You are about to experience a whole new way of life — living in a residence hall with as many as 230 students from diverse and different backgrounds. You are about to participate in an experience that will be remembered throughout your lifetime.
Your residence hall experience will be critical in your overall personal development. Our residence halls are far more than places to sleep; they are laboratories where vibrant and unique options for learning, both structured and unstructured, constantly occur. Our goal is to provide you with a dynamic and diverse residential life program. It will foster a sense of community and encourage mutual respect and cooperation. It will supplement as well as complement the teachings of the classroom setting.
These are your residence halls. This is your new home. Be concerned about safety; we are! Become involved. Treat your floormates with respect. Take pride in where you live. Help keep your floor clean and comfortable. Use but do not abuse the facilities. Treat your residence hall as you would treat your own home - with respect and pride.
Enjoy your experience as a resident student and take the opportunity to learn from others — especially those who are different from you. You'll be glad you did.
Please remember one very important message: SUNY Cobleskill requires students to maintain Consideration Hours 24 Hours a Day. This means that stereos, noise and/or other disruptive behaviors are unacceptable. Disruptive students will lose their privilege to live on campus.
If you have any questions once you arrive on the campus, seek out one of your residence hall's outstanding staff members. Your Residence Hall Director and Resident Assistant are here to help. If I can be of assistance, please come to the Residential Life Office, which is located in Knapp Hall, or call 255-5215.
Edward E. Asselin
Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs/
Director of Residential Life
The Purpose of Special Lifestyle Environments
SUNY Cobleskill's residence halls' special lifestyle environments offer you the opportunity to live with others who have similar academic needs and/or interests, pending available space. Each lifestyle has an academic focus that must be nurtured and developed by those who live on the floor. These lifestyles are student-centered. The success of each floor will depend on the commitment you and your fellow students make. We hope to help you make your adjustment to residence hall living easy and comfortable. It is our goal to have the special lifestyle environments support the academic mission of the College.
The Residence Hall Environment
All residence hall students will be asked to be sensitive to noise and to work together to maintain an environment that is safe, quiet, clean, and comfortable. Noise will be kept at a minimum.
The Lifestyle Basics
I. Single Gender and Co-Ed Options
Single-Gender Residence Halls
Wieting Hall is our residence hall that has single-gender wings. In single-gender housing, men and women live under the same roof, but occupy separate wings and have separate single bathrooms as well.
Co-Ed Residence Halls
A co-ed hall houses both males and females within the same building. Floors, corridors, and/or lounge areas generally separate the rooms. Bathroom facilities are single-sex. All of our 10 residence halls are co-ed.
II. Smoke-Free Environment
All Residence Halls are smoke-free.
The Lifestyle Options
#1 Voluntary Triple Room
Approximately 15% of all students may live in a triple room; in an attempt to reduce involuntary tripling, students can volunteer to live in a triple room. Those who request this option will live three to a room until a de-triple (a move to a double or single occupancy room) is approved by the Residence Hall Director. Triple occupancy is involuntary if space does NOT exist to accommodate a de-triple request (in the same hall or across the campus) or if a de-triple option has been requested and has not yet been approved by the Residence Hall Director.
Triple occupancy is voluntary if a detriple option is offered but not accepted. All students who are living in an involuntary triple occupancy at the time of the Fall semester official census will have their room rents for Fall 2008 reduced by 5%. All students who are living in involuntary triple occupancy at the midpoint of the Fall 2008 semester will have their room rent for the Fall 2008 reduced by an additional 5%.
#2 Designated Quiet Study Lifestyle
In this environment, students will observe continuous quiet hours. Approximately 50% of the developmental programming focus will be on academic-related issues (study skills, organization/prioritization, test taking, advisement, and so on).
#3 Wellness Lifestyle
In this environment, students will abide by a substance-free environment where students will engage in programming/events related to creating and maintaining a physically and emotionally healthy person).
#4 Sustainability Lifestyle
In this environment, students will participate in developing an environmentally-aware housing experience. Developmental programming will emphasize awareness of and efforts to decrease the carbon footprint of the campus and its residents.
#5 StrengthsQuest Lifestyle
We’ve themed a floor based on residents strengths and natural talents. Residents will participate in developmental programming relating to their strengths.
#6 Diversity Lifestyle
In this environment, students should have a commitment to promote and celebrate diversity in all academic and student life experiences through the fostering of an inclusive residential community, enriched by different races, ethnicities, genders, nationalities, social-economic backgrounds, ages, abilities, sexual orientations, and spiritual values.
#7 Leadership Lifestyle
In this environment, students should share a commitment to inspire, encourage and motivate each other to continuously enhance student academic success and leadership skills.
#8 Service Learning
In this environment, students will establish and nurture programs that place them in opportunities to learn the importance of community participation.
#9 Same Major Roommate
This lifestyle offers you the option of living with another student who has the same major or in same academic school as you do. This can be a definite asset regarding one's academic success, but may be limiting regarding room use. If you wish to live with a student with the same major, fill in the name of your major on the STUDENT BANNER WEB SURVEY FORM. Please be aware that fulfilling this request grows unlikely when requests are received later than May 1 and/or if your major has a limited enrollment of new students who share your other lifestyle preferences.
#10 Roommate Request
If you are interested in living with a specific roommate (i.e. a friend from home), enter that person's unique survey id (found on the housing letter you received the Admissions Office), on the STUDENT BANNER WEB ONLINE SURVEY FORM. In order to honor your request, the person you are requesting must also request you in the same manner. In the case of three students requesting each other, all survey's must request the other two intended roommates.
A room assignment with your requested party (ies) cannot be made until the Residential Life Office receives both/all online housing survey forms.
Upper Class Experience
#11 Upper Division Living Learning Center
A special residence hall is offered to students enrolled as an Upper Division student (60+ credit hours earned) in their program. This mature students' living community emphasizes a strong academic focus and independent lifestyle. Special amenities such as room refrigerator/microwave units(based on availability), single or double room options, flexible guest policies, and conference space.
#12 Vacation/Break Housing
Some students no longer maintain a permanent address when they enroll in college and live on campus. These students may be considered “independent” and eligible for on-campus housing accommodations during vacation periods such as October Break, Thanksgiving Break, Intersession, and Spring Break. and submit it. An additional room rental will be assessed for each week or portion thereof of housing provided in addition to the dates of open housing as announced in the Terms and Conditions of Residence Hall Occupancy 2008-09. There is limited space available for break housing.
#3 Single Occupancy Room
Single occupancy rooms are available on a space-available, prioritized basis of individual needs and/or special circumstances such as medical issues. Superior Single rooms are double rooms and occupied one person. Standard Single Rooms (physically smaller than a superior single are available in the high- rise residence halls (Fake, Ten Eyck, Davis, Parsons, and Porter).
Residence Hall Study Lounges and Rooms
One of the primary purposes of residence hall living is to support the academic life on campus. With this focus, each residence hall has a specially designated private study area for students. When you arrive on campus in the Fall, please locate the study areas in your hall and hit the books. Many halls have additional multipurpose rooms which lots of students use as study areas. Consider your needs for an appropriate physical environment for study and get to it!
CAS Dining Service Meal Plans
Every SUNY Cobleskill student enjoys the bounty of products and services of our Faculty Student Association's Dining Services. Operating several dining facilities on campus, the Dining Services provides meal plan options, extended service hours for each meal, a choice of entrees, meals to accommodate students with special dietary needs, and unlimited seconds on most items in the main dining hall. Special events and activities broaden the dining experience on a regular basis. Favorite recipes from home are welcomed.
All resident students must purchase a meal plan each semester. Residents can choose from 5 different meal plans. Each meal plan includes an amount of “Coby Cash” and 5 bonus meals per semester. Your statement of charges, mailed to you in early December for Spring admission and early July for Fall admission, will include a charge for a meal plan. That mailing will also include information from Dining Services pertaining to the meal plan options to be offered for the academic year, as well as instructions for modifying your meal plan selection. Please read that and all materials from the College carefully.
COBYCard: Students receive their COBYCard at registration. The COBYCard is more than an I.D.; it is also a declining balance card. Coby Cash may be used in vending and laundry machines on campus and to purchase merchandise in the College Bookstore & all FSA Dining Facilities. Your COBYCard is for your entire career at Cobleskill – so make sure to guard your card (replacements cost $10.00).
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. How big is my room? A. There are seven main styles of residence hall rooms on our campus. The smallest rooms are designated singles in Davis, Fake, Parsons, Porter, and Ten Eyck (approximately 7.5' X 12'). All student rooms in Vroman and Wieting Halls are approximately 11' X 13'. Most student rooms in Dix, Draper, and Pearson Halls are approximately 8'-10' X 19'. Some student rooms in Dix, Draper, and Pearson Halls are approximately 10'-12' X 20' and others are approximately 15' X 20'. Most student rooms in Fake, Parsons, Porter, and Ten Eyck Halls are approximately 10.5'-12. 5’ X 13.5 and others are approximately 11'-16. 5’ X 16'. Please understand that all of the above measurements are approximate; not all student rooms are represented by the stated measurements. We strongly encourage each student not to purchase carpets and/or other furnishings before actually seeing and measuring his/her assigned residence hall space.
Q. What size are my windows? A. There are four main sizes of residence hall room windows on our campus. Most student room windows in Davis, Fake, Parsons, Porter, and Ten Eyck Halls are approximately 26" wide X 58" tall; others are approximately 77" wide X 60" tall. Most student room windows in Vroman and Wieting Halls are approximately 87" wide X 60" tall. Most student room windows in Dix, Draper, and Pearson Halls are approximately 36" wide X 4'10" tall. Please understand that all of the above measurements are approximate; not all student room windows are represented by the stated measurements. We strongly encourage each student not to purchase window treatments before actually seeing and measuring his/her assigned residence hall window(s). Each window is equipped with Venetian blinds.
Q. What is the size of my mattress? A. All mattresses are twin, extra long.
Q. What's already in my room? A. Each double room is furnished with two closets, two bed frames, two mattresses, two dressers, two desks, one or two floor lamps, one or two mirrors (which may have small attached lights), and a telephone with free on-campus service.
Q. Can friends from home be my guests for a couple of days? A. The Terms and Conditions of Residence Hall defines the conditions under which guests and visitors may be present in the residence halls. Generally speaking, a guest must be at least 17 years of age, have the permission of each resident of the room, sign in at the Resident Assistant Office, abide by the Student Conduct Codes, and stay on Friday/Saturday overnights only.
Q. Can I bring a microwave oven? A. No. There are very few cooking devices that are approved for residence hall use. They include: hot air popcorn poppers, coffee makers and hot pots that turn themselves off, and similar heat-controlled devices. The College does permit students to use one 1.75amp or less refrigerator OR one Micro-Fridge unit (a combination refrigerator, freezer, and microwave) per student room. If you have a question about a specific appliance/device, please call Residential Life before bringing the item to the campus.
Q. Do I need an answering machine? A. No. The free on-campus telephone in each student room carries with it many features, such as: voice mail, conference calling, call forwarding, abbreviated dialing, and more.
Q. Can I bring a computer? A. Yes. Students may bring their own computers to the campus. All students, however, have access to computing services through labs of various sizes located throughout the campus. This is an excellent question to ask during an Accepted Student Day Session to get a very detailed response.
Q. How are the men and women separated in co-ed residence halls? A. In the co-ed residence halls, men's and women's rooms generally are separated by wings, lounges and floors. Bathrooms are single-gender.
Q. What if I feel uncomfortable during my first few weeks on campus? A. All students experience transition differently. If you are uncomfortable at any time, but especially during the initial weeks of the semester, please share your feelings with your residence hall's Transition Leader, your Resident Assistant, your Residence Hall Director, any member of the Wellness Center staff or any member of the Student Affairs/Residential Life Staff.
Q. Can I move off campus for the Spring Semester? A. Generally, no. There are very few exceptions to the regulation which requires one year (two semesters) of campus residence before a student is permitted to move off-campus.
Q. Can I leave my belongings in my room and/or on campus during vacation breaks? A. Students can leave their belongings in their rooms during vacation breaks which occur during the academic year. There is no summer storage for student belongings.
SUNY Cobleskill is strongly committed to Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation in its employment practices, programs or activities.
The Residential Life Office reserves the rights to add, modify, or delete special housing options and other information described in this brochure.
