Residential Life
The college has 19 residence halls and 14 houses shared by members of all four classes. Wheaton students are expected to live on campus for four years and to enroll in the college’s meal plan. Students who live in communities contiguous to Norton and continuing education students may enroll as day students. Both single-sex and coeducational housing options are available. First-year students and sophomores live in double rooms, triples or quads; juniors and seniors in double and single rooms. Room assignments for new students are based on residence questionnaires. Returning students select their rooms in a campus-wide lottery each spring.
Students take an active role in planning and maintaining their living environments. Residence halls are staffed by professionals from the student affairs staff who live in each residential area. In addition, upper-class students, known as Resident Advisors (RAs), live on each floor. These Resident Advisors are available to offer peer counseling on issues of academic and social adjustment. They also serve as resources within the hall, answering questions about the campus, sponsoring educational and social programs, and promoting a sense of community and respect for diversity on the floors and in the buildings. Students share responsibility for making decisions about residence policies, promoting security within their buildings, and maintaining appropriate standards so residents may live together harmoniously.
The residence halls are an important learning environment at Wheaton. Students study together, visit and relax with friends, build friendships and work through the issues associated with living in a community. Residence halls and larger residential areas, known as quads, initiate social events, faculty-led discussions, potluck dinners and intramural teams, and sponsor campus-wide events.