Frequently Asked Questions

How is my roommate chosen?

For first-year and transfer students, roommates are matched with the information submitted with your housing agreement/roommate matching profile. For returning students, roommate matching is a part of the room selection process (occurring each Spring for the following Fall housing assignments).

What furniture will I have in my room?

Rooms are furnished with beds, dressers, bureaus, desks, and desk chairs. Each residence hall is equipped, also, with common areas where furniture is provided. Furniture must remain in the space/room where it is assigned. Students are held accountable for the presence of the furniture assigned them.

Can I loft my bed? How do I order a loft? How do I set it up?

The only lofts permitted on campus are those ordered through BedLoft.com. Order in advance of the Fall semester and pick up your loft kit on move-in days (Friday of Orientation weekend for first-year students and Sunday for returning students). Students then assemble their own lofts (remember any bed ends MUST stay in your room!). Lofts are designed to be able to be set up by a single user without any special tools (bolts are provided with your loft kit), see video provided by BedLoft for a demonstration:

Bedloft Three Bolt Metal Loft Setup - YouTube

Other than at home, where can I wash my clothes?

Washers and dryers are available in every residence hall and are free to use for the residents of that hall. 

Can I bring my pet to campus?

No. A fish kept in an aquarium of under 15 gallons can be your living space. Other animals, including visiting pets, are not permitted in the residence halls or academic buildings. For students who require special accommodations, please see the housing accommodation process.

What if I can't go home during one of the scheduled breaks?

All Residential Housing is closed during Fall Break, Thanksgiving Break, Christmas Break, and Spring Break. Students who are not able to leave campus for the break must apply and be pre-approved for each break housing period. Please check the Break Housing page for most current applications and information.

Can I bring my own mattress to campus?

No. Students must use the College-provided mattress in their room. For students who require special accommodations, please see the housing accommodation process. Waterbeds are prohibited.

Do I have any say in where I live?

  • Incoming first-year students may indicate ranked their preferences of the first-year housing options (Norelius Hall, We Are Community in Norelius Hall, or Pittman Hall) via the New Student Housing Form. Residential Life does a batch-assignment process based on building preference, roommate match, and availability. It is not possible to guarantee that you have your first choice of building - but both options are geared towards supporting the first-year student experience and building community.
  • Transfer students are placed in a residence hall based on their age/approximate class year. Please email reslife@gustavus.edu if you are in coming transfer student with questions about housing options.
  • Returning students apply for housing through the various selection processes held during spring term. Please see the Room Selection information page for the most updated information about that process.

Can I have a single room?

First-year student housing does not have single rooms, but if a student is approved for a housing accommodation for a single they can be assigned without a roommate. For returning students, there is a Single room selection in the Spring for the following academic year, single spaces are available in Sohre Hall or Gibbs Hall. However, we cannot guarantee a single for everyone that applies, selections are made based on a random ranking by class year. If you have medical need for a single room, please see the housing accommodation process.

Do I need to bring sheets and, if so, what size sheets should I bring?

We recommend bringing Twin XL sized sheets. There may be some variation in bed sizing, but the extra long sheet size will fit all mattresses.

Is there internet/network access in my room? What do I need to make this happen?

The Gustavus wireless network is available in all the campus residence halls. 

All network devices on the campus network must be registered. This includes laptops, gaming devices, cellphones, Kindles, etc. For more help or information please see: Network Registration

You will need your Gustavus User Account (email) username and password to register any devices on the campus network. If you do not know this information, please contact the Technology Helpline at 507.933.6111 or helpline@gustavus.edu

Is there storage available on campus?

STORAGE REQUEST FORM

Subject to space limitations, students who live 350 miles+ from Gustavus may store personal belongings in the hall storage rooms during the Academic Year and/or Summer terms. Gustavus Adolphus College assumes no liability for items lost or damaged while in storage. We recommend students do not store items that have sentimental value or are irreplaceable. If storage capacity is reached for a given area, priority may be given to international students/furthest travel distances.

Storage is limited to items that can fit in student-provided suitcases, trunks, totes, and/or boxes that will be labeled at the time items are put into storage. Storage containers must be completely closed with no items sticking out. We recommend you do not store items that have sentimental value or are irreplaceable. 

The following items may not be stored:

  • Food/perishable items
  • Furniture, lofts, carpet rolls
  • Appliances (i.e. mini-fridge, microwaves)
  • Bikes, kayaks, or other large sporting gear
  • Policy violations
Access to Storage:

Storage is only accessible during times of year when Collegiate Fellows are on duty in the residence halls from 8pm to 10pm. Any access outside of this time (summer, early arrival, post-Commencement etc.) is by appointment only with at least three business days prior to the desired date for storage room access. Requests need to be sent to reslife@gustavus.edu and will be accommodated based on available staffing. If these constraints will not work with your arrival/departure plans, do not utilize Residential storage.

Storage In/Out Guidelines: 

To ensure items in storage are for current students and to help manage storage spaces, all storage items must be removed during the following deadlines:

  • Summer Storage - summer storage will be available 1-2 weeks prior to Spring Commencement and must be removed during the 2nd week of classes in the Fall
  • Academic Year Storage - storage for the Academic Year will be available the 3rd week of the Fall term and must be removed 2-3 weeks prior to Spring Commencement
  • Students are able to store items mostly “year round”; however, they must follow the in/out guidelines above. So there will be about a week at the beginning of the Fall and end of the Spring semesters where storage will not be available so the storage spaces are properly maintained. Students would need to complete new storage agreements for each storage term (Summer, Academic Year)
Abandoned items/disposal of stored items:

Unless there is prior approval from the Director of Residential Life, or their designee, items must be removed at the end of the storage term (Summer or Academic Year). Any items not removed will be considered abandoned property and disposed of. 

Any item(s) not labeled or not in compliance with our approved storage policies will be considered abandoned property and disposed of. 

Please submit this form in advance of any storage request. You must bring an approval receipt to the Collegiate Fellow and place the Residential Life-provided storage labels on your suitcase, trunk, or box prior to placing them into Residential storage.

Storage Request Form