Please note: This is NOT the most current catalog.

Residential Life

http://www.stolaf.edu/stulife/reslife/

The residence life program is an integral part of the educational program and academic support services of the college. In the conviction that significant learning takes place outside of the classroom, the college strives to educate students through positive, challenging and supportive residence life experiences. The residence life staff is committed to promoting a healthy living/learning environment in which this education takes place through an emphasis on providing educational, cultural, recreational, social and spiritual opportunities for growth; a commitment to the development of sensitive and responsible individuals; and the enrichment of lifelong friendships.

One of the major roles of the residence life staff is to help foster the development of community within the residence halls and across campus. The residence life staff seeks to promote a feeling of cooperation and understanding, enhance open communication and provide structured and unstructured opportunities for group interaction. The residence life staff is also responsible for helping to develop an awareness and sensitivity to expectations and standards around which communities are formed and educate through positive confrontational dialogue.

It is through the combined efforts of the entire residence life staff that the out-of-class experiences of St. Olaf students are brought into partnership with the academic area in the education of the whole person.

Community Standards
As a residential community, St. Olaf has established a set of standards and policies that defines the rules by which we live. St. Olaf students have advisory roles to develop and implement these policies and procedures and hold staff positions where they explain and enforce community standards. St. Olaf College supports open dialogue concerning these policies and standards and how they affect the life of the campus. Students wishing to be involved in this effort are encouraged to become active in their residence hall, student government or student organizations.

General Policies
The following are general guidelines for community life at St. Olaf. For complete delineation of the policies related to housing and residence life, please refer to The Book, a valuable resource that contains the college's Code of Student Conduct and Official Handbook, available online at http://www.stolaf.edu/stulife/thebook/ or contact the Dean of Students Office.

• As a residential college, St. Olaf requires that all full-time students reside in college-owned housing, as far as accommodations will permit. These housing commitments are binding for the entire academic year, unless a student is released from housing by the Residence Life Office. Exceptions are granted to students who are married, are a custodial parent, are living at home in Northfield or are 22 years of age or older by the first day of Fall Semester of the current academic year. For further information concerning off-campus options, please contact the Residence Life Office.
• All first-year students live in designated first-year halls. A long-standing tradition and integral part of the St. Olaf community, small "corridors" of students are assigned to live together and develop living/learning skills in a small-group setting.
• The possession, distribution or consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on the St. Olaf campus, on land owned by the college and in college-owned honor houses. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited at all college-sponsored functions, no matter where located, that include students.
• St. Olaf prohibits the unlawful possession, distribution or use of illicit drugs and/or controlled substances on any property owned by the college or in any program or activity sponsored by the college in any location.
• For reasons of privacy and safety, the college has established visitation hours for students in the residence halls. Men and women are permitted to visit someone of the opposite sex in private rooms during intervisitation hours: 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. There are 24-hour study and social spaces in every hall.
• Students wishing to keep cars on campus must receive a permit from the Parking Office. Because parking spaces on campus are very limited, a priority system is in place to ensure fair distribution of permits.
• All residences are smoke free.

Student Residence Halls

• Ellingson Hall (1961): Houses 182 first-year students.
• Hilleboe Hall (1951): Houses 125 first-year and upperclass students; adjoins Kittelsby Hall.
• Hoyme Memorial Hall (1961): Houses 200 first-year students.
• Kildahl Hall (1957): Houses 150 first-year students.
• Kittelsby Hall (1957): Houses 175 first- and second-year students.
• Larson Hall (1964): One of two high-rise residence halls, Larson houses 300 upperclass students.
• Mellby Hall (1938): Houses 190 upperclass students.
• Mohn Hall (1964): The second high-rise residence hall, Mohn houses 300 first- and second-year students.
• Rand Hall (1980): Provides several rooming options, including suites and quads, for 245 upperclass students.
• Thorson Hall (1948): Houses 240 upperclass students.
• Ytterboe Hall (1989): Houses 400 upperclass students in rooms with adjoining lounges.

For more information on each of the residence halls, including pictures of the buildings and sample rooms, please visit: http://www.stolaf.edu/stulife/reslife.

Honor and language houses
In addition to its traditional residence halls, St. Olaf has 12 service project houses and five foreign language houses. Located primarily along St. Olaf Avenue just east of the campus, the honor houses are home to 140 upperclass students. Each house features a kitchen, living area and laundry facilities. Residents of the service houses participate in service projects associated with volunteer organizations in the Northfield and St. Olaf communities.

Similar to the service houses, language houses provide a distinctive environment to students who are studying French, German, Norwegian, Spanish and Russian. Inside the houses, residents are encouraged to speak the native language of the country their house represents.

Meals
The opportunities of a residential college include the social experience of coming together for meals. The college views meals as an important part of each person's day, not only for nutrition, but also for personal growth through interaction with others.

All students living on campus in the residence halls, except first-year students, can choose between the Full Board option of 21 meals per week or the 14-Meal Plan which is 14 meals in a week. First-year students are required to have the Full Board Plan.

There is a special board plan for senior students only. Called the 14-Flex Plan, it offers 14 meals in the cafeteria during the week in addition to an annual amount of $400 credit to be used in the Cage, Kings' Dining Room, or for catering. Students living off campus, in an honor house, student teaching or doing clinicals through the Nursing Department can choose from special plans also. They are the 350 Plan (350 meals in a year) or the 210 Plan (210 meals in a year). They may also choose from the Full Board Plan or 14-Meal Plan. The Senior Flex Plan can also be chosen, provided students have senior status.

Note that each week begins with Monday breakfast and ends with Sunday dinner. There is no refund or carry over of unused meals or "Flex Dollars."