On Feb. 1, Residence Life sent an email to the Smith community detailing changes to special interest housing for Fall 2020. The email also included information about room draw and updates about upcoming renovations.
Beginning in the fall, Chase House will transition to a completely substance-free housing community. As this transition occurs, current residents and applicants will be asked to complete a Substance-Free Living Agreement.
In addition, Gardiner and Morrow Houses will be renovated this summer to provide greater first floor accessibility. The renovations will add accessible rooms, bathrooms and entryways. Residence Life plans to make detailed floor plans available between early and mid-March.
The email also announced that Hopkins and Tenney Houses will transition to food cooperatives, or houses with food-based focuses. Hopkins will have a food justice focus, and Tenney will transition to a fully vegetarian community. Residence Life emphasizes that students in these cooperatives will be removed from the dining plan and should communicate with financial services to determine if their financial aid and grants will be impacted.
Finally, Residence Life announced that Washburn House will reopen in the fall of 2020. The house has been closed since the fall of 2017, when students were relocated to Parsons House due to Nielson library renovations. Parsons residents will be given priority for returning to Washburn, but any student can request to live in the house for Fall 2020. Currently, Residence Life has no plans to use Parsons as student residencies this fall.
Applications for affinity housing, Chase substance free housing, the Friedman Complex, food cooperatives, and off-campus housing opened on Feb. 3. Applicants to the food cooperatives will be notified by Feb. 21, and applicants to substance free housing will be notified by Feb. 26. Affinity Housing for Black students and students of color in Parsons and Park Annexes respectively will be determined by Feb. 26.
Students seeking housing accommodations through the Office of Disability Services must complete meetings with ODS by Feb. 14. All other returning students must complete a “Remain in House” or “Change of House” form on Residence Life Self-Service beginning on February 26. Room draw will take place for all students in early April.
More information regarding room draw can be found on Smith’s room draw website.
