Living at Lehigh

Living on campus is an integral part of you learning experience at Lehigh. For most students, living at college is a time of firsts: your first time living away from home and your first time having a roommate. Many of those firsts can be very challenging, but it is meeting those new challenges that make living on campus so rewarding.
Options for Living in the Residence Halls:

• See the Residential Services Website for detailed information about all residence halls.
• First-year students can live in CHOICE (substance free), Live, Learn, Serve, UMOJA, or South Mountain College communities as well as traditional residence halls.
• All upper class students have the opportunity to live in the Live Lehigh! living learning communities; as well as traditional rooms, suites and apartments.
• Participate in Residential Fellow Communities. These communities were created to merge the academic and living experience, Residential Fellows, Lehigh faculty or staff members, live in our residential facilities.The Residential Fellow position strengthens the sense of community and creates opportunities for learning from faculty, staff, and peers in the living environment. Our Residential Fellow Communities include:
• Community Taylored for You (Rabbi Seth Goren, Director of Jewish Student Life/Associate Chaplain)
• It Takes A Village (Dr. Heather Johnson, Assoc. Professor of Sociology/Eckardt Scholars Program Director)
• Check out Heather's Awesome blog "Never a Dull Moment" about her experience living on campus with her family: http://johnson-mccormick.com/

 

Benefits to living on campus:

• The community that will develop between you and your hall mates.
• Studies have shown that students who live on campus do better academically, become more involved, and have an overall more satisfying college experience than those who live off campus.
• There are supportive staff members found in each residence hall.
• Gryphons: students charged with serving as a mentor and resource, and building a safe and inclusive community in the residence hall.
• Assistant Directors for Residence Life:  professional staff members who live in the hall and oversee the Gryphon staff.
• Students who live on campus are never short on activities in which to participate. Inside their residence hall, the House Council and Gryphon staffs will plan and facilitate a number of fun and educational programs. Outside of the halls, there are a number of exciting and entertaining programs put on by Late Night Lamberton and the Office of Student Activities/University Productions.

 Living in a Community

Roommates, Hallmates, Suitemates, Housemates

Probably one of the biggest anxieties incoming students have when they come to college is how they'll get along with their fellow community members. Some tips and strategies are presented on this page. Upon arriving at Lehigh, many new students will be living in a residence hall with one of more unrelated people for the first time. Even those that have been assigned a single room, your year will be characterized by interactions with those living closest to you: your hall mates. These tight living quarters can present a tremendous challenge, even among the best of friends.

Roommate Agreement Forms

To assist you to better know your roommate(s) the Office of Residence Life provides you with agreement forms to be filled out at the beginning of the year. During the first two weeks of the fall semester your Gryphon  will work with you and your roommate(s) and/or housemates to complete your agreement form. Click the links below to obtain a copy  of  each type of Agreement.

• Roommate Agreement:for students in traditional double or triple residence hall rooms
  
• Apartment Agreement: for students in suites and apartments
• House Agreement: for students living in a house community

Hall Communities will also develop a set of community standards based on the Principles of an Equitable Community.

Right from the beginning, it is very important to communicate openly with your roommate about topics ranging from study methods to taste in music. Learning to live with another person, to acknowledge and respect your differences, and to allow one another the space to grow is a valuable component of the residential experience.

It will be a challenge to talk about your differences, but taking time to discuss your personal needs up front and reach a written agreement is a good way to head off problems before their arise. Keep your Gryphon appraised of how things are going. If troubles arise, do not hesitate to speak with your Gryphon or your area's Residence Life Coordinator. We encourage students in conflict to seek mediation through the Office of Residence Life.