Residence Hall Amenities
What do the residence halls look like?
Check out photos, layouts, and more information about each residence hall here.
What comes with my room?
Each room is furnished with a twin XL-sized bed, desk and desk chair, dresser, and closet space for each resident.
What are the window dimensions? Can I hang curtains or window treatments?
Window dimensions vary by residence hall. Each window is furnished with blinds, but many students bring curtains to add a touch of color to the room. We recommend bringing an adjustable tension rod to hang any draperies. Drilling curtain rod brackets into the wall is not permitted.
What are the closet dimensions? Can I add another rod to my closet? Does my closet have doors? Will I have to share a closet?
Each student has their own closet or wardrobe. Closets and wardrobes in each residence hall vary. If your closet does not have a door, you may choose to bring a four-foot adjustable tension rod and curtain to hang in place of the door. Students can also use an adjustable tension rod to add additional storage to their closet space.
Will I have a desk and chair? How big is my desk?
Rooms are furnished with a desk and chair for each resident. Desks vary in size in each hall, but have a spacious top and usually contain two to three drawers for storage.
I don’t use some of my furniture. Can I get rid of it?
All furniture that comes in the residence hall room must stay in the room during the school year. Any resident that has removed or damaged university furniture is subject to the accountability process as outlined in the Residential Life Policies.
Will I need to bring a rug? What size should I buy? Some students choose to bring a rug for added comfort and décor. A large 5’x 7’ area rug fits comfortably in most rooms.
What size refrigerator and microwave can I bring?
Each room is permitted to bring a microwave and compact refrigerator. Refrigerators may not exceed 4.4 cubic ft. and microwaves may not exceed 800 watts. All halls have at least one full kitchen for students to use as well.
What kitchen amenities are there?
All of the halls have a kitchen that includes an oven, stovetop, large fridge, sink, microwave, toaster, and kitchen storage. Most halls have a few cooking supplies (pots, pans, mixing spoons, measuring cups, etc.) in the kitchen. These supplies are limited, however, and students may wish to bring their own cooking supplies.
Can I bring a coffee pot?
Yes, students are allowed to bring an auto-shut off coffee pots for their rooms.
Can I bring a fan? Can I bring an air-conditioning unit?
Several students bring fans, especially students living in halls that are not air-conditioned. Residential Life does not permit students to bring in their own AC units. Any student needing AC for medical reasons must apply for an accommodation through the Student Accessibility Services office. More information about accommodations can be found here.
How big is my bed? What size sheets do I need to bring?
The beds in each hall are twin XL. We recommend purchasing extra long bedding so that it can be used on any of our beds throughout your time at Sewanee. Students may also want to bring a mattress cover or pad.
How tall is my bed? How much room is under my bed? Can I use risers or bunk my bed?
All beds have at least 6” of storage under them. Most halls also have beds that can be bunked. Students will need to speak to their hall staff when they arrive on campus to get pegs to bunk their beds. Additionally, beds can be put on plastic risers. Students must bring their own plastic bed risers to create added storage space.
What can I hang on the wall?
Students are allowed to use white, non-toxic, reusable putty as well as painter's tape to hang items on the walls. Nails, screws, 3M/command hooks and adhesive are not permitted in the residence halls. Wall hangings permitted include posters, photos, and memorabilia. Please remember that any damages to the walls at the end of the year may result in a fine.
Can I hang a dry erase board or bulletin board on my door?
Many of the halls have a small dry erase board or bulletin board on the outside of each door. Students may choose to bring their own door decorations.
Do I need to bring a lamp?
Rooms are not furnished with lamps. Students may choose to bring a table or freestanding lamp. There are light fixtures in each room.
Who will clean my bathroom? Do I need to bring bathroom cleaning supplies?
Suite and private bathrooms are cleaned once a week by custodial staff. Custodians will clean shared hall bathrooms daily. Toilet paper is also supplied in both hall and suite-style bathrooms. Many students choose to bring a few basic cleaning supplies for basic spills and messes.
Do I need to bring a shower curtain?
Showers in both hall bathrooms and suite-style bathrooms are all furnished with standard shower curtains. Students with suite-style bathrooms sometimes choose to bring their own shower curtain for decoration purposes. Another great item for students with suite-style bathrooms to bring is a shower mat or rug.
Is there any storage in the bathroom for towels and toiletries?
Bathroom storage varies among halls. Hall bathrooms and several suite-style bathrooms have a limited number of cubbies for students to store items. Check the residence halls web page to see what style of bathroom your hall will have. Most students bring shower caddies to store and carry bottles and other personal hygiene items. Students with suite-style bathrooms can also add extra storage by bringing crates to stack.
What should I not bring for my room?
A full list of items to leave at home can be found in the What to Bring (Or Not to Bring) section of this guide.
Is phone service provided in the halls?
A phone is available in a common area of each residence hall for emergencies and on-campus calls.
Are there laundry facilities in my hall?
Each hall has its own laundry facilities, including washing machines, dryers, and a space to iron garments. Our laundry facilities are free for students to use, but students should bring laundry detergent and fabric softener.
Room & Roommate Assignments
How do I decide where I will live?
First-year students are assigned to halls according to their lifestyle preferences. After submitting their deposit, students will receive information about completing a roommate and housing assignment questionnaire.
When do I find out where I will live?
Roommate and housing assignments are made by the roommate questionnaire and use the percentage of similar likings to match you with the best roommate and hall possible. Because of the time-intensive nature of this process you will receive your housing and roommate assignments in late July.
Can I pick my own roommate as a first-year student?
No. Roommate assignments are determined carefully by the Office of Residential Life over the summer. Careful attention is paid to students' housing information forms, their intellectual interests, and time-tested compatibility issues. We have matched students for generations with considerable success and living with a new roommate is an important part of the Sewanee experience.
Technology
When do I receive my Sewanee email account?
You will activate your Sewanee email account as part of your Enrollment Checklist on your Applicant Status Page after you have paid your deposit.
When/how do I receive my Banner account information and what do I use my Banner ID for?
You will activate your Sewanee username and password, which allow you to access Banner Self-Service, as part of your Enrollment Checklist on your Applicant Status Page after you have paid your deposit. You will use your Banner account to register for classes and check your grades.
I’ve lost my Banner account information. What should I do?
Contact the Registrar’s Office.
I can’t login to my Sewanee email account and/or Banner account.
If you have problems logging in to your email or Banner account, please contact the Help Desk or 931.598.1369.
What is the Wi-Fi like? Should I bring my own router?
Sewanee students can enjoy free and secure Wi-Fi all over campus. The telecommunications office works hard to maintain strong connection in every hall, academic building, and common area on campus. Students should not bring a Wi-Fi router. Personal routers interfere with the campus signal and cause connection problems for surrounding residents.
What cellular providers have good connection in Sewanee?
While most students have the best success with AT&T. Verizon will also work in most places on campus.
Transportation
Can first-year students bring their car?
All students are allowed to bring cars to campus, although most students choose to walk or ride their bikes to get around campus. Many students will carpool to make trips off the domain.
How do I register my car or bike?
Information about car and bike registration can be found on the Sewanee Police Department website. Forms to register your vehicle or bicycle are found on this webpage.
Where can I park?
There is limited parking near each hall. More information about places to park and policies is provided by the Sewanee Police Department.
Are there bikes available on campus to rent or use if I do not have one?
No, but some students purchase bikes at Woody’s Bike Shop in downtown Sewanee.
Can I keep my bike inside?
There are bike sheds accessible to every hall that are recommended for bike storage. Additionally, a number of our halls have bike rooms. No bicycles are allowed in hallways or common spaces, although they may be kept in rooms as long as there is enough room.
Are there shuttles provided to and from the airport for holiday breaks? Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from the University during holiday breaks.
Miscellaneous
Will I need to get a physical before coming to Sewanee?
Yes. The medical record form is part of your Enrollment Checklist on your Applicant Status Page after you have paid your deposit.
What if I need housing accommodations?
Students requiring special housing needs (e.g., an air-conditioned room, meal plan exemption, or living on central campus) due to a disability must apply for an accommodation through the Student Accessibility Services office. You can read more about how to register for accommodations here.
What is security like in the halls?
All of our residential facilities are locked 24 hours a day, year round. Students must use their Sewanee ID cards to enter their residence halls. Professional and student staff members are on-call 24 hours a day to assist students with emergent needs after-hours.
What happens if there are maintenance issues in my room?
Whenever there is maintenance issue in your room or hall, fill out a work order through the Service Request system linked on the Facilities Management webpage here. When opening the Service Request system be sure to disable laptop's pop-up blocker. If you have issues accessing the system or filling out the form please contact Facilities Management via fm@sewanee.edu or call 931-598-1264 during regular business hours, which are Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
I have lost my room key. What should I do?
All students are given a room key upon arrival in August. If you have lost your key, please stop by the Residential Life Office in the Bishop's Common to order a new key. Lost key replacements are $100/key and are charged to the student's account. It may take three to five business days for a new key to be made.
How do I receive mail?
All student mail comes through our Student Post Office, or SPO.
