Most of the students picking up a copy of this guide at Orientation will soon be grappling with a new challenge: furnishing their dorm room.
After that endeavor ends, they may find themselves with many other uncertainties about living on campus. For what may be the first time, freshmen and transfer students will have to experience roommates, finding on-campus activities, and doing their own laundry. While most resident advisers will probably draw the line at helping with a load of underwear, the department of Residence Life does train them to provide assistance to on-campus residents seeking to make the most out of the residence halls.
"Our primary responsibility is to provide a positive living experience for our students living on campus," said Leon McClinton, director of Residence Life. "We provide events and programs for our students helping them learn about people with various backgrounds. We also try to make sure we are aware of resources that can help them with their academic obligations."
With over 9,100 students living on campus and 29 on-campus residence halls, Residence Life has a large community of students for which to provide services and activities.
In all residence halls, students will get to know their resident advisers, fellow students who will help them move in to their rooms, enforce policies and procedures throughout the year, and continually hold programs and activities to build the residence hall and on-campus community. RAs are trained to help students acclimate to a new community and resolve various conflicts residents may have. They are also responsible for documenting any policy violations and referring involved students to Judicial Affairs and Residence Life.
McClinton emphasizes the community role the RAs serve.
"We feel like we hire excellent students for these positions, because it's such an important position on campus," he said. "The topic areas that the RAs will do programs on run from safety and security, to diversity, to academic success, professional and career development, sustainability and community outreach and service."
Students signed up for special themed housing will have the opportunity to get involved in programs and activities specific to their interests. Tech has 12 themed communities including the Galileo and Hypatia engineering communities, the Corps of Cadets, the Oak Lane fraternity and sorority housing community, and MOSAIC, the Multicultural Opportunity Social Awareness Interest Community.
Out of this community, special focus is given to first-year students and transfer students with the F6 program.
"The Hokie F6 program is designed to assist first year students through the first six weeks at Virginia Tech. And we are also making an intentional effort to inform our transfer students as well. We realize transfer students can face some of the same challenges that our first year students can face," McClinton said.
Hokie F6 will involve a variety of programs that students can ask their RAs about. The Tunnel is one such program making a return to Hokie F6, an interactive event raising awareness of diversity and existing prejudices threatening multicultural cooperation. Canstruction will be an event centered around Homecoming in which students and RAs can create a structure out of donated goods applying to the Homecoming theme. Toward the beginning of the semester, there will be a campus resource scavenger hunt so that students can learn more about the services provided at Tech.
"We firmly believe that if first-year students have a positive experience the first six weeks they're here, they will have a successful experience at Virginia Tech," McClinton said.
Residence halls include Ethernet connectivity, laundry facilities and housekeeping staff for common areas. Many halls have their own mail facilities or a facility close by for students to pick up packages and letters. Residents of Miles, Pritchard, Ambler-Johnston and New Residence East who want to work out closer to their dorm rooms can register to use the in-hall fitness facilities. All residents have free access to the McComas and War Memorial gyms.
While many students find off-campus housing after their freshman year, several students stay on campus for at least another year.
"You have easier access to many of the services on campus," McClinton said, listing reasons why a student may benefit from on-campus housing throughout their career at Tech. "Our latest satisfaction survey show that students really enjoy living on campus."
The survey, conducted in Spring 2008, showed report high levels of student satisfaction with safety and security and overall value of their residence hall experience.
Residence Life continues to expand, converting the once all-male Pritchard hall into a co-ed residence hall, renovating Ambler-Johnston and opening the latest residence hall, New Hall West. For more information on residence life, visit its homepage at www.studentprograms.vt.edu/housing.