Residential Life

Residential Life believes that a student’s residence hall experience should be as individually suited to the student's needs and interests as possible. On this basis, Alfred State offers a lifestyle approach to residence hall living. Within the limits of college policy, various lifestyle areas are offered, and students may choose the area which best suits them. The following styles are located in designated areas of certain residence halls:

No Smoking – All of our residential facilities are smoke-free.

24 and Over Lifestyle – This lifestyle option was created to address the special needs of nontraditional students. Available in select areas throughout campus.

Bachelor's Degree Lifestyle – Available in MacKenzie South only. This lifestyle option provides an opportunity for students in the bachelor programs to reside together.

First-Year Housing – Burdick Hall, Braddon Hall, Shults Hall and Peet Hall only house first-year students. Limited space available in MacKenzie South and Main Gate A.

Gender Inclusive Housing – This option allows individuals who are not the same gender, who may identify outside the gender binary (male or female), who may be questioning aspects of their sexuality/gender, or who may be in the process of (or completed) a gender transition, to live in an environment that is safe and supportive. This living space, open to the entire campus community, is requested through an application process, and selected on a yearly basis by a committee dedicated to the oversight of that community.

Substance-free Lifestyle – This lifestyle is designed for the student interested in living within a tobacco-free and alcohol-free area. All guests and visitors are also required to abide by the substance-free lifestyle while visiting the area. Each student signs a contract pledging to remain substance free while living in this area. If you are not committed to the restrictions, this lifestyle is not for you.

Quiet Study – Members of this lifestyle all agree to uphold mandatory 24-hour quiet hours. Television and music are allowed in this area, but must be kept at a minimal and respectful volume. This lifestyle is available in certain suite-style and corridor-style residence halls.

Pet Friendly – Students may bring a family pet to live with them in selected areas on campus; dogs (under 40 pounds when fully grown), domestic cats, and rabbits. Pet registration takes place at the start of the fall and spring semester.

Townhouse and MacKenzie Commons Apartments – Apartment-style living for sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Services available in the residence halls include laundry and vending machines, kitchenette, study areas, and computer labs.

Our Four Living Learning Communities:

Architectural Living and Learning Community (ALLC) – Baccalaureate architecture students can study, live, work, and engage with their faculty, all in their own residence hall (MacKenzie South). The ALLC provides access to architecture work labs, study space, and a gallery.

Creative House, LLC (DLLC) – Designed specifically for students in the digital media and animation or graphic and media design programs, this Living Learning Community (LLC) features studio work spaces for its residents. Students live and learn with like-minded colleagues in a space made for productive and creative collaboration. With large screen monitors, a production studio, a space to screen work, and other extras, students who live in the Creative House LLC are prepared to hit the ground running on their creative projects.

Submit your application online.

Nursing Living Learning Community (NLLC) – First-year nursing students have the opportunity to become part of a community within Burdick Hall dedicated to helping new students transition into the nursing curriculum. In addition to participating in a cohort seminar led by nursing faculty within their residence hall, the NLLC provides an atmosphere with enhanced opportunities to learn from and connect with their faculty.

Summer Prep Academy Living and Learning Community (SPA) – Students accepted into the EOP program will attend Summer Prep Academy four weeks throughout July and August. These first-year students will have the option of remaining in their summer housing building without the stress of relocating to another residence hall room for the fall semester. The SPA Living Learning Community will allow SPA students to continue to live with their EOP cohort and maintain regular contact with their summer SPA mentors throughout the academic year.

On-Campus Housing Requirements/Campus Waiver Procedures

Be advised that a prior felony conviction may impede a student’s ability to reside in campus-administrated housing. Felony conviction will be considered on an individual basis. Students may be required to submit court records and other information as required by SUNY Board of Trustees Policy to be used in assessing their eligibility for on-campus housing.

SUNY – Board of Trustees' Policy

Every student in full-time attendance at a state-operated unit of the university, other than married students or students residing with a parent(s), shall be required to live in a residence hall maintained and operated by such a unit or to have the permission under such provisions as may be made therefore by the chief administrative officer of such unit to live off campus.

Local Campus Policies

I. Waivers

Any full-time student who wishes to live off campus must request a waiver of the Board of Trustees’ Policy. This waiver form is available from the Office of Residential Services and/or online. All waiver requests will be considered in accordance with the SUNY policy and the Board of Trustees’ intent to maximize the educational process. Certain conditions, if met, assure an individual of permission to live off campus. These specific exceptions are as follows:

General Eligibility:

Married students
Students providing direct care for a legal dependent
Students 23 years of age or older
Students already possessing a baccalaureate degree (reviewed for verification)
A student residing with a parent, grandparent, or court-appointed legal guardian at that person’s permanent home address who is commuting fewer than 50 miles one way (notarized statement and supplemental statement required).
Honorably Discharged Veterans of the US Armed Forces: DD-214 must be provided as documentation.
Meet Academic Eligibility criteria as outlined in the policies governing waiver eligibility. *Blackboard video required
Internship – Academic adviser confirmation required. Send email to reslife@alfredstate.edu. *Blackboard video required

Academic Eligibility: Fourth-year students in baccalaureate programs are eligible for off-campus status subject to the following minimum requirements: good academic standing with at least 90 credits and minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 and no current disciplinary status through the time of off-campus occupancy. Or, fifth-year students in a five-year program must be in good academic standing with at least 120 credits.

II. Determination of full-time student status

A full-time student is an individual enrolled for 12 or more credit hours (including credit hours added after registration day).
Students initially registered in a part-time status who add sufficient courses to attain full-time status are subject to campus housing policies unless a waiver is approved.

III. Waiver procedure

Waiver processing will begin April 1 or as soon as predictable thereafter for fall semester consideration. Waiver processing will begin Nov. 1 or as soon as predictable thereafter for spring semester consideration.
The License for Residence is a full academic year agreement and takes precedence over any waiver application. Interim requests for release are processed according to current campus policy.
At the time a housing waiver application is submitted and approved, any predetermined housing assignment is released.
Initial Request: Any individual who wishes to live off campus must submit their request in writing to the Office of Residential Services. The request should note the basis for requesting a waiver. If the reason is not one of the exceptions, a detailed explanation of the reason(s) must be included.
Decisions based upon health or psychological grounds will be reviewed through Accommodative Housing. Any student who is requesting off-campus housing based on these grounds should provide corroborating documentation through either Health and Wellness Services or email documents to accommodativehousing@alfredstate.edu for review.
Review: The assistant director of college housing or their designee will review all requests and, with the intent of the Policy of the Board of Trustees and the stated purpose of the college policy, render a decision. This decision will be given within five (5) business days, when possible. Note: Missing documentation will delay processing.
Appeal: A denied waiver may be appealed to the senior director of residential services. The appeal must be in writing and address the reason(s) given for the denial of the initial request. The appeal must be sent within five (5) business days of receipt of the initial decision.
Appeal Decision: All appeals will be reviewed in accordance with the intent of the Policy of the Board of Trustees and the stated purpose of the college policy. A written decision will be given within five (5) business days, when possible. There is no appeal of the senior director's decision.

Greek Organization Eligibility: Information relative to organization eligibility is available from Residential Services and Student Engagement. Individual members of eligible Greek organizations may apply for a housing waiver if all criteria are met:

Individual members must possess a 2.50 cumulative grade point average and a 2.50 semester grade point average (prior semester) at the time a housing waiver is requested.
Individual members may not be on any disciplinary sanction and must have completed any special conditions as a result of a past sanction (i.e., alcohol assessment, signals, community restitution projects, etc.) at the time a housing waiver is requested.
The organization in which they are a member maintains continuing authorization for off-campus, communal residency.
All other reasons will be reviewed according to the Reasons for Waiver stated on the form and will be considered according to uniformity and intent of the Board of Trustees’ policy. Submission of false or intentionally misleading statements may result in waiver revocation, campus disciplinary sanctions, and other penalties. All waivers are granted for the academic year or the remaining portion thereof. Each student must resubmit a waiver application each year they are in attendance.