Effective 2/2022 – Albright College

Effective 2/2022

Policy Name

Four-Year Residency Policy

Policy Category

Student Life

Policy Approved By

 Senior Vice President

Responsible Division Head or VP

Senior Vice President of Student and Campus Life and Chief Health Officer

Responsible Department

Residential Life

Responsible AVP or Director

Director of Residential Life

Original Policy Date

11/2016

Last Known Revision Date

04/2021

Current Policy Effective Date

02/2022

Recommended Policy Review Date

01/2023

Policy Applies To

 Students

Additional Authority/References

None

POLICY PURPOSE

The policy identifies and outlines Albright’s institutional commitment to a residential college. 

 

DEFINITIONS

TERM

DEFINITION

Term 1

Commuter Student: a student living with a parent or legal guardian whose permanent residence is within 30 driving miles of Albright College’s main campus (the route driving distance from permanent address to main campus as indicated by Google Maps)

Term 2

Off-Campus Student: a non-Commuter student who is approved to reside at a location other than their permanent address with a parent or legal guardian, college-owned housing, or college-managed housing. An off-campus student meets at least one of the following criteria: is 22 years of age or older by August 1st, married, the parent or legal guardian of a minor, or is a fifth-year student.

Term 3

Resident: a traditional full-time undergraduate student living in college-owned or college-managed residential areas.

 

POLICY TEXT

Four-Year Residency Policy

As a residential college, Albright’s campus living environment is integral to the college experience. Living together in a community provides opportunities to interact with faculty, staff, and other students. Through this shared living experience, students will enhance their social, intellectual, and interpersonal growth. In support of this philosophy, all traditional full-time undergraduate students at Albright College will live in on-campus or college-managed housing during their tenure as a student.

Housing selection procedures and guidelines are distributed to enrolled students in the Spring semester. All enrolled traditional full-time students must indicate their housing preferences for the following academic year by submitting an electronic housing form through the Office of Residential Life by the designated time. Students who do not participate in housing selection procedures will be automatically assigned to available space and the default dining plan*. New first-year and transfer students will receive information about housing procedures and deadlines during the admission process. Electronic housing forms for the following academic year will be available for new first-year and transfer students on May 1st. New students are notified of their roommate(s) and housing assignments by the date(s) outlined in the academic calendar.

To further support Albright’s residential campus, commuter status or off-campus status will only be approved for traditional full-time undergraduate students through the commuter and off-campus application process** (see below for relevant definitions). Commuter and off-campus applications must be completed on an annual basis following the submission of the electronic housing form. Commuter and off-campus applications are reviewed by campus representatives and approvals are granted only for specified academic terms. Traditional undergraduate students who are 22 years of age or older by August 1st, married, the parent or legal guardian of a minor, or who are fifth-year students will be permitted to live off-campus through the commuter and off-campus application process.

Albright College’s current residential portfolio includes eight Affinity Houses, Albright Court, Albright Woods Apartments, North Hall, Quad Buildings for first-year students (Crowell Hall, Krause Hall, and Walton Hall), Smith Hall, and Mohn Hall. Albright College manages Rockland Hall, a suite-style living space for Junior and Senior students.

 

* The default meal plan is the Gold Unlimited plan.

** Commuter and off-campus applications will be available during designated times for currently enrolled students. Regardless of intent to submit a commuter or off-campus application, enrolled students are required to submit an electronic housing form prior to having access to the commuter and off-campus application.

ASSOCIATED PROCEDURES LOCATION

See the Residential Life web page for associated housing processes/procedures and relevant updates.

REVISION LOG

DATE OF REVISION

MAJOR CHANGES

(Note:     electronic copies of the former versions of the policy must be maintained within the unit, department, or division)

11/2016

Original release of policy

04/2018

Definitions included in policy. Grandfather clause included for classes of 2019 and 2020 who met certain criteria.

4/8/2021

Removal of class of 2019 and 2020 grandfather clause (no longer applicable). Further clarified commuter definition.

2/2022

Updated language from “residency petition” to “commuter and off-campus application”. Updated date for new/incoming student notifications of housing assignments. Removed definitions from body of policy.


View this policy as a PDF.