Housing Information for First-Year and Transfer Students
The Office of Residence Life is excited to welcome you to campus and to the residential experience here at Simmons. We cannot wait to meet you, welcome you to campus, and help you create a new home at Simmons University. All first-year undergraduate students are required to live on campus.
First-year Housing Assignments
First-year students entering in the Fall are assigned to either Dix Hall, Simmons Hall, or Morse Hall, unless they are granted housing accommodation through the Office of Accessibility Services that requires a room type only available in other residence halls.
Transfer Student Housing Assignments
Transfer students are typically eligible to live in all residence halls with the exception of Simmons Hall and Morse Hall.
Transitioning to Life at Simmons
The transition from high school to college life is both exciting and challenging. To make your transition as smooth as possible, here are some tips and tricks to being a successful new student in our residential community.
Connect with Your Roommate(s)
You can find your roommate information in the Housing Portal (requires login).
We recommend connecting with your roommate(s) before Move-In Day so you can get to know each other and make plans for shared items that you’ll want to have in your room.
Also check out the Living with a Roommate and Packing Checklist pages for guidelines and recommendations.
Meet fellow new students before you arrive through the incoming class Facebook group and following the Residence Life Instagram @simmonsreslife.
If you choose to join one of our Themed Housing Communities, you’ll have an immediate new community defined by shared identity that will be provided with events, resources and support specific to your Community.
Ways to meet people on campus
There are many daily opportunities on our residential campus to get to know fellow students.
- Keep your room door open when you're home to meet passing floormates
- Attend fun events hosted by RAs
- Work out at Holmes Sports Center
- Eat at Bartol Dining Hall
- Lounge on the quad in one of the Adirondack chairs.
An important aspect of on-campus living is the support network that you create for yourself and your Resident Advisor (RA) is an essential part of that network. RAs are student staff members who serve as role models and mentors.
Your RA will be your biggest resource on the Residence Campus. We recommend reaching out and getting to know them as soon as possible. Hopefully, you’ll meet on Move-In Day. You’ll also have the opportunity to connect at your welcome floor meeting.
What RAs Do
- organize and coordinate both social and educational programming for residents
- uphold community standards and university policies
- help students find answers to their questions and provide individual support
- serve in a nightly "RA on Duty" rotation to provide support in case of an emergency that occurs outside of business hours
- refer residents to campus resources that will provide needed academic, institutional, or personal support
Area Coordinators (ACs) are masters-level professional staff members, who live on campus and provide on-call support to RAs on duty. The educational background of our ACs is a combination of higher education and counseling.
Each AC oversees an area of three residence halls and their primary role is to supervise RAs.
What ACs Do
- work to maintain a safe and inclusive environment and build community within the residence halls
- help residents navigate difficult life experiences
- support programming initiatives
- distribute important information to their communities
- facilitate restorative and educational conduct meetings with residents
- support the Living-Learning Communities
- collaborate with other Simmons University departments to support institutional initiatives