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First-Year Student Information

Welcome!

Welcome to the residence hall community at Luther College! Luther is a residential college by design. We believe the best environment for learning is one where students not only study and attend classes on campus, but also live on campus.

The residence halls at Luther provide rich living-learning environments where students have the opportunity to share their collegiate experiences with peers. Students study, relax, play, learn, become involved, and develop friendships through the supportive communities formed in the residence halls. Living on campus will surely be one of the most important and memorable parts of your Luther experience.

As a residential college, we require all full-time students to live in college-owned housing unless married, of nontraditional age (23 years or older), or commuting from their legal guardians' homes. Off-campus living is limited and permitted for upperclass students only when there is a shortage of rooms in college residence halls. Students must get approval to live off-campus. Plan on living on campus for your entire career at Luther College.

Residence Life Staff

Each residence hall is supervised by one professional hall director (or area coordinator) and specially selected and trained student staff members (hall managers, assistant hall directors, resident assistants). Hall directors are full-time, live-in professionals who supervise the student staff, manage the day-to-day operations of the residence halls, and assist students with personal, academic, and college transition issues.

Hall managers and assistant hall directors are experienced student staff members who help supervise the buildings, act as liaisons between the hall director and resident assistant (RA.) staff, and assist the hall director in their hall duties. RAs are students who are trained as peer assistance and live on each floor. RAs organize a variety of educational and social activities to acquaint students with other floor and hall members, provide support to residents with special concerns, and serve as referral sources to other college offices.

Generally Speaking

The Halls

To meet the unique needs of Luther students, a variety of housing options are available. Luther residence hall options include quiet floors, wellness floors, and residence halls designated for first-year students. There are a variety of room sizes ranging from singles (for upperclass students) to four-person rooms and townhouses. All residence halls are coed by floor, cluster, or wing. Each hall has the features listed below.

• Lounges
  Each hall has a variety of lounge spaces to meet student needs. All halls have at least one study lounge and TV lounge.
• The Rooms
  When residents check into their rooms, they must sign a housing and dining contract and complete a room condition report (RCR). Each room contains mattresses, dressers, desks, blinds, chairs, and closet space or wardrobe. Each room also contains a telephone, cable TV connection, and data connections.
• Telephones
  Each room has one telephone equipped with a voice mail system. Each student determines his or her own access code. Students may use calling cards and cell phones to make long distance calls. Any phone problems need to be reported to the Help Desk at helpdesk@luther.edu or by calling (563) 387-1000.
• Televisions
  Televisions are located in one public lounge in every residence hall. TVs are allowed in student rooms. Each room is equipped with a cable TV jack; basic cable television service is included in the room fee.
• Internet Access and Email
  Each residence hall room has connections for each student occupying the room to access the Luther College network, which includes Internet and e-mail service. Contact Library and Information Services at (563) 387-1000 or helpdesk@luther.edu for more information about these services. Information is also found at http://helpdesk.luther.edu.
• Laundry Facilities
  Each residence hall has laundry facilities available for student use. The machines accept only quarters; the cost per load is $1.00 to wash and 50 cents to dry. Ironing boards are not available on campus. Students must provide their own laundry detergent, dryer sheets, irons, etc.
• Kitchens
  Each residence hall is equipped with a kitchen that includes a microwave, stove, sink, and refrigerator. Microwaves are not permitted in student rooms.
• Luggage Storage
  There is minimal storage on most floors during the academic year and summer months; storage is generally reserved for students who live a significant distance from campus.
• Service Centers
  The RAs in each residence hall staff a service center area where students may check out a number of useful items. Items may include: vacuums, mops, brooms, games, and VCRs. The service centers are open each evening from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Vending Machines
  Candy and soda machines are available in each residence hall.

Other Important Stuff

Personal Property

Luther College does not carry insurance on personal property of students and is not responsible for loss of or damage to such property, including property stored in any storage spaces. Students use these spaces at their own risk. The college will not be held responsible for any property of students left in or delivered to the residence halls. It is strongly encouraged that students check their family insurance for coverage and, if necessary, purchase personal property insurance from a reliable private company.

Personalizing Your Room

We encourage students to decorate and personalize their rooms. Lofts/bunks may be built only in the Towers. Students who construct lofts are solely responsible for any and all damages and personal injury resulting from construction or use. Students also assume responsibility for storing lofts. All college-provided furniture must stay in the residence hall rooms.

Mattress Sizes

Residents should purchase extra long (80") twin bedding, a mattress pad is provided by the college. All college mattresses are extra long (80") twin.

Refrigerators

Residents are allowed to have refrigerators under 3.2 cubic feet in size in their rooms. Refrigerator rental is available from the Luther College Entrepreneurship Club. They can be contacted by e-mail at eclub@luther.edu.

Receiving Mail

Letters and packages mailed to you should be addressed as follows:
Name
Luther College
700 College Dr SPO #
Decorah, IA 52101
Specific SPO information can be found at my.luther.edu. All mail is received in Dahl Centennial Union.

A Word About Your Roommate(s)

Your roommate(s) will play an important part in your life on campus. Based on your responses to the housing application, we assigned you with an individual(s) who appears to share interests and has living habits similar to yours. Please contact your roommate(s) for next year as soon as you receive your housing assignment letter. Communication is the key to a successful roommate relationship.

Most roommate matches work out well. Some do not. Students who wish to move to different rooms should talk with their RAs. The staff will first try to help you and your roommate(s) work out your differences. Typically, roommate conflicts arise as a result of communication problems, and the staff will help facilitate open dialog. This process may take awhile; developing open communication does not always occur quickly.

After students have made a good faith effort toward resolving the conflicts, room switches may be available. These moves may also involve a wait depending on the availability of housing or the individual's particular preferences for qualities in their new roommate(s). No room changes will occur before October 1 of every academic year.

Just to Let You Know

Quiet Hours

Quiet hours are from 11 p.m. to 11 a.m. each day. During quiet hours, noise should not be audible outside of a resident's room with the room door closed. All students are expected to respect other students' rights to study and sleep free from interruptions. Courtesy hours exist at all other times. Simply stated, you need to respect requests from other students to keep all noise down to an acceptable level.

Intervisitation Hours

Students in all residence halls may be on floors assigned to the opposite sex between 8 a.m. and 2 a.m. on weekdays (Sun. - Thurs.). On weekends (Fri. and Sat.), the visitation hours (8 a.m. - 2 a.m.) will remain in effect for students living in designated first-year areas. For individuals living in areas not designated for first-year students, open visitation will exist on Friday and Saturday nights.

Although the College has established visitation hours, a student's right to study, sleep and exercise control over his/her personal space takes precedence over the right to host guests. The Residence Life Office/Student Life Office will actively intervene if conflicts arise between roommates with respect to the inter visitation policy.

Smoking

Smoking is prohibited inside all buildings (including residence halls), outside all buildings, and on any college property..

Alcohol

Alcohol possession and consumption is allowed in residence hall rooms only by those students who are 21 years of age or older.

Ammunition and Weapons

Ammunition and weapons may not be kept in student rooms. Students who wish to have a weapon for hunting purposes must store the weapon and ammunition with the Decorah Police Department at (563) 382-3667.

Park It Here!

Bicycles

Bicycles may be kept in the bicycle racks located outside of each hall. Bicycles should not be stored in student rooms.

Cars

Both full-time and part-time students planning to have a motor vehicle on campus must register and purchase a sticker for their vehicle (currently $75.00/year) from the Welcome Center Information Desk at the beginning of the year. Parking regulations are enforced; please be sure to read and follow them.

For Your Safety

Safety Begins with You!

Staff members in the halls work hard to provide a safe environment for students. The reality, however, is that the halls are only as safe as your help to make them. Make sure you lock your room door, don't prop open outside doors, and report suspicious behavior to the residence hall staff or security officer.

Access Doors

Outside doors to all residence halls are locked every night at 10:00 p.m. and opened the next morning by 8:00 a.m. All residents are issued an access key for their own hall at check in. Phones are located near access doors in each building.

Emergency Phones

Emergency telephones are located in several parking lots across campus in case of an emergency. Please note their location when arriving on campus.

Halogen Lamps

Halogen lamps are particularly prone to starting fires; lamp temperatures may burn as hot as 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 4 times as hot as traditional incandescent lamps). Halogen lamps are not only prone to tipping, but may readily ignite objects such as curtains, bedding, lofts, or clothes if placed under or near them. Please leave halogen lamps at home. Spider lamps (lamps with multiple arms) are also prohibited.

Sorry, We're Closed

Students are not permitted to remain in the residence halls during the two official college breaks (Christmas break and Spring break). Only Dieseth and Miller Halls will remain open to provide break housing for students who have been approved to remain on campus during the break periods (including international students). Approved students will be asked to secure housing in another student's room during these breaks.

Getting Involved

Hall and Campus Activities

Get involved! There are a variety of activities in the residence halls and on campus in which you can become involved. Your R.A.s will help you examine the wide variety of offerings on campus and assist you in choosing activities that will be fun, meaningful, and complement your academic experience at Luther.

Maintenance

Contact Fixit!

If you need to report a maintenance concern to the facilities management staff, simply send an e-mail message to fixit@luther.edu.

Some Things To Bring

Because you'll be sharing a rather small space with others, it's best to limit the items you bring with you to Luther.

For many of these items, it's a good idea to contact roommates about what they are bringing in order to avoid duplication in the room.

Suggestions for what to bring include: (some items are essential; others are not):

• Linens (80-inch twin sheets, pillowcases, pillows, blankets, and bedspread)
• Towels
• Laundry bag or basket
• Desk items
• Wastebasket
• Ironing board
• Clothes hangers
• Small appliances (alarm clock, popcorn popper, coffee pot)
• Desk lamp
• Computer
• Backpack
• Dictionary/thesaurus
• TV
• Radio/stereo
• 3.2- (or less) cubic -foot refrigerator
• Floor coverings (rugs, carpets)
• Small fan
• Photo album
• Camera
• Scrapbook
• Bulletin board
• Plastic drawer storage units
• "Cushy" chair
• Quarters (for laundry)
• Laundry detergent
• Favorite sports equipment
• Flip-flops for the shower
• Markers, tape, scissors
• First-aid kit that includes: ibuprofen, thermometer, band aids, cold remedies
• Sewing kit/safety pins
• Flashlight
• 3M Command Adhesive Strips (poster size) The 3M strips are the only approved adhesive material permitted for use in the halls.

What's Provided?

• Bed
• Desk
• Desk chair
• Mattress
• Mattress pad
• Dresser
• Curtains or blinds

What Not To Bring

A number of items are not allowed on campus, so it is best to leave them at home:

• Pets (except fish; no piranhas)
• Alcohol (if you're under 21) or alcoholic containers for display
• Candles and incense (prohibited for safety reasons)
• Microwaves and air conditioners (they overload our electrical circuits)
• Toasters, toaster ovens, and other electrical appliances with exposed heating coils (fire hazard)
• Guns, knives, fireworks, and other weapons
• Halogen lamps and multiple-arm spider lamps
• Grills (including George Foreman Grill)
• Duct tape or masking tape

Dining Services

About Dining Services

Dining Services is pleased to provide all students and their guests balanced meals at reasonable costs. The cafeteria provides 20 meals per week. Besides eating in the cafeteria with these plans, board transfers are available in Marty's and Oneota at selected hours on weekdays when classes are in session, and Peace Dining Room for brunch on selected Sundays.

Cafeteria

Enjoy our "all you can eat, serve yourself" food court. You will find several food stations: three traditional (one frequently serving grilled items or a stir fry to order); pasta; deli; a forty-item salad bar; cereal bar; and a soup station with one vegetarian soup daily. Additional vegetarian options are available at several of the stations. We also offer dessert, fresh fruit, Belgian waffles, ice cream, and our fresh, homemade Luther College bagels. See http://caf.luther.edu for the cafeteria menu.

Read more about Luther's other dining locations, offerings, and hours here.

Board Plans and Other Options

On-Campus Board Plans
Full board consists of twenty meals per week. This plan offers you the lowest cost per meal. More information about on-campus board plans is available here and in the Dining Services Office at the beginning of each semester. Watch for signs.

Off-Campus Board Plans
These are available only to students living off campus. These plans allow you to eat any meal; you can even have more than one meal in the same meal period if desired. If you run out of meals before the end of the academic year, you may purchase additional blocks of meals. Refunds for any unused meals will only be considered if you have used less than 50 percent of your meals. Stop by the Dining Services Office or visit the Dining Services website to explore the various plans available.

Dining Dollars
Dining Dollars can be used at any dining facility on campus. Access to this money is obtained with your student ID card. When used in the cafeteria, a 10 percent discount is given. At the end of the academic year, Dining Dollars do not roll over to the next academic year, nor do students receive a refund on unused Dining Dollars.

NordiCash
NordiCash can be used at any dining facility on campus and at any cash operation on campus. Access to this money is obtained with your student ID card. When used in the cafeteria, a 10 percent discount is given.

Please visit the Dining Services website for further information.