Will I have a roommate?

In most cases, yes. The typical amount of occupants in a room is two. Two person rooms are in Nease Hall East, Nease Hall West, Finch Hall, Wiley Hall, Hendricks Hall, Klassen Hall and some Goodwin and Young rooms. Flex Housing studio apartments are two and three person. Most Goodwin rooms are three person occupancy. Most Young Hall rooms are three person. Finally, apartments in Flex designated for families are occupied by as many people as are in the family.

How large are the rooms?

This varies from hall to hall. But four person rooms typically have 184 to 303.75 square feet bedroom space. Three person rooms are 198 square feet. Two person rooms range from 156 to 220 square feet. One person rooms are 90 square feet. As is usual in college situations, upperclassmen are designated a larger amount of space.

Does the room have a bed?

All rooms contain a mattress for each resident, which may or may not be part of a bunk-bed. All Halls contain either Twin Extra Long mattresses (38" x 80"), or standard Twin mattresses (38" x 75"). An effort is being made to standardize mattresses at the larger size is being made, but is not yet complete. However, the majority of the Halls contain the larger mattresses.

What else is included with the room?

Most rooms contain a closet and a desk for each resident. Other rooms contain varying numbers of these. In addition, there is shelf space and drawer space provided that varies from room to room. Towel racks have also been installed, and a plastic chair has been placed in the room for each resident. Finally, each room has a smoke detector installed. Please test this detector at least once a month. If it does not work, 9-volt batteries are available free of charge at the "Box" for this purpose.

May I bring my car?

Freshmen are not allowed to bring their cars. If automobiles are brought to campus by those other than freshmen, they must be registered with PLNU Public Safety.

May I bring a motorcycle/moped/scooter?

Yes, but these must be registered with the school (for free during the first two weeks of the year) and must have proper registration and insurance even if you plan to never leave campus. This registration must be in California even if you are an out-of-state student. You also must wear a proper helmet. Other safety gear is recommended, but not required.

What is the All Hall Meeting?

Within the first month of school, each Residence Hall will have a mandatory meeting for all participants. At this meeting, you will be addressed by certain school officials, including:

· The R.A.'s of your hall.

· The R.D. of your hall.

These and others will talk to you about the rules and expectations of living in your particular residence hall. Each hall is different and each year is different, so your participation in this meeting is mandatory. Should you miss this meeting, you will be responsible for making alternate arrangements for going over the rules of your hall. Also, at this meeting, you will sign a statement that you have read the rules and expectations of your hall, and that you agree to follow them. Not attending this meeting or refusing to sign the statement is not a valid means of excusing your responsibility to follow these rules! If you break the rules, ignorance is not an acceptable excuse!

What is the "Box"?

The "Box" is a small room in the reception area of each hall. The R.A.'s will work at the "Box" during posted hours. At the box, you may purchase snacks, pick up your mail, or just talk to the friendly R.A.'s. The "Box", as well as the whole reception area tends to become one of the social focal points of each hall.

Something is wrong with my room! What do I do?

Talk with your Resident Assistant. In most cases, the damage can be repaired in less than twenty-four hours. In other cases, you will be notified of the problem and how long it will require to be fixed within twenty-four hours. If the damage is your fault, you can be fined for it. Some items, such as small nails (in some halls only) and 9 volt batteries for smoke detectors may be picked up for free at the "Box".

I have a problem with the people around me! What do I do?

"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.'" - Matthew 18:15-16 (NIV)

Firstly, we ask that you approach each other out of an attitude of mutual respect and Christian love, as prescribed in the Scriptures. Impoliteness will tend to only aggravate the situation. If the problem persists, contact your R.A., and he or she will attempt to help you rectify the situation. If the problem still persists, the R.A. will bring the problem to the attention of the R.D. who will work from there.

Unfortunately, some people will have no interest in resolving a situation. They may not see the situation as a problem, or may simply be inclined to hostile and/or disrespectful behavior. In such situations, the R.A.'s and R.D. will try to do whatever possible to ensure mutual respect for the rights of all involved. Continuation of such behavior will not be tolerated.

There are insects/rodents in my room! What do I do?

Due to California State Law, we cannot provide insecticide to PLNU students. Report the problem to the "Box". You may be given a home remedy, such as window spray, to take care of an insect problem. In addition, with a report of a problem, the R.D. will know the area affected. A local extermination company comes to campus every two weeks to take care of such problems.

Remember, the best things you can do to minimize the occurrence of insects or rodents in your room by keeping your room clean, not having food or drink in the open and throwing out your garbage regularly.

How does laundry in the Residence Halls work?

Laundry in the Residence Halls works much like a Laundromat. You are responsible for providing detergent. The costs of the washer and dryer vary from hall to hall, but you can expect to pay about one dollar per load of laundry (washing and drying). We do ask that you make an effort to be prompt in removing your laundry from the machines when it is done in consideration for other residents. The washers and dryers in the halls are for the use of current PLNU students in that hall only!

Please remember that a frequent cause of washer/dryer breakdown is overloading. Please load only enough clothes that they reach the top level of the machine and remain loosely packed.

Can I live in the Residence Halls without a meal plan? Can I have a meal plan without living in the Residence Halls?

If you are an on-campus resident, you must select a meal plan for on-campus dining. Meal plans range from ten to nineteen meals a week, and may include credit in the on-campus restaurant, The Point Break. The cost of your room rental and your meal plan will be shown on your bill as "room and board".

You may have a meal plan without living on campus. You may purchase it separately in the Business Office.

Are there times when I must leave the Residence Halls?

Yes. The Residence Halls shut down during Christmas and Easter recesses. You will be given a deadline to leave the Hall, and a day when you may return. Typically, the deadline to leave will be noon on the first Saturday of the recess, and the time to return will be noon on the last Saturday of the recess. Students will be responsible for locating specific information on these breaks, which is publicized or may be inquired about at the "Box". During times where the Residence Halls are closed, the Dining Hall is also typically closed.

If you must stay on campus due to living more than five hundred miles away or to work on campus during this time, one hall will be left open for each gender. It will be up to you to make arrangements with a resident in that hall (although the Resident Director of that hall may be able to provide advice), and you will be charged daily rent for your stay.

It's the end of the year! What do I do?

In most cases, you will now be preparing to move out of the hall. The deadline for moving out will be 3:00 P.M. the Sunday after commencement, although the University does reserve the right to book a prior deadline for Freshmen. Before leaving, you must move everything out of your room, and return any furniture to the arrangement it was in when you moved in. Your R.A. will check you out and take your key.

ResidentialLife Frequently Asked Questions Part I

Please note: This F.A.Q. is not a legally binding document, but exists merely to give students and prospective students of PLNU a general overview of the rules and expectations of PLNU Residential Life. For full details, please see PLNU's official manual, The Student Handbook, which is provided free of charge to students during the New Student Orientation (NSO) period and afterwards.

While this document seems to have a focus on rules and regulations, it's important to note that this is not the focus of life at PLNU. Our focus is on community. These rules give you the basic guidelines necessary to function within our community, but your actions will determine how much you become part of our community and vice versa. Your actions, whether positive or negative, do not occur in a vacuum. You are capable of either helping or hurting both the community and yourself.