Residential Life
Information and Policies
The Office of Residential Live strives to provide the best possible living accommodations in terms of convenience and comfort. The value of residence halls goes far beyond the mere physical facilities. Residence halls provide places for students to live and interact in an atmosphere designed to enhance their intellectual, social, and cultural awareness. Group living is an important part of a student's education as they interact with others of different personal philosophies and who vary in nationality, race, religion, and other backgrounds. The character of a student's living, study, and recreational environment strongly influences academic performance. It is expected that individuals of the community will assume an active role in maintaining a safe, secure, and enjoyable environment that will promote courtesy, respect, and responsibility by its members. Hall staff assist and facilitate this process.
The residence halls are administered through the Office of Residential Life. Halls are staffed with professional Area Directors who supervise undergraduate student staffs. Collectively, residence hall staff members provide for the general well-being of students through community building, the upholding of community standards, targeted needs-driven programming, and attending to individual student concerns and crises.
Why residential living?
The residential experience is a fundamental part of the mission of Illinois Wesleyan University. Students in residence are able to maintain a closer relationship with other students, with faculty and staff, and with the institution as they participate in programmed and unprogrammed experiences that provide for meaningful social, cultural, and educational development. Living and interacting with others who have different personal philosophies and who vary in nationality, gender, race, religion, and sexual orientation are an important part of one's educational experience and personal development.
When a group of people lives together, there is a need to develop expectations for behavior which promotes an environment that enhances the achievement of community goals. These expectations provide for the protection of everyone's rights so that community members can pursue their educational objectives without interference. The Illinois Wesleyan community has identified expectations and is committed to the concept of shared responsibility for maintaining the quality of life in the community.
Illinois Wesleyan University's Office of Residential Life is dedicated to the integrity and personal growth of each individual. We encourage you to make a positive contribution to your residential community.
For a full listing of policies, please visit our Residence Halls Information and Policies
Community Expectations
Whenever a large group of people live together, there is a need to develop expectations for behavior which promote an environment that enhances the achievement of community goals. These expectations provide for the protection of everyone's rights so that community members can pursue their educational objectives without interference. The Illinois Wesleyan community has identified expectations and is committed to the concept of shared responsibility for maintaining the quality of life in the community.
Therefore, as a member of my residential community...
- I will respect the dignity of all persons. I will not demean individuals or groups by insulting, intimidating, harassing, or discriminating. I will strive to learn from and respect differences in people, ideas, and opinions.
- I will strive for personal integrity and support the academic endeavor.
- I will demonstrate concern for others, for their feelings, and for their need to be supported in their academic and personal development.
- I will respect the rights and property of others.
- I will do all in my power to see that the residence hall is kept clean and attractive, knowing that such an environment is essential to both physical and mental health.
- I will respect the common areas of the building that are used by all residents. I will not damage university property, remove lounge furniture, or smoke in any common area.
- I expect all members to abide by these community guidelines and to strive for high moral and ethical standards. I have the right and the responsibility to voice my opinion and concerns to any individual who disregards these tenets for community living.
IWU Campus Living Options: Choices & Flexibility
Traditional residence halls provide students with opportunities to interact and build relationships with a large, diverse group of peers while still maintaining close ties with a smaller group of floor- or suitemates.
First-Year students begin their stay at IWU in Ferguson, Gulick, Munsell, and Pfeiffer halls. All other residence halls house upperclass students.
A number of small halls dot the periphery of IWU's campus. These former single-family homes have been renovated in such a way as to house 25-30 students in a variety of unique rooms. Small halls typically are associated with a theme, and the students who live within it are committed to exploring that theme throughout the year.
Students living in small halls acknowledge that their assignment into a small hall is a privilege, and that the violation of any University or housing policies may lead to removal from the hall. Residency in small halls is determined through a theme application process that precedes the housing lottery in the spring semester.
Residential Life Staff and Leadership Opportunities
Area Directors, working to meet student needs, are integral members of the Student Affairs team. Area Directors are young professionals interested in the development of college students. They have all completed a master's degree in student development or a related field. Their major responsibility is to translate the philosophy of the IWU residence hall program into a practical and meaningful set of services, activities, and programs for students. In addition to assisting residents concerning personal and/or academic concerns, Area Directors are responsible for promoting hall programs and activities and managing all aspects of residence hall life. In this process, Area Directors promote the development of skills for leadership, decision making, conflict resolution, fiscal management, problem solving and self-discipline. Area Directors live on the IWU campus in residence hall apartments.
Residential Community AdvisorsResidential Community Advisors are second- and third-year student staff members living in the residence halls. Residential Community Advisors work in each traditional residence hall to build staff community through program coordination and staff development. They also co-advise hall council and serve on various Office of Residential Life Committees. Finally, Residential Community Advisors mentor new student-staff members and serve as a contact in the absence of the Area Director.
First-Year Resident Advisors are student staff members living in first-year residence halls. These students live on each floor and are available to assist residents with problems and concerns. First-Year Resident Advisors are a primary source of continuing orientation of first-year students to the University community. First-Year Resident Advisors are specially trained to understand and address common transition issues common to first-year students. They work to create and maintain a sense of community on the floor and in the hall through initiating and encouraging campus and hall programs, answering questions and directing students to different campus services, counseling residents, confronting inappropriate behavior and interpreting the University policies to the residents.
Resident Advisors are student staff members living in upperclass residence halls. These students live on each floor and are available to assist residents with problems and concerns. Resident Advisors work to create and maintain a sense of community on the floor and in the hall through initiating and encouraging campus and hall programs, counseling residents, confronting inappropriate behavior and interpreting the University policies to the residents.
Custodial and Maintenance StaffComplementing the efforts of the residence hall staff are the personnel of the Physical Plant Office. The custodians and maintenance staff supervised by the Physical Plant have an important responsibility in assuring properly maintained and clean buildings. All of these people serve you and deserve your cooperation. Residents cooperate by reporting maintenance problems to the hall staff or desk and by treating the staff and the environment with respect. All work orders go through physical plant.
At the beginning of the academic year, each hall holds elections for membership in the Hall Government. Hall Government positions differ based on the living unit, but generally include a President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, and other representatives from residence hall floors and suites. This group works to build community in the halls by providing social and educational programs and by communicating the needs of the residents to the Residential Life Staff. Involved students learn the value of responsibility by assisting in addressing the problems and concerns of all residence hall students. Residence hall governance is extremely important to the IWU residence hall program.
Please visit the Residence Halls Information and Policies website for full listing of policies.
Prince Robertson - Dean of Students for Community Standards and Advocacy
Department - Dean Of Students