Exploring Boston University's West Campus: A Comprehensive Guide

Boston University (BU) offers a diverse range of housing options for its students, each with its own unique character and advantages. Among these, West Campus stands out as a vibrant and integral part of the BU experience. While it may not boast the height of StuVi I and II, the central location of Warren Towers, or the historic charm of Bay State Road's brownstones, West Campus offers its own compelling blend of amenities, location, and community. This article delves into the details of West Campus, exploring its residence halls, dining options, recreational facilities, and overall atmosphere, providing a comprehensive guide for prospective and current BU students alike.

West Campus Residence Halls: Claflin, Sleeper, and Rich Halls

West Campus consists of three dormitory-style residence halls: Claflin Hall, Sleeper Hall, and Rich Hall. These high-rise dorms overlook Nickerson Field, offering residents impressive views of the athletic field and the Boston skyline. Each hall has its own distinct features and contributes to the overall West Campus community.

Claflin Hall

Named after Lee Claflin, Claflin Hall is the easternmost of the three towers. It houses thirteen coed floors, with the exception of the third floor, which is reserved as an all-female floor for students in the College of Communication.

Sleeper Hall

Sleeper Hall, named after Jacob Sleeper, is the middle tower of the three. Similar to Claflin and Rich Halls, the second through thirteenth floors are residential. The first floor is home to the Fresh Food Co. dining hall, making it a convenient option for residents seeking a quick meal.

Rich Hall

Rich Hall, named after Isaac Rich, is the westernmost of the three towers. The second floor has a different layout than the other floors due to its previous use as an infirmary. It contains the most beds of any of the three towers in West Campus. Unlike Claflin and Sleeper Halls, Rich Hall does not have a dining hall on its first floor. David oversees Rich Hall.

Room Occupancy and Amenities

Bedrooms in West Campus are primarily double-occupancy, with a limited number of single, triple, and quad occupancy rooms available. Bathrooms are communal. The residence halls are not air-conditioned. An on-premises laundry facility is available for residents.

Dining at West Campus: Fresh Food Co. and Beyond

A significant advantage of living in West Campus is the presence of the Fresh Food Co. dining hall. West's dining hall differs from the others on campus. Instead of the typical buffet-style cafeteria mode, the dining hall is equipped with numerous food stations where a cook will prepare individual food servings on demand. These stations include:

Burrito station
Pasta/Asian noodle toss station
Vegetarian/vegan station
Grill station
Pizza station

The Fresh Food Co. offers a rotating variety of choices at each meal, with an emphasis on serving delicious, healthy meals using sustainable and local food products.

The West Campus Secret

The most sought-after food item at the West Campus Dining Hall - proper name the Fresh Food Company - does not appear on any menu. The only way to get a West Campus is to ask for one, and to ask for one, you have to have heard someone else ask for one. Naturally, that person has to have heard another person ask, and so on, until the overhearing stretches back 15 years, to the glorious day when a slightly bored grill cook named Jeff threw caution to the wind and then threw cheese, barbecue sauce, and a hamburger on the grill. These days, the West Campus is said to be better than ever, enhanced by a special barbecue sauce prepared each morning by grill cook Nichole Smith-Boytiel.

Other Dining Options

For those who are too rushed to get to a residential dining hall, BU offers a variety of on-campus retail options. All residential guests have the option to eat in campus residential dining halls. This service needs to be arranged by your group organizer in advance. If you’re staying in one of our residences during the summer, you’re in for a treat. Our residential dining halls are available to all overnight conference guests for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (brunch and dinner on Sundays).

Recreation and Fitness

West Campus is ideally located for students interested in sports and fitness. It is a stone's throw from Case Gym, the Track & Tennis Center, and FitRec (Fitness & Recreation Center). FitRec welcomes BU guests to beat the heat indoor this summer utilizing our phenomenal facilities such as an indoor jogging track, squash and racquetball courts, two swimming pools, a fitness center and more.

Location and Accessibility

West Campus is located in the westernmost part of Boston University's Charles River campus in Boston, Massachusetts. The area taken up by West Campus takes up most of the footprint of the former grandstand of Braves Field, whose right field pavilion grandstand is currently used as the primary grandstand for Nickerson Field.

Proximity to Campus Amenities

True to its name, Central Campus housing sits right at the heart of our Charles River Campus, easily accessible to all undergraduate schools including the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Communications, and the College of Engineering. Just steps away, you’ll find labs, libraries, offices, performance venues, and the George Sherman Union. West Campus, including FitRec and Agganis Arena, is a short stroll west while bustling Kenmore Square is minutes to the east.

Transportation

The school runs a free bus system for students to travel around campus. For commuting students MBTA student passes are available. There is also a ride-share program.

Community and Residence Life

In our residences, you’ll find diverse and talented minds everywhere you turn, in many cases just next door or down the hall. Each residence community has its own feel and personality-just like every one of our Terriers. Large, small, or somewhere in between. Tucked on a quiet street or right in the middle of the action.

Read also: History of the BU Bridge

Residence Life Staff

Adrienne Kisner is the Community Director of Sleeper Hall in West Campus. David oversees Rich Hall.

Boston University Overview

Boston University is an international, comprehensive, private research university, committed to educating students to be reflective, resourceful individuals ready to live, adapt, and lead in an interconnected world. Boston University is committed to generating new knowledge to benefit society.

Academics

BU offers a wide range of schools and colleges:

College of Arts and Sciences
College of Communication
College of Engineering
College of Fine Arts
College of General Studies
College of Health & Rehabilitation Services: Sargent College
Pardee School of Global Studies
Questrom School of Business
School of Hospitality Administration
Wheelock College of Education & Human Development

All students are required to complete the BU Hub, which grants them all a shared undergraduate experience. Students may opt to take further core classes to gain a liberal arts grounding in addition to their major. Students must earn 26 units across 6 competencies.

Admissions

BU is looking for students who demonstrate a unique ability or talent, with a high level of achievement in that field. Academic rigor is used as a weeding out factor, while talent is used to decide on which students to admit from among the academically prepared candidates. Having unique or hard to explain accomplishments will make a student stand out more to admissions.

Essays are an important place to show the school who you are, and why you want to attend there in particular. They should give admissions officers insight into who you are and what you want to do at BU specifically. Avoid writing primarily about the city of Boston, and definitely don’t confuse them with Boston College. Look for specific programs and classes the school offers, and describe why those programs make the school the right choice for you.

BU considers demonstrated interest more than most other elite schools, as it is working to increase its yield rate. This is a simple way to improve your odds of admission. It won’t tip the scales if you are unqualified, but it will be used as a deciding factor between equally qualified candidates. Composing your activities list in a way that makes your accomplishments stand out and highlights your unique achievements is important, as the talents and abilities you bring to the school are one of the most important admissions criteria.

Housing

With the 10th largest housing system in the country among 4-year colleges, BU guarantees 4 years of on-campus housing for all undergraduates who want it. All students living in housing are required to have a dining plan. There are both traditional dormitory style and apartment style housing options available. Some buildings (or floors of large buildings) are themed to group students with similar interests.

99% of freshmen live on campus and 76% of undergraduates live on-campus at any given time.

Traditions

Beanpot Tournament - The schools competes in an ice hockey tournament each year against Northeastern, Harvard, and Boston College.
BU Seal - Campus legend states that if students step on the BU seal in March Plaza, they won’t graduate in 4 years.
Lobster Night - A themed dinner, every student eating in the dining halls gets their own lobster, alongside traditional New England fixings.
Pumpkin Drop - Every October, the physics department launches pumpkins filled with various substances off the roof of their building.

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