Residential Life:
Housing Assignment Process
In keeping with the College's policy of non-discrimination,
housing assignments are made without regard to race, color,
religion, sexual orientation, nationality or ethnicity, age,
handicap or other factors irrelevant to participation in programs
of the College. Student preferences for type of housing and
choice of roommate may be honored, provided this will not result
in discrimination in violation of Title IV of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964.
Kalamazoo College affirms the educational benefits inherent
in the residential undergraduate experience. Residential living
is supportive of one's academic preparation and plays an integral
role in one's experiential education, providing rich opportunities
for involvement and development. Therefore, Kalamazoo College
requires all students to reside within the College's residential
system and board at the College's dining center through winter
quarter of their junior year.
Kalamazoo College's Section 504 Coordinator and the Office
of Disability Services will work with students who have special
needs when completing housing assignments. The College will
provide accessible housing to students with disabilities.
Contact the College's Section 504 Coordinator or the Office
of Disability Services at (269) 337-7210.
Assignment Process Guidelines
The assignment process is predicated upon students being
knowledgeable about the process, its requirements, and making
their own informed choices. It is the responsibility of students
to locate their own compatible roommates.
Once the fall assignment period is over, space in a partially
occupied room (e.g. a double with one person) will be assigned
by the Residential Life Office, which reserves the right to
assign space or modify this policy to meet the needs of the
College and its students. Questions can be directed to the
Associate Dean of Students, Dana Jansma at 269-337-7210 or
housing@kzoo.edu.
To assure fairness, the rights of each student in the process,
and accurate housing records, all parties must adhere to the
Assignment Policy as set forth here. Any attempts at forgery,
misrepresentation, to advantage one at the expense of others,
or to circumvent the assignment policy in any manner will
result in the loss of assignment for all involved students.
Terms and Conditions
Students who obtain an assignment in the College's residential
system are obligated to the College for room and board fees
(except where board is not required) through an entire academic
year, unless they withdraw from the College, participate in
a College approved off-campus program, or are released by
Residential Life. Residence Hall Policies and other Terms
and Conditions as they apply to the Room and Board Contract
are in a separate attachment and available on the Web at http://www.kzoo.edu/reslife.
Priority for assignment
Eligibility for assignments and the lotteries is based on
class registration records at the beginning of the assignment
period. Students must be registered for at least two courses
to obtain housing. Students who register after registration
is over and the lotteries are posted will be assigned at the
end of the period for their class or during the period for
late applicants. Fall housing is assigned by seniority: seniors
first, then juniors, sophomores, individuals applying without
a roommate, and late applicants.
Students may take advantage of seniority in the assignment
process if students of different classifications are going
to live together. For example, if a sophomore is going to
live with a junior, the sophomore may be assigned during the
assignment period for juniors. Individuals without roommates
will be assigned at the end of the assignment period. Doubles
will not be assigned as singles. Space in a partially occupied
room or suite remains open for assignment by the Residential
Life Office.
Students who are on off-campus programs or otherwise committed
may choose to use a proxy in the assignment process, who then
becomes responsible for obtaining housing. Students should
choose a proxy before leaving the College for Study Abroad.
Students utilizing proxies must authorize the use of a
proxy in one of two ways:
• List a proxy on the assignment card, sign it and return
the card to Residential Life. The card will be kept on file
until the proxy claims it during the assignment process, signs
it, and obtains housing for the designated student.
• Identify a particular student in writing to Residential
Life. Email or a letter will serve as a binding signature
for proxy authorization and on the Housing and Board Contract.
No card, no email or letter = no assignment
The proxy becomes fully responsible for obtaining the room
and meal plan assignment and must follow the guidelines set
forth in this Assignment Policy. A proxy must obtain an assignment
for another student (not the proxy's roommate) during the
assignment period for that particular student. For example,
a junior acting as a proxy for sophomores who wish to live
in a separate room must obtain an assignment for the sophomores
during the assignment period for sophomores. However, a junior
serving as a sophomore's proxy may obtain housing for that
sophomore during the junior's assignment period if the sophomore
is going to be the junior's roommate.
Students who do not exercise use of a proxy may turn in their
assignment card with written instructions directly to Residential
Life. Students who wish to be assigned together should write
the names of desired roommate(s) on their housing card.
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Housing Lottery
Each class or classification of students will have a specific
period for housing sign-up. Sign-ups will be in an order determined
by a lottery for each class. Lotteries will be posted in advance
of the assignment period. Students or their proxy not present
at the time their number is called for assignment will be
assigned at the end of the period, if they are present, or
with late applicants if they miss their sign-up period entirely.
Students who wish to be assigned together must sign up for
housing together, in person or by proxy, in the appropriate
assignment period and in the order determined by lottery.
Students who wish to live together may sign up for housing
at the time of the student with the best lottery number.
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Living Learning Housing Units
Information and applications for Living Learning Housing
Units are available with Residential Life and the selection
process takes place in spring quarter before the general fall
housing process. Specific information and deadlines are on
the application. Once Living Learning Housing Units are confirmed,
housing assignment cards for each resident must be turned
in to Residential Life before the beginning of the fall housing
process.
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Singles
There are single rooms in Harmon, Hoben and Trowbridge. Suite
singles will be assigned according to the policy for Suites
(see below). Students desiring singles should have a second
choice as well. Once all singles have been assigned, students
may request to be added to the Singles Waiting List. Any singles
or other available rooms which become available in the period
after assignments have been completed will be assigned using
the Single Room Wait List.
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Suites
Suites (Crissey & Severn) are assigned on a group basis;
all members of a suite must be present or the individual(s)
signing up the suite for housing must proxy for those not
present (see Using Proxies, above).
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Off-Campus
Lottery
A fall and winter off-campus housing option may be
extended to juniors as an additional housing option,
if needed to accommodate first year students and sophomores
who are required to live on campus. It will be extended by
lottery number during the fall housing process for the period
fall through winter quarters of the academic year (juniors
are not required to live on campus spring quarter). Once the
projected number of off-campus slots have been filled, that
option will be closed in the same way as spaces within the
residential system are filled. One student may sign up for
him/herself and proxy for three additional students under
one lottery number. Given the importance of accuracy in this
regard, proxy guidelines will be scrupulously followed. Everything
must be in order. Questionable proxies will be disallowed.
Students who exercise the off-campus option may return to
campus housing within a particular academic year on a space
available basis only at the end of the housing assignment
process.
Questions may be directed
to Dana Jansma, Associate Dean of Students, 269-337-7210 housing@kzoo.edu
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