Common Questions by New Bethel Students
May I see my room before the move-in date?
Yes and no (if that makes any sense). You can view diagrams of rooms on our website, and we encourage you to work with your admissions counselor to determine whether you can see a particular room during your campus visit. During the academic year we can typically show a living space to provide prospective students with an idea of what to expect from a residence hall room. However, this may not be the room you will be assigned to when you arrive. We use the summer months to complete construction and renovation projects we cannot address during the year, while some halls house various summer camps and conference groups. After groups leave or construction is completed, our housekeeping staff needs time to prepare the halls for your arrival.
Who are Community Assistants?
A Community Assistant (CA) is a fellow student trained to help residents of a hall develop community. Each CA reports to the Director of Residence Life, a professional, full-time, live-in staff member responsible for the management of a specific building or area. This includes community development and the training of student residential staff.
When can I move in?
Move-in typically occurs in mid- to late August. Check with your Admissions Counselor or the Office of Student Life for your specific date.
What furniture is provided in my room?
Each resident will have a bed, mattress, chest of drawers, closet/wardrobe, desk and chair.
Can I build my own loft bed?
No, beds cannot be lofted. Some bed-frames are able to be raised.
Will I have a computer connection?
An Ethernet cable or wireless card is needed for your computer. Read more about the computer facilities and policies on campus.
Are laundry facilities provided?
Washers and dryers are provided on each floor… and the machines are FREE to use!
Do I need to move out during breaks?
Residence halls will close for Christmas Break (please check with the Office of Student Life for specific dates). As a general rule, residence halls close at 6:00p the evening before break begins and open at 1:00p the day before classes resume. If you have concerns, please contact the Director of Residence Life.
When do I need to move out in May?
Non-graduating residents must check out by 6:00p on the Thursday before Commencement. Graduating residents must check out by noon on the day after Commencement. If you have concerns, please contact the Director of Residence Life.
What electrical appliances are allowed in rooms?
Please refer to the Bethel College Student Handbook for more detailed information. There is a community kitchen available on each hall in Haury. Please communicate with your roommate regarding who is bringing allowed appliances as there is a limit of one mini-fridge in each room in Haury. Mini-fridges cannot be larger than 3.2 cubic feet. Microwaves are not allowed in rooms in Haury Hall but public microwaves are available on each floor in the kitchen. Please do not bring air fryers.
What is the smoking policy in the residence halls?
No smoking is allowed in any Bethel College residence hall or campus building. Smoking is only permitted in the designated smoking areas.
Is air conditioning available?
Yes. Each room or area has an air conditioning unit controlled by the resident(s) or central air in the facility.
What do I need to connect to the Internet and Bethel Network?
Every room has access to a wireless network. If you don’t own a computer, there are more than 30 computers on campus for student use. An ethernet port is available to be activated upon request.
How are roommates selected?
Roommates will first be selected by each resident’s preference of whom s/he would like to have as a roommate. The roommate of choice must also specify this person as a roommate on her/his student life contract. If the resident has no preference, but still needs a roommate, the Residence Life and/or Admissions staff will assign a roommate based on factors of roommate compatibility which is determined via your Student Life Contract.
How many roommates will I have?
Expect to be assigned a roommate for your freshman year. Students may request a single occupancy room, but they are limited and have an additional cost. Upperclassmen may live in Voth Hall or Warkentin Court. Voth Hall is a suite-style building where four students share a bathroom. Warkentin Court is modular housing with up to nine students sharing a space.
Will I need to buy a meal plan?
Yes. All students residing on campus are required to have a meal plan.
How may I decorate my room?
You may decorate your room in any way you like as long as the decorations conform to community life standards and housing guidelines and do not damage any part of the room. You may not use nails, contact paper or any other type of adhesive except for white sticky tack or command strips. It is recommended you test any adhesive for potential damage to the paint.
How long are the beds? What kind of sheets will I need?
Beds in Voth Hall are extra-long twin size. You will need extra-long twin size sheets. Beds in Haury Hall and Warkentin Court are standard twin size. However, both Haury and Warkentin have a very limited supply of extra-long beds. Requests for these beds should be made with the Office of Student Life well before arrival.
What should I bring?
If you are not sure what to bring, visit our suggestions page. To make move-in as smooth as possible, we ask that you consider what you will need for the first three months. Experience has shown that when students bring more than this, they end up taking most of it back home again. Also, we suggest that you try and pack items in small boxes to make fewer heavy boxes.
Are pets allowed?
No. Fish, in a 10 gallon tank or smaller, are the only pets permitted.
Animals are only permitted in the residence halls if they are a licensed service animal or have been approved by the Office of Student Life to bring an Emotional Support Animal (Contact Student Life for more details).
What items are not permitted in the dorms?
Please do not bring any of these items: electric blankets or sheets, hot plates, sunlamps, candles, incense, toaster ovens, electric skillets, electric hotpots, George Foreman grills, space heaters, pets (other than fish), guns or weapons, fireworks, explosives, illegal drugs, waterbeds or water chairs.
Are the residence halls locked?
Voth is has electronic locks on the outdoor entry doors. Residents of Voth have a fob to come and go as they please. Haury Hall hallways doors are also locked with 24-hour access to the main lobby. All student rooms have an individual lock and key for their room.
Must residents be in the halls at certain hours?
There are no set curfew hours in the residence halls. Students are expected to assume responsibility for their own schedules. However, students of a different sex may not be in a room/hall after midnight on weekday nights and 2 AM on weekend nights.
When will students find out their housing assignments?
Roommate assignments for new students will be emailed to your Bethel email beginning June 15th. This mailing will include the name, address and phone number of your roommate.
What do I do if I have roommate problems?
We encourage students to contact their Community Assistant, who will attempt to mediate and resolve problems. For parents: If you need to find out how the situation is being addressed or for additional information, you should contact the Director of Residence Life. We also encourage the use of KIPCOR (Kansas Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution for mediation.
Can freshmen have cars on campus?
Yes. All students are allowed to have cars on campus. Parking is free to all individuals but vehicles must be registered in the Office of Student Life and parking permits must be clearly visible on the front windshield.
Is carpeting provided in residence hall rooms?
Carpeting is not provided in Haury or Voth Hall rooms. Students can bring their own area rug. Warkentin Court rooms are carpeted.