Information for Residents

As you prepare for life in one of our Residence Halls, we recommend reviewing this information so you can pack and plan accordingly. After all, we want you to make your home to feel like home!

Move In Dates and Times

Move-in dates and times are different for first-year students and returning students. As a rule of thumb, first-year students move in the morning of orientation and returning students move in the day prior to classes starting. Student athletes receive information from their coaches prior to the start of the season indicated when check in day will be and students in the Early Start program will receive information on specific move in day/time as well.

Packing List

The following items are recommended to bring with you; however, it is important to contact your roommate(s) before arriving on campuses. You may want to share some of these items with your roommate(s) such that only one person needs to bring them. We encourage you to coordinate with them ahead of time.

We encourage you to remain environmentally conscious whenever possible. Please consider bringing reusable items (cloth bags, travel mug, food storage), purchasing Energy Star appliances, and using a power strip. If you need a way to zip around campus or head downtown, a bicycle could be a perfect option in warmer weather.

What You May Bring

Bedding

  • Twin XL bedding (mattress topper, sheets, pillow, pillowcases, comforter, blankets, etc.)
  • Under bed storage container
  • Hangers

Clothing

  • Season-appropriate clothing
  • Warm jacket and boots for winter
  • Suitable footwear for muddy weather
  • Rain jacket (or umbrella)
  • Athletic gear
  • Semi-formal attire for special events

Shower and Personal Items

  • Toiletries (hair products, shower products, razor, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, etc.)
  • Shower tote
  • Shower shoes
  • Towels
  • Personal medications
  • First aid supplies

Desk Supplies

  • Academic materials
  • Notebooks
  • Pencils and pens
  • Highlighters
  • Scissors
  • Desk lamp

Kitchen Supplies

  • Silverware
  • Plates, bowls, cups
  • Microwaveable food
  • Seasoning
  • Dish soap
  • Microwave
  • Small refrigerator (up to 3.1 cubic feet)
  • Keurig

Electronics

  • Phone
  • Headphones
  • Laptop computer
  • Chargers for all electronic devices
  • Printer, ink, and printer paper
  • Television
  • Gaming systems
  • Power strips with circuit breakers
  • Surge protector
  • Fan

Cleaning Supplies

  • Dish soap and sponge
  • Cleaning wipes
  • Air freshener
  • Hamper or laundry bag
  • Laundry detergent
  • Dryer sheets
  • Iron
  • Drying rack
  • Broom and dustpan
  • Trashcan

What You May Not Bring

  • Candles (including decorative ones)
  • Incense
  • Firearms, explosives, knives, weapons, or mock-weapons of any type
  • Hazardous chemicals
  • Toasters or toaster ovens
  • Hot plates, panini presses, griddles, or waffle irons
  • Traditional coffee makers
  • BBQ grills
  • Halogen lamps or “octopus” style lamps
  • Weight-lifting devices
  • Pets (other than fish in approved tanks)

Residence Hall Information

Mattress Size

Mattress length depends on the room; however, all mattresses are twin-sized, and the majority are extra-long (80″).

Be advised that extra-long beds are only about 3-4 inches longer than standard beds. As such, extra-long bedding will fit a standard bed without a problem – especially if you use a mattress topper. Since you will probably have an extra-long bed at some point during your Thomas College career, we suggest that all bedding be fitted for an extra-long bed.

Room Measurements

All of the residence halls have different floor measurements and are set up differently.

  • Grant, Parks, and Heath (GPH) rooms are 12’x16′ with a window size of 30″ across the top and 70″ from top to bottom.
  • Hinman Hall has four 27-person “pods” with 12 double rooms and 3 single rooms. Double rooms are 16’5″x12’6″ and single rooms are 16’5″x8’5″.
  • Village rooms measures 12’x19′ with a window size of 3’5″ across the top and 4’5″ from top to bottom. Measurements do not include an in-room bathroom.
  • Bartlett singles measure 9’7″x11’8″ and include a closet space, and Bartlett doubles measure 12’9″x19’1″ and include a double closet area. Single windows in Bartlett measure 34.5″ across the top and 58.25″ from top to bottom. Double windows in Bartlett measure 70.5″ across the top and 58.5″ from top to bottom.
  • Townhouse suite measurements are varied. Single rooms average 10’x7′ and double rooms are approximately 15’x12′. Each townhouse also includes a small common living space on the first floor for all residents of the townhouse to share. Each room includes a closet space, desk, desk chair and dresser.

Furniture

All rooms are furnished with twin beds that can be bunked, dressers, desks with desk chairs, and closet wardrobes (2 1/2′ x 4 1/2′ x 6′). Rooms designated as either singles, doubles, or triples are furnished accordingly, regardless of how many students are assigned to the room. All assigned furniture must remain in the rooms throughout the year and in the manner in which it was intended.

Carpets

The residence hall rooms at Thomas College have tiled floors. Students are allowed to bring carpet, and many students find good quality remnants at local stores. Sometimes, students choose not to purchase carpet and instead bring smaller area rugs from home.

Laundry

Each residence hall is equipped with laundry machines, which are available for use at no charge to the student.

Single Room Availability

Single rooms for first-year residents are limited. Upper-class students have the option of living in a single room in Bartlett Hall and the Townhouses. Upper-class students interested in residing in a single room need to go through the Room Lottery at the end of each spring semester. First-year students can note a single room preference on their housing forms (single rooms will be predominantly located in Hinman Hall as available, and at an additional cost). Single rooms in Parks Hall measure 7’10” x 16′.

Roommate Change

First-year students will work with their Community Assistant at the beginning of the year to complete roommate contracts for each room in order to open up the lines of communication early. If there are roommate concerns, residents are encouraged to work with their Community Assistant and Professional Staff and/or Dean of Students through a mediation process. Although room changes are possible, every effort will be made by the Residential Life Staff to assist roommates in addressing their differences and keep them together. Contact Professional Staff and/or Dean of Students for a Change of Room Request form or for more information. Please note that there is a two-week housing freeze at the beginning of each semester.

Internet Access

The College provides many information technology services to enhance learning and living on-campus including state-of-the-art facilities, cloud-based services, Internet and Internet2 connections, Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ac Wave 2 and 802.11ax), e-mail, storage, web-based collaboration systems, e-portfolio systems, smart HD-equipped interactive classrooms, a learning management system, video production and editing systems, a variety of software, 275+ workstations, sign-out equipment, dozens of servers and a secure video conferencing system with dial-in phone and recording capabilities.

Each student is assigned an account giving single-sign-on access to Office 365, Google Apps, Adobe Creative Cloud, Apple iCloud, e-mail, Intranet, and Moodle. A web-based student information system (MyThomas) provides access to class schedules, student grades, student bills, and other information. A Microsoft Campus Agreement allows undergraduate and graduate students to upgrade to the latest version of Windows 10, download/install Office 365 and use Office 365 cloud services (including OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, Office Web Apps and Office Mobile for iPhone/Android/iPad) on five devices for no additional cost while taking courses at the College. Internet and Internet2 access is provided by a 10G connection.

Safety, Security, and Support

Security

All students are issued identification cards at the beginning of the year. These cards not only allow a student to eat in the Dining Center, use the Athletic Center, take part in many campus events, and to borrow books in the library, but are programmed for each individual student to gain access to the building they live in. Students access into buildings by an ID card swipe system which allows only residents of that building to enter. In Bartlett Hall, you need to swipe into the main entrance as well as the floors and individual suites. Public Safety is open and available to students 24/7 and offers escort services around campus upon request and there are blue lights located in many of the parking areas around the residences.

Available Staff

Each floor is assigned a Community Assistant (CA). CAs are upper-class students who were selected the semester prior as student leaders to assist residents in their residential experience. Each night that the residence halls are open, there is at least one CA on duty for each area of campus (GPH, Bartlett/Village/Hinman, and Townhouses). There are professional live-in staff members and a Dean of Students who oversee the CA staff and day to day operations of residential life and housing. The Dean of Students works with Residential Life staff in providing the best experience and response possible to the residents. There is a professional staff member on call 24/7/365.

Break Schedule

College breaks are scheduled several times throughout the school year. To view all breaks and academic dates, please reference the Academic Calendar. Please be advised that housing is closed during some of these breaks. Students are responsible for planning accordingly and securing housing and transportation needs. To assist, we offer a break shuttle to certain transportation centers at designated times for Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring Breaks.