. In cases where the hall president is not available, contact the Office of Residential Life.

We encourage students to seek off-campus options, as our storage facilities are not secured or climate controlled. The College does not have property insurance for student possessions, .The College accepts no responsibility  for anything stored in the basements, and things may be inadvertently removed and discarded, misplaced, stolen, or subject to other accidental damage or loss.

Why isn't storage available on campus during the summer?
Historically, managing trunk rooms have been at problem at MHC. Overflow and failure to adhere to the policy created a serious fire hazard. The increase in student population and increase in personal belongings contributed to a climate that was unmanageable. Over the years, we tried a number of options to tame the flow and volume of items stored in the trunk rooms. Regardless of the innovation and effort put into the program, we end the year with carelessly packed rooms and major fire hazards. For this reason, MHC ended the over the summer storage program.

I am an international student and plan to fly home for the summer. What can I do with items that will not fit in my suitcase?
Mount Holyoke College understands the complex needs of students who travel great distances. To accommodate the need of students overseas, we have created a central storage location for summer storage. This storage option is located in the Mandelle trunk room and available only to domestic and international students whose permanent residence is abroad and residents of Alaska and Hawaii. The Office of Residential Life will contact these students directly to make storage arrangements.