Housing
Residence Halls +
Living on campus in a university residence hall is considered an important part of student life. Almost 6,100 students are accommodated in single rooms, double rooms, multiple occupancy rooms, and apartments in 22 residence halls. All halls are coeducational, but in the majority of cases, specific wings and floors house occupants of the same gender.
Each fall the residence halls provide a new home for over 5,300 entering freshmen. Subject to the availability of space, all freshmen are required to live in a residence hall for two academic semesters (a summer term does not count as an academic semester), unless they are married or live with parents and have permission to commute. Requests for permission to reside off campus for other reasons are considered on their merits, taking into account individual circumstances.
Freshmen who apply by mid-May can usually get housing for the following fall term. Due to heavy demand for limited space, however, freshmen applying for housing after mid-May may not find residence hall space available for the fall. If this is the case, freshmen will be given information regarding wait lists and/or assistance in finding off-campus housing.
The residence halls provide a range of services and programs designed to support the intellectual, social, and personal growth of single student residents. All residence halls, for example, offer tutoring services to residents at no cost. Some halls offer special facilities, such as an academic skills lab, or a music room. A variety of academic and social programs are sponsored by residence hall and other university staff.
The residence hall dining service hours are planned to be convenient for most students’ schedules, and self-serve salad bars are available at noon and evening meals. Steak nights, ice cream socials, and late-night coffee and cookie breaks during exam week are among the special activities planned during the semester. The dining program permits students (regardless of hall assignment) to eat in any residence hall dining room.
For more information about university housing options and/or permission to reside off campus, prospective students may write to Occupancy Management, 75 Hallett Hall, 154 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0154.
Residential Academic Programs +
A number of the residence halls are home to residential academic programs (RAPs), whereby students live in and take special classes in their hall that meet core curriculum and/or other course requirements. These special academic programs are described in the College of Arts and Sciences and Other Academic Programs sections. Most of these programs charge additional fees. They include:
• The Baker Residential Academic Program is designed for freshmen and sophomores in the College of Arts and Sciences interested in the natural sciences and environmental studies.
• The Engineering Honors Program in Andrews Hall includes enhanced course work, access to industry leaders, mentoring relationships, and participation in a community of engineering honors students.
• The Farrand Residential Academic Program offers 400 first-and second-year students in the College of Arts and Sciences the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of a small liberal arts college while taking advantage of the resources of a large university.
• The Global Studies Residential Academic Program at Cheyenne Arapaho Hall was created to promote international understanding and the recognition of global interdependencies.
• The Honors Residential Academic Program (or HRAP; formerly known as the Kittredge Honors Program, or KHP) is the residential component of the Honors Program of the College of Arts and Sciences. It is open to approximately 200 Honors-qualified first- and second-year students. Participants live in Arnett Hall.
• The Leadership Program at Williams Village, is dedicated to the development of community and professional leaders among students from all schools and colleges on the Boulder campus. The Leadership RAP offers two academic tracks: the Ethnic Living and Learning Community Leadership Studies Program (ELLC) and the Chancellor’s Leadership Studies Program (CLSP). Some scholarships to cover the program fee are available for those in need.
• The Libby Arts Residential Academic Program (LRAP) is designed primarily for first- and second-year College of Arts and Sciences and Leeds School of Business students interested in the arts. LRAP offers a curriculum in the arts, including visual arts, theatre and dance, film studies, and music. In addition to small class sizes in a living and learning environment, co-curricular activities provide a sense of community and a unique opportunity to interact with faculty and LRAP advisors across art disciplines.
• The Sewall Residential Program is limited to approximately 330 first-year students in the College of Arts and Sciences who are interested in the study of history and culture.
Living and Learning Communities +
Living and Learning Communities also enhance the learning environment. Several communities offer themed housing without the formal connection to faculty found with the RAPs.
• The B³ Business Living and Learning Community is limited to approximately 90 first-year students enrolled in the Leeds School of Business. The community participants work together on their areas of expertise within the business curriculum and enjoy close access to advisors and faculty.
• The Hallett Diversity Program was created to encourage students to learn about differences and to celebrate them. It provides leadership opportunities and an environment for acquiring awareness of one’s own and others’ culture and values.
• The Quadrangle Engineering and Sciences Living and Learning Community is comprised of students studying engineering and natural science who live in Aden, Brackett, Cockerell, or Crosman halls. This program offers residents specialized tutoring, extensive computer system access, and professional counseling and advising. An additional fee of $130 per academic year was charged in 2009–10 to cover support activities (fee is subject to change).
• Spectrum, part of the Hallett Diversity Program, offers a variety of social and educational activities including leadership opportunities. Spectrum is designed to provide a supportive place for individuals of all sexual identities including gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer people and their allies. The Spectrum living area has gender neutral bathrooms.
Other Academic Programs in the Residence Halls +
The Community on Academic Programs in the Residence Halls (CAPRH) develops academic programs in CU-Boulder’s residence halls. Funded projects include a faculty luncheon program in the halls, informal activities that promote out-of-the-classroom interaction between faculty and students, and special arts and sciences core curriculum courses presented directly in the halls. All programs facilitate greater interaction between faculty and students, and foster the integration of students’ academic life with their campus residence hall life. Interested students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to participate in the planning and submission of projects to the council.
Room and Board Rates per Semester +
Residence hall room and board rates per person, per semester, for the 2009–10 academic year were as follows:
| 19 meals/week and double room | $5,189 |
| 19 meals/week and single room | $5,980 |
Different meal plans are available. A modest rate increase should be expected for the 2010–11 year.
Application for Residence Hall Housing +
New freshman and transfer students receive information from Housing & Dining Services about applying for accommodations after they have confirmed their intent to attend the university. Housing assignments are made on a first-come, first-served basis. The earlier applications are submitted, the better chance students have of being assigned to the residence hall of their choice. (Please note that Housing & Dining Services does not guarantee assignment to a particular building or program, type of accommodation, or a specific roommate.)
Space for the fall term can normally be assured for all freshmen who apply for housing by mid-May. However, due to heavy demand for limited hall space, the university cannot always guarantee that freshmen who apply for housing late (usually after mid-May for the fall term) will find space available in the residence halls. If this is the case, students are so advised and are given appropriate instructions regarding wait lists and/or assistance in securing off-campus housing.
Note: Application for admission to the university and application for housing are two separate transactions. Application for housing does not guarantee admission to the university, nor does admission to the university guarantee that housing will be available. For information regarding admission notification and confirmation procedures, see the Undergraduate Admission section.
A security deposit ($300 for 2009–10) is required to apply for residence hall accommodations. (Deposit is subject to change.)All housing contracts are for the full two-semester academic year or remainder thereof. An early termination of contract is subject to financial penalties as stated in the residence halls contract.
Family Housing +
The university offers studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom furnished and unfurnished apartments for student, staff, and faculty families. The university’s Children’s Center provides day care for the children of family housing residents, staff, and faculty. For information on applying to family housing, write the Family Housing Office, 1350 20th Street, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80302, call 303-492-6384, or e-mail familyhousing@housing.colorado.edu. The housing website is housing.colorado.edu.
Off-Campus Student Services +
Off-Campus Student Services (a service of UCSU) maintains listings of apartments, houses, and rooms for rent in the Boulder community. Currently enrolled students may view these listings online at www.colorado.edu/ocss. The office also maintains a detailed list of apartments in the Boulder area. This is available for pickup in the office.
The department has a staff attorney available to advise students about leases, security deposits, and ways to avoid landlord/tenant problems. Office assistants will help students locate properties and answer questions about the surrounding neighborhoods. During the spring semester, the office sponsors two off-campus housing fairs where landlords, property managers, and related businesses offer their services to students in a tradeshow fashion.
Others who are affiliated with the university may request information but will be charged $12 (within the United States) or $20 (outside the United States). Checks should be made out to the University of Colorado. The packet will include a 30-day Web access code to housing listings, an apartment complex summary, a Boulder map, and other information pertinent to living and renting in Boulder.
For additional information, call 303-492-7053 or write Off-Campus Student Services, University of Colorado at Boulder, 206 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0206. Office hours are 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday. Summer hours are 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
