Keep reading for the answers to frequently asked questions about KSU housing!
If you already know what roommate you want, all you have to do is enter their Wildcat ID (WID) number on the contract and voila! You’ll be roommates. If however you decide to switch things up a little and go the potluck route, then you’ll receive an email to your K-State email address when your roommate has been chosen. This typically happens around late June or early July. When you receive this email, you’ll be able to find out your roommate’s email address and phone number. I suggest getting in contact with them (via phone call or text) to introduce yourself. This way you can coordinate who will bring what to your new room. Initially it may feel extremely nerve-racking, but it will be fun once you establish a new relationship with the person who you’ll be living with for the next nine months.
Sometimes people can’t seem to get along no matter how hard they try. It happens to the best of us, so don’t fret or take anything too personally. If you’ve tried your hardest to get along with your roommate and you just don’t see yourself getting along, try talking to your RA about possible room switch opportunities. If rooms are available and your RA agrees with you that this is the best option, you may be able to change rooms. Moving to a different room can be a pain, but ultimately it could end up being better for you to live in a different setting. However, if there are no other available rooms you may have to stay where you were. If this happens, try not to worry too much, since these circumstances can make for a great learning experience. Trying to get along with someone whom you are not the most fond of will help prepare you for situations in the future where this will occur.
If you decide to pay the early move in fee, you can move in up to a week before the official move in day. Most students though typically start moving in the Saturday before classes start, so in this case, it would be August 20th (for the Fall 2016 semester). A little disclaimer: Even though I have lived in the dorms my freshman, sophomore, and junior years, I am not living in them for my senior year, so I do not have access to the exact date for moving in during the fall semester. This information can found in your housing contract, so you can use that as a second resource for some of your housing questions.
You are allowed to bring a fridge, microwave, crockpot, iron and many other things. It is difficult to tell a new resident what to bring, since we may not all need the same things. For example, I brought an iron because I ironed my clothes every morning, but my roommate didn’t bring one because she knew she wouldn’t use it. Only bring the appliances that you will use on a daily basis and double check that they are allowed in the dorms. If you have any trouble, just leave a comment below and I’ll be sure to answer it for you!
Guns, lighters, drugs. Don’t bother bringing them, since they aren’t allowed and you will get in serious trouble if you are caught with them. I repeat DO NOT bring these things with you to the residence halls. That being said, alcohol is allowed if you are 21 or older, and even then there are still restrictions on how much you can have at any one given time. This should be pretty obvious but just in case it wasn’t clear enough, if you are under 21, alcohol is prohibited. You will also get in serious trouble if any is found in your possession while in the dorms.
There are 10 residence halls around campus. First you have the Boyd, Van Zile, and Putnam, which make up the Strong Complex. These are the smaller dorms. Boyd is the only all girl residence hall and has four floors. Van Zile (photo below) is suite style, and even though this makes it more expensive, it is extremely nice when compared to some of the other buildings. Putnam is the last dorm that makes up the Strong Complex. This dorm has 5 floors and is co-ed. The next set of dorms are Moore, West, Haymaker, and Ford which make up the Derby Complex. These are larger dorms that house 500+ students. The last set of dorms, called the Kramer complex, include Marlatt, Goodnow, and the newest addition to the residence halls called Wefald hall.
Washers and driers are available for all residences of the dorms. They are located in the basement. Unlike students at most universities, KSU students are able to pay for laundry with Student IDs instead of quarters. When you receive your student ID, you will soon learn it can be used just like a debit card. First you have to put money on the card by doing one of two options. The first way is that you can go to the ID store in the student Union and have them do it for you. The second way is that you can do it online. Once you have money on your ID, you can swipe your card at the little machines to pay to use the washer and dryer. One helpful tip to keep in mind: if you use 3 washers (because the washers are tiny and sometimes it takes 3 to do one load) you have to pay for each washer separately. The same goes for the dryers. You will have to pay again to use a second dryer, so basically any time you switch machines or use more than one machine you have to pay.
Yes! There is a long list of pets that are allowed in the dorms. The list ranges from snakes to guinea pigs to birds with many in between. However, it is important to remember that before any animal is brought into the dorm, you have to get a pet form from the front desk of your residence hall. You, along with your roommate, will have to sign this form and turn it back in to the front desk before you can bring your beloved pet back to your room. This form is so that the residence hall can have your pet on file, and so that your roommate is okay with you bringing in an animal (not only for possible allergy reasons but because they live in the room too and should have a say if they want an animal there or not). Be sure to remember that even though there are tons of animals allowed, not everything is. Some of these no-go’s include dog, cats, and rabbits, among others. To be on the safe side, double check with your specific residence hall and ask what is and is not allowed.
Yes, you do. This can be both a good and bad thing because the meal plans are expensive but they can be very helpful if you live in the residence halls. Currently KSU has the 10, 15, and 20 meal plan to choose from, but the word on the street is that in the Fall 2016 semester, things will be switching up a little with regards to the meals. Pay close attention (this means read everything and not just skim) when filling out your housing contract. The dining centers that are currently available are Derby, Van Zile, and Kramer.
Here’s a little more helpful information that took me a whole semester to figure out. If you are a resident of the Strong Complex (this means you live in Boyd, Putnam, or Van Zile) then not only are you allowed to eat in the Van Zile dining center but you can also eat in Derby and Kramer’s dining centers freely. With the Derby and Kramer residences they have to have a guest sign them into Van Zile’s dining center and that’s the only way they are allowed to eat there. I assume this is because Van Zile houses the smallest dining center and is also closed on the weekends so the residents have to go to other dining centers to eat but correct me if I’m wrong!
Yep, it sure is. If you decide that living in the dorm is not for you then you are by no means locked into the contract. If you cancel before June 1st, then there are essentially no penalties and you even get your deposit back. However, if you are already living in the dorms for a couple of months and decide it’s not for you, then you will be charged a cancellation fee and may have to pay other fees until the room is filled. If you decide to cancel your contract after the first semester then that is also possible. These fees and cancellation periods are outlined in the housing contract so make sure you read that section carefully as to not wind up being caught off guard.
With the new system K-State is trying out in the fall semester this process may have changed, so again be sure to read the housing contract and if you have any questions get in contact with the housing and dining department. The housing and dining services have full discretion and can choose whether or not you are allowed to terminate the contract.
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