A Freshman's Guide to Howard University Dorms

The college experience is a transformative journey, and for many freshmen, living in a residence hall is an integral part of it. Howard University's dorms offer a unique environment where students can grow academically, socially, and personally. This guide provides essential information for incoming freshmen to navigate the Howard University residence hall experience.

Making Your Dorm a Home Away From Home

Moving into a dorm is an exciting milestone, marking the beginning of your independent life as a Bison. To make this transition smoother, consider these tips for making your new space comfortable:

What to Bring: Pack essential items to personalize your space and make it functional. Think about bedding, toiletries, study supplies, and personal decorations.
What Not to Bring: Avoid bringing prohibited items such as alcohol, weapons, and illegal drugs. Check the Residence Hall Handbook for a comprehensive list of prohibited items.
Online Ordering: To save time and money on packing and shipping costs, consider ordering some items online and utilizing curbside or in-store pickup options.

The weather is likely to remain fairly mild until mid-October. Howard University welcomes you to your new residence, a space you can make your own as you become a Bison, launch your professional career, build new relationships, expand your intellectual and cultural dexterity, and grow as a person.

First-Time On-Campus Living

For freshmen and students living on Howard’s campus for the first time, University housing provides a comfortable learning and living environment close to classes, meal options, and support services. You’ll have to watch the CampusReel videos to see for sure. However, Howard University dorms are similar to most college housing options. Most on-campus residence halls include singles, doubles, and suites. Floor plans vary from residence hall to residence hall. CampusReel hosts dorm tours of Howard University , and every one is different. The Howard University dorms dimension depend on the residence hall. This information is usually contained in one of the dorm room tours of Howard University on CampusReel.

Move-In Details

Move-in for all first-time and returning residential students will occur from Monday, August 7, through Sunday, August 20. While all residence halls will not facilitate moving in each day, traffic congestion is highly likely throughout the move-in period for employees who commute to work by car or ride share. daily to avoid traffic. Alternative Lots - Georgia Ave. All employees must have 2023 University-issued parking permits to access campus parking lots. The step-by-step guide for course registration can be found here. Please contact Med+Proctor via messaging or using the live chat feature (bottom right of the screen) if you have any questions/concerns. Bison One cards may be retrieved at each residence hall from Aug. 7-21 by students who completed card request forms before move-in. Please allow up to 72 hours for the process to be completed once the fees are resolved to access.

Read also: Tuition and Fees at Howard

Move-In Day: A Step-by-Step Guide

The time has come for you to move into your Howard residence! It is an exciting and pivotal time in your life. In the morning of your Move-In Day, you might be still living under your parents’ roof, and by the evening, you’ll officially live on a college campus. Let’s make your move as easy as possible for you and the many other new Bison beginning their college experience. Lots of new Bison are moving into the residence halls during the same week, so it is very important that you arrive on the date and at the time reserved for you, so everyone doesn’t try to move in at the same time.

Pulling Up To Unload: You are allowed to pull up in front of your residence for a limited time to unload your items. Moveable bins will be available to help you transport your items. At least one person should remain with your car while in front of the residence hall.
Present Your QR Code: When you completed your housing registration, you should have been issued a personalized QR code. When you pull up to the residence hall, you will need to share either a printout of the code or pull up your code on a cell phone and show it to Howard staff. The staff will use the code to ensure that you have completed everything you need to do in order to be able to move in to your residence.
Check-In, Registration, and Key Pickup: Once you have presented your QR code and have been cleared, you will be directed to check in. During the check-in process, you will receive your key, a meal ticket, your Bison identification, and safety devices. Of course, you may need help moving into your residence. Residents are allowed three guests to help them on Move-In Day, including children.

Roommate Relationships

Shared Living Space: RoomatesRoommates share space, but more importantly they share a larger part of their college experience with each other. To promote a positive and considerate relationship, roommates should achieve a basic understanding and agreement, in order to maintain a comfortable and respectful living environment. Roommates are urged to discuss their living arrangements at the beginning of the semester. A "Roommates Cooperative Agreement" is provided in the residence hall for this purpose. You can read more about the Roomate Contract in the Residence Hall Handbook.

Residence Hall Staff

Residence halls have staff that help with all aspects of managing the residence and planning programs and helping students adjust to group living. Learn more about residence hall staff and your rights and responsibilities in the Residence Hall Handbook.The Front Desk Receptionist covers the main desk of each residence hall in combined shifts of 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additionally, lobby monitors check-in University and non-University guests at all times.

The Resident Assistants (RA): The Resident Assistant works under the supervision of the Building Manager and Graduate Assistants. They live in the residence halls where they plan programs, hold floor meetings, and help their residents adjust to group living. They serve as a means of communication between staff members and individual residents.
The Graduate Assistant (GA): The Graduate Assistant (GA) assists the Building Manager with all operations of the assigned residence hall. They plan programs, supervise activities, and hold conferences with residents. The GA has complete authority in the absence of the Building Manager.
The Building Manager: The Building Manager is responsible for the management and direction of the Residence Hall, including internal housing assignments. The Residence Hall Manager is responsible for enforcing Residence Life and University policies. Moreover, the Residence Hall Manager help students by making appropriate referrals to support offices on campus, as needed. Every effort is put forth by Residence Hall Manager to promote academic excellence and personal and social development. The Building Manager is a full-time Howard University employee.
Environmental Management Staff: Environmental Management Staff clean public areas and bathrooms. Residents are responsible for the care and cleaning of their own rooms and baths in rooms or suites.

Residence Hall Policies and Procedures

Residence Hall Closures

Please keep the information below in mind when making travel arrangements.

Fall Semester Closing: During Winter Break, the Residence halls are closed. Refer to the academic calendar for the specific dates. The residence halls will remain open during the Thanksgiving Holiday and Spring Break, although visitation will be suspended during this time.
Spring Semester Closing: All students are required to check out by the official Residence Hall closing date, which is typically the day after the Commencement ceremony (refer to the academic calendar for specific dates).
Summer School Closing: For students residing in summer school housing, there are specific checkout dates corresponding to the session(s) for which they are enrolled. Students are urged not to apply for summer school housing if they cannot move out on (or before) these dates.

Notice: The Residence Hall Agreement indicates that failure to check out on time may jeopardize a student’s future residency in the residency halls and/or result in additional fines. It is important that students adhere to the residential policies and procedures to allow our teams to avoid delays in room readiness for the next semester.

Early Checkout

Students who check out of University housing are subject to the Room Charge Adjustment Schedule. Note: The amount a student may be refunded is in relation to the date and time that he/she officially checks out of the residence hall. Room Charge Adjustment Schedule: (Refunds for Checkout) Students with current housing assignments may only relinquish housing due to withdrawal, deferral, suspension, graduation, study abroad, or active military status. Students will remain responsible for all charges if they decide to move out of the hall for any other reason. Students may try to locate another student without housing to transfer to their residence hall unit to.

Residence Hall Rules and Guidelines

Students are expected to adhere to the Student Code of Conduct. Students are subject to housing fines for damage and behavior including broken furniture, tampering with emergency equipment, not following policies, etc. Residents are required to attend all mandatory meetings. Failure to comply with these meetings may result in loss of visitation as deemed appropriate by the Residence Hall Manager. Visitation will begin after the registration period for the university has concluded. Residents are expected to follow University and Residence Hall guidelines and to govern themselves accordingly.

Co-Educational Visitation: Residents are responsible for their guests’ actions during their visit. All guests must be signed in and signed out of the building and escorted at all times while in the building. The start of visitation will be announced by your Building Manager and is only inclusive of Howard University students. Visitation typically begins 2 weeks after the end of the registration period.
Smoking and Alcohol: Smoking and Alcohol is not permitted in the residence halls. Residents who violate University regulations in the residence halls are subject to possible fines, immediate removal from the residence halls, and additional disciplinary actions. No refunds will be issued to violators of this policy.
Illegal Drugs and Weapons: Residents who violate Howard University regulations by possessing or using weapons or illegal drugs, are subject to immediate dismissal from the residence halls and further sanctions.

Student Programming

The only Howard University-sanctioned events will be organized and sponsored by University Departments. Please be wary of non-university sanctioned events that frequently target Howard students. We encourage residence hall students to participate in Move-In Week activities planned by the Office of Residence Life; Bison Week organized by the Office of Campus Life; and Welcome Week activities that are hosted by various student organizations.

Residence Hall Council

Each Residence Hall elects a Residence Hall Council at the start of the academic year. The Hall Council serves in an advisory role as an integral part of the Residence Hall operation. Council members must give leadership to fostering a healthy living environment and setting the image and spirit of the Residence Hall. The group supports programming efforts, gives input into rule changes and expresses the sentiments of hall residents.

Roommate Contract

Students are required to complete the Roommate Contract to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings resulting from differences of opinion. Usually a change of room is not the first option.

Common Areas

Each Residence Hall is equipped with seminar rooms and/or recreation space. Generally, special program initiatives are sponsored in these locations. If staff/students wish to reserve use of the seminar room or lounge spaces, special reservation forms must be completed and approved by the Residence Hall Manager. You may inquire at the front desk about room reservations.

Laundry Facilities: Each resident must purchase a laundry card in order to operate laundry equipment. These cards may be purchased in the Residence Halls, University Bookstore, and Armor J. Blackburn Center. Washers and dryers are located in the laundry room areas in each building. Ironing of clothing should be contained in the laundry room area or other approved designations.
Vending Machines: Each resident hall has a vending machine area. The machines are stocked with an assortment of food and drinks and are re-stocked weekly. The vending area is available to residents 24 hours per day.
Television Rooms and Lounges: There are television rooms and lounges located in each hall. Some halls have a separate television and lounge area. These areas are utilized for various functions and therefore have hours of operation and blackout times per the discretion of the Residence Hall Manager, based on special needs of the residents and guests.
Kitchenettes: Several of the halls have kitchenettes for residents use only. When utilizing the kitchenettes, it is the responsibility of residents to clean up after each use.

Parking

There are very few parking spaces available for residents who live in the Residence Hall. Although space is limited, students can apply for parking through the Office of Parking Enforcement located in the Mordecai Wyatt Johnson Administration building (the “A-building”). Should you secure a parking space on or near the campus, always be mindful of your surroundings at all times. Do not leave valuables in your car in plain view.

Trash Disposal

Place all garbage in plastic bags in the trash cans/chutes located on each floor. Keep the trash in the trash can/chute to prevent bug, insect, and rodent infestation. If the trash can/chute is full, take your trash to the nearest trash receptacle or trash chute.

Personal Property

Secure insurance on your personal belongings. Check with your parents to ascertain that your belongings are covered under your family’s insurance policy. Do not bring valuables, such as expensive jewelry, furs, stereos, televisions, photographic equipment etc., to the Residence Hall. Please remember that, should you insist upon bringing such items, you will be doing so AT YOUR OWN RISK. Costly items must be kept out of plain view at all times. Protecting your personal belongings is your responsibility.

Safety Inspections

The Office of Residence Life requires regularly scheduled safety inspections and meetings in each Residence Hall. The inspections are designed to examine the general condition of student rooms and public areas to insure that safety guidelines are met.

Zero Tolerance Policy

The Office of Residence Life has a zero tolerance policy concerning students found to be in the possession of, or using, weapons and/or illegal drugs. The presence of drugs of any sort, or weapons, in a student’s room constitutes possession for these purposes. Students found to be in possession of or using, weapons or illegal drugs will be required to vacate University housing immediately without the possibility for housing privileges in University housing ever again. Additionally, such students will face other sanctions including disciplinary actions and possible police action.

Fire Safety

Fire drills are held routinely in the Residence Halls. Howard University must comply with the fire and safety code of the District of Columbia. Therefore, it is very important that all students comply with scheduled fire drills so that in the event of an emergency the response will be effective and appropriate. Participation in all fire drills in your Residence Hall is MANDATORY. Emergency Equipment is used for safety purposes only.

Shelter in Place

If an incident occurs and the buildings or areas around where you are become unstable, or if the air outdoors becomes dangerous due to toxic or irritating substances in the air, it is usually safer to stay indoors, because leaving the area may expose you to that danger. If an incident occurs and the building you are in is "not" damaged, stay inside-seeking an interior room-until you are told it is safe to come out. If your building is damaged, take your personal belongings (purse, wallet, HU Capstone Card, etc.) and follow the evacuation procedures for your building (close your door, proceed to the nearest exit use the stairs instead of the elevators). Once you have evacuated, seek shelter at the nearest University building quickly. Although it is unlikely that you will ever need to shelter in place, it is helpful to know what to do just in case. The longest you should expect to stay inside is about 12 hours, usually less. A few simple items can make it easier and more comfortable should you ever need to shelter in place on campus. Non-perishable food and bottled water (Most bottled water is good for about six months. Assume you should. But a shelter in place notification can come from several sources, including the Howard University Campus Police, the Office of Residence Life, residence hall staff, or other University employees, the federal or D.C. Notification of a need to shelter in place also may come over the radio and television. In addition, the University can announce the need to shelter in place on campus through building public address systems, other campus safety vehicles, as well as in person. No matter where you are, the basic steps of shelter in place will generally remain the same. If you are inside, stay where you are. Collect any emergency shelter in place supplies and a telephone to be used in case of emergency. Locate a room to shelter inside. Without windows or with the least number of windows. Close vents to ventilation systems as you are able. Make a list of the people with you and ask someone (Residence Life staff, faculty, or other staff) to call the list in to Campus Police so they know where you are sheltering. Look after each other.

Bison Safe App

In January of 2020, Howard University announced the launch of Bison Safe, a mobile app designed to enhance the University’s ability to communicate with the campus community in the event of an emergency.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Howard College recognizes the importance of providing reasonable accommodations in its housing policies and practices where necessary for individuals with disabilities to use and enjoy College housing. This Policy explains the specific requirements and guidelines which govern requests for reasonable accommodation in College housing. The campus Office of Accessibility Services (“Accessibility Services”) is responsible for evaluating whether to grant or deny requests for reasonable accommodation in College housing. In evaluating the request, the Campus Accessibility Services Coordinator will consult with the lead student services official at the respective site (Dean of Students, Big Spring Campus; Director of Student Services, SWCD) and the District Accessibility Services Coordinator, as necessary, to determine whether the requested accommodation is necessary and reasonable.

An individual with a disability must complete the “Disability Housing Accommodation Request Form” (the “Request Form”) to request a reasonable accommodation. Howard College will accept and consider requests for reasonable accommodation in College housing at any time. The individual making the request for accommodation should complete and provide the Request Form to Accessibility Services as soon as practicably possible before moving into College housing. If the need for the accommodation arises when an individual already resides in College housing, he/she should contact Accessibility Services and complete the Request Form as soon as possible.
Obvious Disability: If the individual’s disability and the necessity for the accommodation are obvious (e.g. an individual with a physical disability using a wheelchair needs an accessible room), the individual need only explain what type of accommodation he/she is requesting. A reliable third party is someone who is familiar with the individual’s disability and the necessity for the requested accommodation.
Accessibility Services may deny the requested accommodation if it is unreasonable.
5. If the individual is unwilling to accept any alternative accommodation offered by Accessibility Services or there are no alternative accommodations available, Accessibility Services will provide a verbal explanation and written notification to the individual of the denial, the reasons for the denial, the right to appeal the decision, and the procedures for that appeals process. Appeals should be submitted to the Dean of Instruction and Dean of Students on the Big Spring Campus or to the Provost at SWCD.
In processing requests for reasonable accommodations, the College will take all steps required by federal, state, and/or local law to protect the confidentiality of any information or documentation disclosed in connection with the requests.
Residence halls are closed during the Winter Break and Spring Break and residents are expected to vacate the residence halls. Please contact a Residence Hall Director for closure details and dates.
Students living in the residence halls are required to purchase a meal plan. Students requiring a special diet must take a physician‑prescribed food list to the Director of Food Service to determine if the cafeteria can provide meals within the diet. Approved diets are provided for students at no extra charge. Those residents with special religious dietary requirements are given as much consideration as possible. Students requesting a Board Exemption should submit a written request to the Dean of Student Services (on the Howard College Big Spring campus) or the SWCD Dean of Student Affairs (on the SWCD campus). The student leases a space in the residence hall for the academic year (9 months) and may extend the contract to include each or all of the summer sessions. The contract period for students entering the college after the beginning of a semester will be for the remainder of the nine months (academic year) or contracted summer session(s). An application for a room reservation may be secured by sending a request to the Student Services Office. Upon completion of the application, the student must return the application with a $100.00 room deposit. Students are encouraged to reserve a room as early as possible since space is limited. College officials will assign roommates once the application and deposit have been received. Each academic year, Residence Hall Staff sponsor a variety of “out-of-class” programs for residents. These include seminars, community service projects, discussion groups, and many more activities. Residents should make it a priority to know their Residence Hall Staff.

Student Feedback on Specific Dorms

College Hall North: Residents appreciate the bathrooms in every dorm room and its convenient location on campus. Some have noted issues with cold water during certain months and the small gym.
College Hall South: Known for its spaciousness, cleanliness, inviting atmosphere, game room, and communal feel, College Hall South is a popular choice. However, there are no single rooms available.
General Dorm Experience: Many students find the dorms to be a welcoming "home away from home" with a strong sense of community. Cleanliness and quick maintenance response times are also commonly praised.

Fostering a Positive Residence Hall Experience

Residence hall living provides students the opportunity to further individual educational development through social interaction with fellow students. The welfare of all students living in the residence halls makes it necessary for each individual to observe those principles generally accepted as proper for group living. Questions concerning residence hall policy will be answered by the Dean of Students Big Spring and the Dean of Student Affairs SWCD each of whom is authorized to administer residence hall policies and procedures. All residents are encouraged to bring suggestions to the attention of those in authority, whose desire is to create and maintain in the college residence facilities, the best possible conditions for the optimum development of individual personality with a minimum of artificial restriction on individual freedom.

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