Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Office of Residence Life and Housing is always available to answer your questions regarding campus life and housing. Below are questions frequently asked of our staff by incoming first-year residents and their families.

Housing Assignment Questions

  • When will I find out my room assignment?
    Information on specific room assignments and roommate information will be available mid July to early August.

  • Can I request a specific roommate?
    Yes, you can request a specific roommate. Requests are made on the Roommate Questionnaire and must be mutual.

  • Can I change my room assignment once it has been made?
    Yes, if you are assigned to an involuntary additional occupancy room, you should have received special instructions regarding the additional occupancy shuffling process. If you are not in an additional occupancy room you can submit an online preference requesting a room change. The Online Preference Process will be available on the Monday after Thanksgiving on our website. Be sure to completely fill out the online preference and to include your e-mail address. If you are requesting to live with a particular person, both of you must complete an online preference requesting each other. You will be contacted, if and when your request can be honored, at your Bridgewater email address. Don't forget to check it! Preferences are honored on a first come, first serve basis. Each online preference will be electronically stamped with the date and time received. As spaces become available, our office will contact students who have submitted an online preference based on the order in which they are received. This could be anytime prior to the beginning of the Spring semester. Every effort is made to accommodate preferences, but there is no guarantee that your request will be honored.

  • What is "additional occupancy"?
    "Additional occupancy" is a temporary situation where an additional student is placed in a designed double or triple room. Assignments into additional occupancy are made according to the date of the room deposit payment (the earlier the payment, the less likely you will be placed into additional occupancy). Approximately one third of our resident students are placed into an additional occupancy space. Students assigned to these spaces receive a 20% rebate on the housing costs for the period of additional occupancy. For more information about additional occupancy, see the Living in Community section of the RLH website.

  • How long do students have to live in "additional occupancy" spaces?
    Through experience we know that a number of students will not arrive at college or will leave during the first semester. As design spaces become available, students living in additional occupancy rooms are offered permanent spaces. Assignment into available space from additional occupancy space is made based on date of deposit. Traditionally all students in additional occupancy rooms have been offered permanent spaces by the beginning of the second semester.

  • What if I decide that I do not want to live on campus for the fall semester?
    If a student decides that he/she does not want to live on campus for the fall semester, they should notify our office. Students who choose to withdraw will forfeit their $300 deposit, but will have their housing charges credited to their account. Students who leave after the first day of classes will receive a partial refund. Please refer to the student handbook for specifics.

  • What if I decide that I do not want to live on campus for the spring semester?
    If a student is not planning to return to the residence halls for the Spring semester, they should complete a withdrawal form as soon as possible. Make arrangements with an RA in the building to sign off on their room inventory form and turn in the room key. Students have the option to complete an express check-out waiver form and turn in their key to a RLH Staff Member. Failure to do this will result in an improper check-out and lock change charge.

  • There is a room deposit credit for $300 on my Spring bill. Does that mean I have already paid a deposit to reserve a space for next year?
    No, that is the deposit that you paid to reserve a space for this academic year. To guarantee a space on campus for next year, you must pay the room deposit no later than the deadline (see RLH Important Dates for more information).

  • How much does it cost to live on campus?
    For a list of housing costs, please click here.

Student Room Questions

  • What are the dimensions of the rooms?
    Most rooms are approximately 15 feet by 11 feet. If you plan on bringing a rug it should be small enough to not interfere with the sweep of the door. We recommend purchasing a 6' x 9' rug.

  • What is provided in a room?
    Each room is furnished with extra-long twin beds, dressers, desks with chairs, closets and bookshelves. Rooms designated as "additional occupancy" have one extra bed. Additional furniture may be provided at student's request, based on availability.

  • After I receive my assignment, can I come and see the room?
    Unfortunately, this cannot be arranged. There are summer programs that use the residence halls during the summer months.

  • Can refrigerator rentals be arranged?
    Bridgewater State College does participate in a micro-fridge rental program. Information about this program will be included with your assignment mailing.

  • How do I arrange for telephone, cable TV, and internet services?
    All three services are part of the ResNet (Resident Network) program. A fee, separate from a resident student's housing fee, provides unlimited local dialing, call waiting, voice mail, reduced long-distance charges, cable television, premium sports, music, and movie channels, Residence Life Cinema, high speed internet access, and wireless internet access (additional hardware required). The Telecommunications Department contacts students throughout the summer with all the information necessary to get them connected once they arrive on campus. Specific questions can be directed to the ResNet Hotline at 508-531-7999 or E-Mail at resnet@bridgew.edu. You can also check out the ResNet website for more information about the program.

  • When will I know what my mailing address will be?
    Mailboxes are assigned to students by Mail Services. This information will be given out at the time of check-in. Once you receive your mailbox number for your residence hall, all correspondence sent to you must be addressed in this way:

    Sally Student
    Name of Hall, Box 999
    Bridgewater State College
    Bridgewater, MA 02325

Student Services Questions

  • How can I be sure I will be safe in the residence halls?
    Twenty-four hour security is provided in Woodward, Shea and Durgin Halls as well as the Great Hill Student Apartments. Other halls have student security officers staffing the entrances to the halls from 7 PM - 3 AM daily. Additionally, all residence halls are equipped with a card access system which only allows access to the residence halls by the residents of that hall. Residents will present their ID, known as the Connect Card, upon entering the building, ensuring only authorized persons gain entrance.

  • If I am having a problem once I arrive to campus, who should I contact?
    The Resident Assistant or RA is the first person a student should contact if they are having problems on campus. Resident Assistants are student leaders who live with the resident students and are selected and trained to help establish a healthy residence community. They either assist directly or provide referrals for questions or concerns with academics, safety and security, physical or mental health, and other topics which are a part of living on-campus. The next level of support is the resident Director or RD. Resident Directors are full-time, professional staff that live in the building. They supervise student staff and are responsible for the overall management or the residence hall(s) to which they are assigned. Students having difficulty on campus can also come to the Office of Residence Life and Housing, located in DiNardo Hall, Room 100. The telephone number is 508.531.1277.

  • How do I change my meal plan?
    Go to the website for BSC Students and click here or contact the Connect Card Office at ext 2897.

    • Last Modified: April 7, 2009