Basic Room Layout
Arrange the furniture in your dormroom before stepping foot in the dorms!
All Residence Halls Include:
- Beds, mattresses, mattress pads, dressers, desks, desk lamps, and chairs are all provided
- All furniture is stackable - no homemade lofts allowed
- Bathrooms contain the basics: a shower, toilet, sink, counter space, and storage for your personal supplies.
- Closets contain shelves for storage above
- Built in book shelves with small lockable compartments
- The floors also have an extra community bathroom known as the "C.J." with a tub, toilet, and large sink.
Linen, Laundry, and Supplies
Students must provide their own:
- Sheets
(Our mattresses are 80" long so you will need extra long twin sheets. The college provides mattress pads.) - Blankets
- Pillows
- Bedspreads
- Towels
- Washclothes
- Automatic washers and dryers located on the lower level of each residence hall are provided free to residents. Students must provide their own detergents, etc. Ironing boards are provided in the floor lounges. Irons are available at the reception desk.
- Toilet paper, paper towels, and cleaning supplies are available free of charge in
each floor’s service closet and at the front reception desk, where bottled cleansers
are refilled (rather than discarded).
Telephone
There is a telephone and a phone jack in each room of the residence halls. All equipment must remain in the room. Charges will be incurred for broken or missing equipment. Direct-dial long distance calling is not available, but pre-paid calling cards are available at the Campus Store.
Campus Cable System
Each room is equipped with a cable socket for access to the campus cable system. Commercial cable systems are not available in the residence halls, but a number of cable networks are provided (e.g. CNN, Fox News, ESPN, Discovery, The History Channel, CBC-Canada, etc.) as well as local networks.
ResNet
Access to the Residential Computing Network (ResNet) is available from all residence hall rooms at no additional charge. Network interface cards (Ethernet) are required, or wireless access is also available in most areas of all residence halls.
Adherence to the Responsible use of Technology statement of the Student Handbook is mandated, and ResNet is subject to some content filtering. All students will have access to network file space for storage of personal files. Access will be available from ResNet and most campus computers.
Floor Lounges/Kitchens
Floor lounges are located on each floor. Each lounge contains a large refrigerator where food may be stored, a sink, a stove and/or microwave, and tables for group study and social activities on the floor. Recycling containers are stationed in lounges for recycling of paper, plastics, and metals.
Reception Desk and Mail Boxes
The reception desk of each residence hall complex is open from 2:00 pm to midnight, Sunday through Thursday, and until 12:00 am on Friday and Saturday.
Services include:
- Distribution of mail and messages
(Each room is assigned one mailbox and students use a combination or key to gain access.) - Checkout of sports equipment
- Irons
- Cleaning supplies, and other tools and utensils
- Campus telephone directory service
- Stamps
- Change of money.
Meditation Chapel/Prayer Rooms
Located on the lower level of the residence halls are small meditation rooms which provide quiet places for private devotions and praying. No studying is allowed in these rooms.
Computer Labs
Computer labs are located on the lower levels of the men’s hall for the use of all residence hall students 24 hours a day. Word processing software, internet access, and laser printing are available. Academic work takes priority over all personal use, such as email, and no food or beverages may be taken into computer labs.
Study and Programming Basement
On the lower level of each women’s residence hall is a lounge/study area. This area provides both male and female students with a place for conversation, group studying, and programs planned by various organizations.
Recreation Room
On the lower level of each men’s residence hall is a recreation area for both male and female students, containing a television area, ping-pong, pool, and foosball tables, and an area of booths and tables for socializing or group-studying. Vending machines are also available for snacks, soda, and juices.
Study Areas
Located on the lower level of each hall are study areas with study carrels and tables. These are single gender, 24 hour quiet areas.
Trunk Room
There is a room on the lower level of each hall for storage of off-season clothing, trunks and suitcases, and for summer storage of clothing. All items stored in the trunk rooms are stored at the student’s risk and must be clearly labeled and logged. A staff member must accompany residents who add items to or remove items from the trunk room. Furniture may not be stored in the trunk room.
Bike Storage
Each residence hall has bicycle racks outside and a bicycle storage room on the lower level of the women’s hall. Bicycles may not be left in the hallways, stairwells, lobbies, or floor lounges. Bikes should be locked at all times. All bicycles must be registered at the residence hall desk. The desk will issue a numbered tag which should remain on your bicycle at all times. Bikes left untagged and untouched for more than a year will be removed.
Copy Machines
Coin-operated copy machines are available for all residence students in the inner lobbies of the Bolt-Heyns-Timmer and Noordewier-VanderWerp complexes.
ATM
An Automated Teller Machine (ATM) is located in the lobby of the Noordewier-VanderWerp complex, as well as in the Commons Annex.
Overnight Guests
Students are permitted to have overnight guests of the same gender stay in their rooms after completing an Overnight Guest Registration Form, available at the front reception desk. If a guest becomes a regular visitor or if a roommate or suitemates are inconvenienced, the college reserves the right to limit visiting. Each resident is fully responsible for his/her guests’ compliance with residence hall regulations.
Car and Bike Washing
A pail and a key to the water faucet of Beets-Veenstra Hall may be checked out with a college ID at the Beets-Veenstra reception desk.
Waste and Recycling
Calvin College is committed to environmental stewardship and expects all residents to cooperate with the recycling program. Specific details of this program will be provided in the residence halls and will be reviewed periodically with students.
Residence Hall Parking
All resident students’ cars must display a valid Calvin College parking permit. Residents will be issued the appropriate parking permit based on where they are residing and will only be allowed to park in lots corresponding to that permit. The parking and driving regulations will provide detailed information on the
appropriate permit and corresponding lots.
The parking areas adjacent to each residence hall are intended for short-term parking for the convenience of the residents and their guests. Accordingly they are posted: “Lights On / 30 Minute Limit.”
The lot North of Kalsbeek-Huizenga and designated lots east of the East Beltline are allocated for resident students’ cars. Parking is not allowed on the main campus or the short-term lots between 2:00 am and 6:00 am. Residence hall students are not permitted to park their vehicles in the Fine Arts Center lot.
Motorcycles and all other vehicles with gasoline motors must conform to all college parking and driving regulations. These vehicles must display a valid Calvin College parking permit. Under no circumstance may they be brought into residence halls.
Driving on sidewalks is prohibited, unless permission has been requested from Campus Safety or a Residence Life staff member.
Safety Services
- The best possible security in the residence halls takes the cooperation of all who live there. Students should lock room doors at all times and, for their own security, should not prop any exterior doors that are closed and locked.
- Each residence hall is locked 24 hours a day, except for the main entrance into the main lobby. From there, locked doors separate each wing from the lobby.
- Students have 24 hour access into their own hall using Calvin's card access system and their ID cards. Between midnight and 7:00am students can only enter through the main lobby for safety reasons.
- Calvin employs its own Campus Safety staff who patrol the campus, assist students, and help provide a secure environment.
- Safety Escorts - Students who desire escort service to and from various areas on the campus may contact the Campus Safety office. A telephone is available near all parking areas. Students are encouraged to make use of the escort service to avoid walking alone on campus after dark.
- Loss or Thefts- Missing items which you believe have been stolen should be reported to the Campus Safety Department. Students should be aware that theft does occur on Calvin’s campus. Although the incidents of theft and property destruction are low, it is always a good idea to exercise caution by locking apartment doors and car doors, by keeping valuables in a secure place, by not leaving clothes unattended in laundry rooms for long periods of time, etc.
Although the college will use all reasonable efforts to protect the students’ property, it is understood that the college is not liable for any loss. Students should determine whether their property is covered by their parents’ homeowner insurance policy. If a student’s property is not covered, s/he may wish to purchase a minimum contents coverage policy.
- Fire Procedures- If a fire alarm has been activated in a campus building, always assume there is a fire. Know the locations of fire extinguishers, posted evacuation routes, exits and fire alarm systems in your area.
If you discover a fire- Activate the nearest fire alarm pull station.
- Alert people in the immediate area of the danger and that they need to evacuate.
- Immediately exit the building, closing doors between you and the fire.
- When you are in a place of safety, dial 3-3333 and inform the Campus Safety of the location and nature of the fire.
If the Fire Alarm sounds
- Walk to the nearest exit, closing doors between you and the fire.
- Do not use elevators.
- Assist people with disabilities with getting to the closest area of rescue assistance, which is in the stairwell area, past the fire doors.
- Notify Campus Safety or Fire Personnel if you suspect someone is trapped in the building.
- Gather outside the building at your designated assembly area and attempt to make certain all persons are accounted for. Stay at least 300 feet from the building.
- Remain outside until notified by the emergency personnel or Campus Safety.
If trapped in a room
- Close as many doors as possible between you and the fire.
- Place cloth material (wet if possible) around or under the door to prevent smoke from entering the room.
- Be prepared to signal to someone outside at a window or by shouting at regular intervals.
If caught in smoke
- Drop and crawl toward an exit.
- Hold your breath as much as possible.
- Breathe slowly through nose using a towel or shirt as a filter.
If forced to advance through flames
- Hold your breath
- Move quickly
- Cover your head and hair
- Keep your head down and your eyes closed as much as possible
When to use a Fire Extinguisher
- Only use an extinguisher to attempt to extinguish a small fire and only if you have been trained
- An extinguisher can be used to suppress a fire that blocks your exit from the building
- Remember PASS, the four basic steps to operating a fire extinguisher
P: Pull the pin
A: Aim the extinguisher hose at the base of the fire
S: Squeeze the lever
S: Sweep from side to side
