FAQs – Office of Residence Life

For the most up-to-date FAQs from all campus departments, see the master list on the Seahawk Success Center.

Are there any fraternities on campus?

We do not have social fraternities or sororities at SMCM. We have over 70 clubs and organizations, varsity athletics, club sports, and departmental activities that students can join to be with others who share common interests and to build friendships.

What activities does the college provide for students?

We have a large number and variety of programs, events, and activities scheduled throughout the year. Many clubs and organizations sponsor related programs (e.g. Habitat for Humanity sponsors service projects throughout the community; the men’s and women’s a cappella groups have concerts, Dance Club hosts performances each semester). We have over 70 active clubs and organizations on campus to meet the interests of our students. The Student Government Association Programs Board is responsible for providing a number of large-scale, campus-wide programs, for example, World Carnival. The Office of Student Development sponsors many campus-wide programs, including bus trips to Washington, D.C. and NYC to go to plays, shopping, museums, etc. They’ll bring in comedians, movies, coffeehouses, hypnotists, etc. Our varsity athletics and club sports programs are all quite active and have many home games/matches for students to attend. The Residence Life staff plan and implement programs of interest for their residents. There are dance performances, theatre performances, and/or concerts sponsored by the Theater and Music Departments every few months. We have regular poetry readings, lectures, and colloquiums scheduled throughout the year. Our students are also known to create their own fun with their friends (going on hikes, going shopping, kayaking or sailing on the river, wandering through Historic St. Mary’s City, etc.). Despite our small size, we do have lots to do around here. There are parties, especially on the weekends in the Townhouses, but we have other activities for those who choose not to attend.

What if we want to put curtains/curtain rods on windows? If not, what do the students usually do?

We provide window shades in the traditional halls (Caroline, Dorchester, Prince George, and Queen Anne) and blinds in Lewis Quad, the Townhouses, and Waring Commons. We do not provide curtain rods. To be honest, very, very few of our students put up curtains. The rods tend to damage the walls and the students end up having to pay for the repairs. Most students use pictures, posters, and tapestries on their walls to decorate and give their room a “homey” feeling. Tapestries can be fixed to hang from above the window, but should not be fixed around the sides. If students bring curtains, they should be flame resistant.

When does housing close this semester for Winter/Spring/Summer Break?

The Academic Calendar provides a list of all important dates; including days off and breaks. The halls close for breaks on the last day of each semester, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving Break and the Friday before spring Spring Break.

How are room assignments made?

Room assignments are made based on the date your deposit is received in the Business Office and the date your housing contract is received in the Office of Residence Life. We try to match roommates using the answers you provide on the Roommate Matching Form. Therefore, it is imperative that you be as honest as possible about your personal study and lifestyle habits. You can also request a specific roommate by swapping your roommate code (found on the residency portal) with another student and inviting them to live with you. Once this is complete, you’ll see them as part of your housing “group” and you’ll be assigned to live with that student.

When will we find out about our room assignment and who our roommate is?

Housing confirmations are emailed to incoming students’ SMCM email accounts in mid-July. The housing confirmation will contain your room assignment, Campus Center mailbox assignment, your campus phone extension, and the name(s), address(es), phone number(s), and e-mail address(es) of your roommate(s). We strongly encourage you to contact your roommate ASAP in order to get to know each other, determine who will bring what to your shared room, etc.

What happens if I do not like my roommate?

We hope that you will get along with your roommate. The first few weeks of school are important to building a good roommate relationship. You will receive information on how to do that when you arrive in August. Open communication is the key to this relationship. If, however, you are unhappy, you will need to contact the Residence Life staff in your building. Mediation and conflict resolution services are available. If absolutely necessary, roommate changes will be considered after the first two weeks of school.

On my tuition sheet it says I will be living in a quad but I have been unable to find out exactly what that is. Could you tell me what quad facilities are like?

Quads (Caroline, Dorchester, Prince George, and Queen Anne) are study rooms that have been converted into bedrooms to accommodate up to four students when we are over-enrolled. They are designed to be temporary housing until space opens up in standard double rooms. Students assigned to these rooms usually have top priority for being moved into standard rooms in order to regain the use of the room as a study lounge. Again, each student has a desk, desk chair, wardrobe, dresser, and bed. The beds are typically bunked or lofted before the students arrive. There are at least two, usually three, windows, in these rooms. There are also two phone lines per room.

Are we allowed to put up posters in our rooms to liven them up?

Yes, you are allowed to put up posters on the walls. We encourage students to personalize their rooms (within reason!). We ask that you use the 3M Poster Mounts that we will provide or some other removable substance (not duct tape, nails, etc.) so as to avoid damaging the paint and the walls.

Can I bring my pet to live with me on campus?

Non-venomous reptiles and non-meat-eating fish in tanks up to 20 gallons are permitted in the residences without any special permission. For other animals, including those with fur, such as a dog or cat; we do have a Emotional Support Animal policy. To begin the process of obtaining permission to have an ESA, please email for the form. Please note that this process takes up to 60 days to complete and requires various medical and veterinarian recommendations to be processed.

What am I not allowed to bring to school?

Air conditioners, portable space heaters, electric fry pans, crock pots, other cooking appliances, appliances with an open flame or exposed heating element, weapons (such as firearms, knives, air pistols, etc.), fireworks, halogen lamps and bulbs, hot plate, pets (except non-meat-eating fish and non-venomous reptiles in 20 gal. or less tanks), refrigerators taller than 33″, toaster and toaster oven, water beds.

What can I bring to school?

Blanket, clothes hangers, linens (extra-long), pillow, towels, washcloths, wastebasket, personal care and toiletry items, clock, radio, desk lamp, fan, hair dryer, personal care equipment, hot pot, iron, plants, popcorn popper, one refrigerator per room (not to exceed 33″), one microwave per unit, rug, small vacuum cleaner, TV, surge protector, telephone, computer, and printer (cannot be wireless).

Can I get a single room?

Single rooms are available on a limited basis and are usually reserved for upper-class students, students with extenuating medical or mental health circumstances, students with certain physical or learning disabilities, and non-traditional students. If you have an extenuating medical or mental health situation and want to request a single, appropriate documentation must be sent to the Health or Counseling Center for approval. If you have a physical or learning disability, appropriate documentation must be sent to the Assistant Vice President for Academic Services for approval. If any singles are left, they will be assigned to students who request them based on credit (the more credits you have, the better your chance to get a single).

Does a student have to pay extra money for single bedrooms in the Waring Commons apartments?

The single-bedroom apartments cost a little more than the double-bedroom apartments at Waring Commons. The apartments are also the most expensive housing on campus since the complex is the newest housing we have and has lots of amenities that the residence halls do not have. If you would like more information on room and board costs, please go to our Web page at www.smcm.edu/residencelife.

Do any of the residence halls have study rooms?

Most of the residences have at least one study room available for the students (the exception is in the Townhouses where there is no common study room available). On occasion, we have to use the study rooms in the traditional halls (Caroline, Dorchester, Prince George, and Queen Anne) as temporary bedrooms in the event that we are overcrowded, but we try to empty those rooms as quickly as possible, and we can usually leave at least one open in each traditional residence hall in order to provide study space for the students.

How many students share a room?

Most of our residence hall rooms are doubles. We have a limited number of singles available in the traditional halls. When necessary, we convert study rooms in the traditional halls into temporary quads to accommodate overcrowding (again, the rooms are very large). The suites contain double rooms. The Waring Commons apartments have mostly single bedrooms with a few units having doubles. The Townhouses are all double bedrooms.

How big are the single rooms in the Waring Commons apartments? Also – what appliances do the apartments come with besides a fridge and stove?

The single bedrooms in Waring Commons are approximately 10′ x 13′. The College does not provide any other appliances in the apartment kitchens except the full-size refrigerator, stove, and cabinets. We also provide the dining room table, chairs, and loveseat. Students have to provide their own cooking equipment (pots, pans, a microwave), utensils, plates, glasses, etc. You should discuss this with your housemates in advance so all four of you don’t bring microwaves, utensils, etc.

Will I live with people of the opposite gender identity?

Two of our residence halls (Prince George and Caroline) are co-ed by wing, meaning that each wing will house only female or male students; and Dorchester Hall houses only male students, while and Queen Anne Hall houses only female students. One wing in Prince George Hall (open housing) and all of North Campus housing, including the suites, townhouses, and apartments, are all completely co-ed. This means than anyone of any sex or gender identity can live together. During the room selection process upperclass students can choose to apply for a coed suite (in Lewis Quad or Waring Commons), a coed apartment (in Waring Commons) or a coed Townhouse (on the Greens or “old” Townhouses).

What will be provided in my room?

Each bedroom is furnished with a bed frame, mattress (twin xl), dresser, closet or wardrobe, a desk and chair (per student).

Do I need to bring an ethernet cable? Is there Internet provided?

Wi-Fi is provided in all residence halls and academic buildings. However, due to the ability for technology to fail at times, we do recommend that students still bring an ethernet cable should they need to complete work during regular maintenance or outages.

Who cleans my room?

Students are expected to clean their own rooms. Housekeeping staff clean the rooms before the students move in. They also clean the public areas: (lounges, hallways, lobbies and common bathrooms) during the week.

Where can I do my laundry? How much does it cost?

Laundry facilities are located on the first floor of Prince George, Dorchester, Caroline, and Queen Anne Halls. Laundry facilities for Lewis Quad are located in the front building, next door to the RA office and computer lab. Laundry facilities for the Townhouses are located in DPC. Laundry facilities for Waring Commons are located under WC 25. Laundry costs are included in the housing fee and thus students can use the machines without any added price or swipe of their ID cards.

Housing: Do the apartments/suites have cable TV service?

Yes. Each bedroom, and the living room in each apartment, has a cable connection which is operational upon student move-in.

Housing: Does the College store my stuff over the summer?

No. The College does not provide storage for residents’ personal belongings. All items must be removed at the end of the academic year. Items left in the living units will be discarded. There are numerous self-storage vendors in town. Many of our students share a unit during the summer.

Insurance: Does the school have insurance for my property?

The College does not have insurance to cover student’s personal belongings due to theft or damages, so please have your parents check their homeowner’s insurance to make sure your possessions are adequately covered (computer, clothing, electronics, jewelry, bicycle, etc.). While you’re at it, make sure you have health insurance, too!

Off-Campus Housing: Can I live off-campus?

Students are permitted to live off-campus. SMCM does not have a residency requirement. There is a listing of off-campus rental properties available in the Office of Residence Life. We strongly suggest that first-year students live on-campus to promote class unity and to aid in their transition to the College environment. Students who live on-campus generally have a higher G.P.A. and get more involved in school activities. By the way, campus housing is guaranteed for eight semesters (housing is guaranteed for transfer students on a pro-rated basis).

Parking / Parking Appeals: Can I have a car on campus?

Students are permitted to have cars, as long as they purchase a parking sticker ($100). A parking lot for first-year students (“Guam”) is located near the Physical Plant building. Because SMCM is a small college, students get to know each other in a short period of time, and most students carpool to town.

Policies: Can I study in my room?

Quiet hours are enforced Sundays through Thursdays from 11:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. the next morning. On the weekends, quiet hours begin at 1:00 a.m. nightly. During exam week, 23-hour quiet hours are in effect from Reading Day through the last day of exams.

Policies: Do first year students have a curfew?

Students at St. Mary’s College of Maryland (including first-year students) do not have a curfew. We do not have staff keeping tabs on when students leave the buildings and when they return, nor do we have residents sign-in and -out when going into and out of the residences. We expect our students to behave maturely and responsibly. Part of the college experience is learning how to take care of oneself. We provide guidance and support to our residents, but we do not monitor their moment-to-moment comings and goings.

Policies: Can I smoke in the buildings?

No. All buildings on the St. Mary’s campus are smoke-free.

Policies: How do I know what the policies are?

Housing policies are briefly outlined in your housing contract. All residents are expected to attend floor meetings at the beginning of the academic year, during which some of the policies will be explained in greater detail. We strongly encourage you to read and become familiar with the information contained in To the Point, the student handbook, which is online. Students are also expected to know and adhere to the policies that are in the Resident Student Guide, located on the Residence Life Web page.

Room Dimensions: How big are the rooms and how long are the mattresses?

Standard double rooms are approximately 16′ x 11′.
Window dimensions for Calvert, Caroline, Dorchester, Prince George, Queen Anne: 84″(L) x 42″(W).
Mattresses in all of our residential areas are extra long: 80” (L) x 36” (W)

Roommates: How do I request a roommate?

Once first year and transfer students submit their housing contract, there will be an opportunity to look through other students’ profiles in order to find a roommate. If students find a roommate they would like to live with for the fall semester, they can share their roommate codes with one another.

Roommates: What happens if I do not like my roommate?

Safety: Are the residence halls secure?

All residences are locked 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Students are issued a cardkey which operates the outside entry doors and a key to their assigned room. Students assigned to the Townhouses, Lewis Quad, or Waring Commons will be issued a key for their entry door and their bedroom door. We strongly encourage students to keep their room doors and entry doors locked all the time.

Staff Selection: Can you be an RA your freshman year? How do you get chosen to be an RA?

I’m glad to hear that you are interested in an RA position! You need to know though, that we do not allow first-year students to be RAs. That is because the transition to college is tough enough without having the added pressure of having a major student leadership position and going through the very extensive training process. Students need to be familiar with College policies & procedures and need to have a fairly good understanding of the College before they can become RAs. That takes some time. We do allow first-year students to apply in the spring for RA positions for their sophomore year (the following academic year). Students interested in applying for RA positions submit an online application through HireSMCM, participate in Group Interaction Day, have a group interview with our Residence Hall Coordinators and Professional Staff, and participate in a “desk duty observation” experience (where they shadow a current RA while on duty to get a feel for what desk duty is like). Information about the selection process is available near the end of the fall semester and as soon as students return from Winter Break because the applications are due before the end of February.

Visitation: What is the visiting policy?

SMCM has attempted to develop a degree of flexibility to accommodate varying lifestyles. As a result, we have an open visiting policy. We have confidence in the ability and inclination of SMCM students to make mature decisions about their social behavior. We also believe that no individual has the right to infringe upon another’s freedom, privacy, and safety, and that students are willing to accept both the rights and responsibilities of such a policy. Our policy should not be construed as permission for members of the opposite sex to sleep overnight or to conduct themselves in such a way as to invade another individual’s privacy. Students are permitted to have overnight guests for a maximum of four nights in a given month. Students are held responsible for the actions of their guests. SMCM does not have a curfew.

What if I am not returning to housing next year?

Please contact the Office of Residence Life before May 1 to speak with someone about any potential paperwork that needs to be filled out. If you are leaving the college altogether, please contact Joanne Goldwater (240-895-4270) to fill out any necessary exit paperwork.

What if I don’t have a roommate?

We recommend that students use word-of-mouth and social networking sites (such as Facebook) to find a roommate, suitemates, or housemates.

We got an apartment (suite, townhouse) but one person dropped out. What happens now?

If a vacancy occurs in a room, suite, apartment or townhouse after room selection, the residents will have approximately 10 days to find another eligible student to fill that vacancy, depending on timing and space needs. The person filling the vacancy must have at least the same number of credits as the person he/she is replacing. If the vacancy remains unfilled, students from the wait list or new admits will be assigned or the vacancies will be consolidated.

I am planning to study abroad in the fall. What should I do about my housing?

Because room selection deadlines pass before study abroad acceptance occurs, we strongly recommend that you participate in the room selection process as if you were going to be on campus in the fall. After you receive your study abroad acceptance, you can submit a housing contract release request in writing to Matthew Jordan (before May 1) and you will be released with no financial penalties. Please note: If you select housing with a group and then are released from the housing contract to study abroad, the Office of Residence Life does not guarantee that you will be able to return to your assigned housing. We strongly recommend that you find a student to fill in for you in the fall to ensure that you will be able to return to your space in the spring.

How many singles, suites, townhouses, and apartments are available during room selection?

There are 10 male singles and 11 female singles in residence halls, eight six-person suites in Lewis Quad, 25 six-person suites in Waring Commons, ten ten-person suites in Lewis Quad, 35 four-person Crescents townhouses, 39 four-person Greens townhouses, and 10 four-person Waring Commons apartments.

How many rising sophomores typically make it into suites?

This number depends a great deal on groupings from year to year, but typically about 20% of the rising-sophomore class will live in suites next year. This means that most rising sophomores (4 out of 5) will be in residence halls again next year.

If I get my contract and deposit in early do I have a better shot of getting my first choice?

No. As long as residential students meet all the deadlines (contract and deposit by February 23, applications by appropriate deadlines), then rooms & other housing are determined by a total number of credits within each major housing category.

I need to live on campus for a fifth year. What do I do?

Students who have already lived on campus for eight semesters and wish to return for an additional semester(s) need to submit a request in writing to Matthew Jordan. Please note that on-campus housing is only guaranteed for eight semesters.

How many credits do I (or does my group) need for a…..?

Because credit totals, groupings, and unit popularity change each year, there is no accurate way to answer this question. Students need to have at least 50 earned credits by August 1 to be eligible to live in the apartments or townhouses. This is the only credit limit we have in our selection process. Our best advice is that if you are interested and eligible it does not hurt to apply for it!

We are applying for a townhouse/apartment/suite and would like to request a specific one. How can we do that?

Selection takes place using Residence, our online housing selection software. Groups will be able to select from available housing during their selection time.

I studied abroad last semester, but the credits I earned do not show up on the Portal. How can I make sure that they are counted toward my group’s total?

Students who studied abroad during the Fall semester in a St. Mary’s program will have the credits they earned added to their total when assignments are made. Students who studied abroad in a non-St. Mary’s program should make sure that the Registrar’s office has received their transcripts from the program by February 23.

I didn’t turn in a deposit or contract by February 23.. What happens now?

Only students who submit their contract AND deposit by February 23 are guaranteed housing for the 2018-2019 academic year. If you would like to be placed on the waiting list in the event that space is available after new students are housed in June, please contact the Office of Residence Life at (240) 895 4207.

I want to apply to live with a student who is currently a commuter. Can I do that?

No. Only current resident students are eligible to participate in the Room Selection process. Commuter students should contact the Office of Residence Life to request to be placed on the waiting list. We will contact you in June (after new students are housed) if space is available.

I want to live with an incoming first-year/transfer student. Can I do that?

Please contact the Office of Residence Life. These requests are handled on a case-by-case basis.

I applied with a group for a suite/townhouse/apartment, but now I would like to apply with a different group. Can I do that?

Students cannot be listed with more than one group for a specific type of housing (for example, a student cannot be listed on more than one townhouse application). Contact the Office of Residence Life to be removed from your group. After that you can be added to a new group in Residence.

Have a question that’s not answered above? Contact us:
Office of Residence Life
Glendening Hall 150
(240) 895 4207