Frequently Asked Questions

What happened to "Dorms"?
A dormitory is merely a place to sleep and store your belongings. In the past, dorm mothers or fathers supervised dorms. This concept of on-campus living ended in the 60’s. A residence hall, on the other hand, is a home. It is a place to live and learn. It is an important part of college life that will enhance the classroom experience. After all, students spend a great deal more time in the residence halls than they do anywhere else on campus! A residence hall is a complete environment where students can learn to interact with people, develop leadership skills, write papers, attend events and programs, make lifelong friends, and build memories that will last a lifetime. Taking advantage of the educational programming, contact with faculty/staff members, and other academic aids can allow residents to greatly enhance their learning experience at Western.

What size is my bed?
All residence hall mattresses are, for student comfort, extra-long twins, measuring 80" x 36". To help avoid the frustration of purchasing linens that may not fit, be sure to check the packaging states “Extra-Long Twin”.

Does my room have carpet?
All student rooms in Beshears, LLC and Leaverton are carpeted. Rooms in the suites and some in Vaselakos are tile. Some students like to place additional rugs in their rooms and common areas. Bathrooms are tiled and are equipped with institutional shower curtains. Students may add their own shower curtains, but the institutional shower curtain must be replaced before checking out to avoid charges.

Can I have guests?
Suite and apartment visitation hours are from 10 a.m. and midnight Sunday through Thursday; and 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday. You may have same sex overnight guests with prior authorization from your roommate(s). Guests will not be allowed in a room unless all occupants in that room are in agreement. We ask that residents notify the Housing Office when they will be having overnight guests. All guests are subject to College regulations and residence hall policies. Residents are responsible for the actions of their guest(s) and guests should be escorted at all times. If a student feels his or her roommate(s) are not abiding by this policy, it is his or her responsibility to notify a Residence Life staff member.

Do I need insurance on personal belongings?
Western is not responsible for loss or damage to personal property from any cause, we recommend that you check to see if your belongings are covered under your family's homeowner's insurance policy.

If this is not the case, you may wish to buy renter's insurance, which is reasonably priced. Regardless of coverage, it is a good idea to mark your stereo, TV, camera, VCR, refrigerator, computer, etc., for identification purposes. Western’s Department of Public Safety offers Operation ID, a program that marks your property for identification.

How do I access the Internet?
Residents can surf the net from their room without dialing in! With a computer equipped with an Ethernet card and an adapter cable, enjoy free, direct, unlimited access to e-mail and the Internet from any residence hall room. Students who do not own a computer have free use of conveniently located computer labs in Vaselakos hall and around campus.

How do the laundry facilities work?
Laundry facilities are located in each residence hall. It costs 50 cents to wash and 25 cents to dry. It usually takes 45 minutes to dry an average load of clothes. The machines work on quarters only. Repair problems on washers and dryers and refunds should be reported to the Housing Office in the Commons Building @ 7100.

What happens if I lose my keys?
Report the loss of room keys to the Housing Office in the Commons Building. There is a charge of $10 per key. The total amount will be billed to your account.

What is my mailing address & how do I get mail?
Mailboxes for suite residents are located in the Commons Building. Apartment residents’ mailboxes are located in their assigned hall. Residents are assigned a mailbox and key during check in. Packages may be sent to students using their current mailing address. Students are notified when their packages arrive by receiving a package slip in their mailbox. The package slip and a picture ID are required to retrieve packages from the Housing Office.

Suites
YOUR NAME 4801 East College Drive Room# Logan St. Joseph, MO 64507	YOUR NAME 4801 East College Drive Room# Beshears St. Joseph, MO 64507	YOUR NAME 4801 East College Drive Room# Juda St. Joseph, MO 64507
Apartments
YOUR NAME 4802 East College Drive Room# Leaverton St. Joseph, MO 64507	YOUR NAME 4803 East College Drive Room# Vaselakos St. Joseph, MO 64507

What are the maintenance & custodial services?
Western employs custodial workers to clean common areas, lounges, lobbies, hallways, laundry rooms, study and TV lounges. Students are responsible for cleaning their own rooms and bathrooms. At the Housing Office (Commons Building) you may check out a vacuum cleaner from a Desk Assistant by leaving your ID card.

Maintenance problems in student rooms should be reported promptly by completing a maintenance request form. Maintenance personnel respond in the order and urgency requests are received. They are unable to predict the exact day and time the repair will be done, but usually complete the work within 24 hours of the request. They work Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm, except in cases of emergencies.

What is the length of the Housing Contract?
You have the option of a one semester contract or a two semester contract (Fall and Spring). If not defined on the contract it will default to a one year contract. See the Terms and Conditions of the housing contract for more information.

How does the college meal plan work?
All residents are required to participate in the Resident Meal Plan. The Resident Meal Plan provides you an option to choose from several meal plans to use in the Cafeteria. For more information, visit the Campus Dining website.

Can I have pets in my residence hall room?
Students may have fish as pets with the consent of their roommate(s). Each room may have one 10-gallon aquarium. Students who have fish should make arrangements for off-campus care for them during holidays and breaks.

What are quiet hours?
The hours from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. everyday, including weekends are established as “Quiet Hours”. Residents have many different schedules and lifestyles, but you will find life a lot easier if you respect each other’s right to healthy habits. Stereos, radios, televisions and any other noise which tends to disturb an adjoining suite/apartment, whether next-door or above or below, will subside during quiet hours. Suite balconies, outside walkways and the courtyards are subject to quiet hours. “Courtesy Hours” exist 24 hours a day, every day, and will be enforced. Reasonable quiet is expected at all times during the day and night. Students with stereos are encouraged to bring and use headphones. The college reserves the right to require students to remove stereos after violations of this policy. The right of a student to sleep or study will always override any other student’s right to make noise. As a general rule of thumb, if sound can be heard from outside of a room, it is in violation.

Residents have many different schedules and lifestyles, but you will find life a lot easier if you respect each other’s right to healthy habits. If other students in your hall are making enough noise to bother you, you have the right (at anytime of the day or night) to ask them to be quieter. If trouble persists, feel free to notify your RA, who has the option and authority to set disciplinary procedures in motion.

What, if any, appliances should I bring?
Refrigerators should be no larger than 3 cubic feet. Microwaves are not allowed in the Suites; however, there are microwaves available for use in the Housing Office (Commons Building) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Other appliances such as an oven, stove, toaster, etc. are also available in the Housing Office! Residents are responsible for cleaning the Housing Office kitchen and materials when they are finished using them.

Residents living in Leaverton and Vaselakos Halls are provided with a refrigerator and microwave in common area of their apartment.

The following cooking devices are allowed in residence hall rooms: can openers, coffee makers and George Foreman Grills.

The following cooking devices are not allowed in residence hall rooms: toasters, toaster ovens, and other appliances with open heating coils.

In the interest of fire prevention, electrical outlets must not be overloaded.

Is soliciting allowed in the halls?
Soliciting is not permitted in the residence halls. Students should ask salespersons to leave the building if they are approached. If they refuse, call the Housing Office, Resident Assistant, Residence Hall Director, or the Department of Public Safety.

How do I go about posting signs for my organization?
Only Residence Life staff is authorized to post advertisements. The Housing Office must approve all signage; this can be done Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. After they are approved, you may give your signage to the Housing Office for staff to post.

What is the visitation policy?
All residence halls have visitation hours of 10 a.m. to midnight, Sunday through Thursday; and 10 a.m. to 3 a.m., Friday and Saturday. All roommates must consent to any guests and overnight same sex visitors in a room.