Living on-campus is a great way to meet new people, adjust to college life, and be in the center of all activities here at CSU. Tradition freshmen are required to live on campus unless they are from the local Charleston/Tri-county area or you have been told other wise by CSU’s Residence Life Department. You will be able to get to classes in just minutes, drop back to your room to trade books, and have ready access to professors and all the academic resources the campus offers. In addition, you are more likely to get involved in clubs and organizations, and stay involved.

We are committed to providing on-campus housing for freshman and do not anticipate having problems doing so.

Once you are admitted your enrollment counselor will provide all the applications for campus housing to you.

Room assignments will be made beginning in May and on an ongoing basis thereafter. Every effort is made to match roommates based on the information provided on the roommate questionnaire and individual discussions with CSU’s Enrollment Counselors.

Before room assignments can be confirmed, all necessary forms, including the immunization record form, must be completed and returned to the Office of Enrollment Services. A $200.00 room deposit must also be made. This non-refundable deposit is due at the time of room reservation and will be applied to the fall and spring semesters. Students, must make a room reservation and deposit each semester after their freshmen year. Based upon student population, students may be assigned 3 to a room, 5 to a suite.

CSU has specific buildings that are designated freshman residence halls. Russell East and Women’s South for female freshmen along with Russell West and Quad 1 for male freshmen. Your Admissions Counselor will assign you to the halls as soon as you have completed your paperwork and deposits.

Residence hall rooms are arranged in spacious suites that can accommodate up to five people. Each room is joined by a bathroom and has cable TV, wireless internet access, and private a telephone line with voice mail. Heating and air-conditioning is also provided.Each room has a tiled floor, a window and two closets. The room is equipped with beds, chairs, desks, double dressers, a modular phone jack, cable connection, wireless internet and venetian blinds. The windows are 65.5 inches long and 49.5 inches wide.

There are extra-long mattresses available in the dorms. Please indicate on your housing application if you need an extra-long mattress.

Flashlight
Twin size sheets and bedspread
Pillow
Mattress Pad
Towels and washcloths
Bath Mat
Alarm Clock
Fire resistant window curtain and rod
Drying rack for clothes
Broom/dust pan
Wastebasket
Iron and portable ironing board
Stereo, VCR and/or TV
Personal computer w/USB port
Airtight containers for snacks
Low amp. Microwave
Refrigerator (no larger than 3.5 cu. ft.)
First Aid Kit
Sewing Kit
Surge Protector

Pets
Hotplates or any open burner device
Guns, metal point darts, knives, or any object that could be used or viewed as a weapon
Electric Blankets
Electric Heaters
Flammables
Candles or Incense
Extension cord without surge protection

Students can study in their rooms or in the study lounges provided in each of the residence halls. Students can also study in the CSU library which is open most evenings until 12am.

We want you to personalize your room in order to make it more comfortable. Although you are not allowed to paint or paper your room, you can bring your own curtains and carpet. Since nails, screws, and many adhesives (e.g., double-stick tape, carpet tape) are damaging to the walls and floor, we ask that you use only removable, non-damaging adhesives (e.g., 3M command) for attaching items to walls and doors. Window and floor sizes vary by dorm; therefore, you may want to wait until you arrive for classes before purchasing curtains and carpet in case your assignment changes over the summer.

All of the CSU residence halls are single gender halls with no co-ed visitation allowed inside the room. Co-ed visitation areas are located in Littlejohn Parlor, the Quad 2 lounge, and the second and third floor lounges in Women’s North and South, Russell East, and Russell West. Co-ed visitation lounges are open daily from 6 p.m. until midnight. Same sex overnight visitors are allowed to visit on Friday and Saturday nights with approval from your RLC.

Eating on campus is a terrific way to stay connected with friends, grab a quick bite between classes and get good tasting food. All students living on campus have a meal plan. So although you do not have to eat in the CAF or Edwards Express, the bigger question is, Why not?

Low amp. Microwaves are the only cooking devices that we allow in the rooms. There are full kitchens that are open to all the residents in the second floors lounges of Women’s North and South.

Each residence hall is equipped with coin/card-operated laundry facilities.

Each hall has a building has a social lounge that is equipped with a TV for your use, but you may bring your own TV or Stereo. You may want to coordinate with your roommate(s) so that you can utilize your room space well. Consider bringing headphones if you play your TV or stereo loudly – that way you won’t bother other students who may be trying to sleep or study.

Fish are the only pets allowed in the residence halls and apartments. Fish tanks are limited to 10 gallons or less.

Parking is provided in lots located adjacent to or in close proximity of the residence halls. You must purchase a University parking permit to park in these areas. We do offer on campus escorts 24 hours a day so that you will never have to walk across the campus alone.

You are welcome and encouraged to bring a bicycle, and bicycle racks are provided outside of each residence hall. We recommend that you purchase a heavy-duty lock to secure you bicycle. Bicycles may also be stored in your room with the agreement of all your roommates.

If you are living in the residence halls your mail will be delivered to the CSU campus post office located on the 1st floor of the Strom Thurmond Center. All students living on campus are required to have a CSU mailbox number. There is no charge for mail sent to any on campus address. Most services of a regular post office are available on campus at regular prices. This will be how your address should appear on mail for you to receive it in a timely fashion:

Student Name
CSU Box #
P.O. Box 118087
Charleston, SC 29423

Long distance calls may be placed by using the long distance service of your choice via calling card, or you may apply for a long distance code provided by the university.

You will need to bring your own phone but voice mail is provided on every phone line. So you do not need to purchase an answering machine.

College is a time of new growth and discovery. When conflicts arise, we encourage roommates to communicate their concerns to each other. However, we acknowledge that there are times a neutral prospective, such as from a member of the Residence Life Staff, helps in the mediation process. Residence Life Coordinators (RLC) are professional staff members who oversee conflicts needing more attention. All RLCs are trained in conflict resolution and low-level mediation. They can also facilitate room changes, if needed.

RLCs are full-time CSU staff members who supervise the student Resident Directors and student Resident Assistants in performance of their duties and are responsible for all aspects of the housing and residence life system. The RLCs act on behalf of the Director of Residence Life and Campus Safety in his absence and are the primary facilitators of all residence hall programs. The RLCs are present to assist students with any problems that may arise in the residence halls.

Each residence hall is staffed with at least one student Resident Director. The RD is responsible for day-to-day supervision of all hall activities, emergency maintenance problems, RA supervision, and general supply needs. RDs report to the RLC assigned to their residence halls. The RDs are available to assist students with problems which may arise in the residence halls.

On every floor of every residence hall there is at least one RA. A RA is a student member of the Residence Life Staff. The RAs are selected on the basis of their ability and desire to develop the peer counseling, advising, and leadership skills necessary to create an effective learning environment. RAs are responsible for assisting students in making a smooth adjustment to campus life, enforcing rules and policies, providing answers to questions, issuing supplies, handling student problems, facilitating residence hall programs, and many other duties which may arise in the residence halls.