Other Campus Housing

Houghton College offers several alternatives to the traditional college dorm. These alternative arrangements are designed to approximate post-college living by giving the students a greater degree of autonomy and responsibility. Part-time Head Residents (HR's) oversee sections of the non-dorm housing, seeing that maintenance requests are handled promptly and that conflicts are settled peacefully. HR's are less involved than dorm RA's, however; the intent is that non-dorm residence life should be created by its residents. Residents are expected to uphold college policies through self-regulation and group accountability.

Non-dorm housing is generally assigned to junior and senior students only, because of the greater degree of maturity it requires. There are several different arrangements available, ranging in size from two students to an entire dorm floor.

Upper-Class Housing Options

Upper-class students (Juniors and Seniors) have several housing options open to them some of which are not offered to Freshman and Sophomores.  While upper-class students may continue to live in the residence halls, many opt for a college-owned townhouse or apartment.  Others apply for a “Community Living Option” (CLO). 

Townhouses

Houghton has 29 townhouse units on campus.  Most units can hold seven or eight students.  Each townhouse has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large living room and a kitchen.  The kitchen comes with a refrigerator, stove/oven, microwave and a dishwasher.  The bedrooms come with a dresser, chair, desk and bed for each student, and the living room has a sofa and table.  There are Internet hookups for each student and the living room has a cable hookup.  In a typical year, about half of the units will be used for women’s housing and the other half will house men.  Students apply in groups of seven or eight for unit.   The application period is in late February through early March.  (Visit the townhouses on the Admission Tour.)  

Townhouse Floors

For students who prefer the communal environment of the dorms, but want the autonomy of townhouse living, there are floors set aside in some of the dorms as townhouse floors. These floors operate separately from the dorm, with the same freedoms and responsibilities as the townhouses. Students may apply for housing on a townhouse floor either as an individual, with a roommate, or as a group.

College Flats (apartments)

The College Flats are apartments that hold up to four people.  Most flats have two bedrooms, a large bathroom, a large living room and a kitchen.  The kitchen comes with a refrigerator, stove/oven, microwave and a dishwasher.  The bedrooms come with a dresser, chair, desk and bed for each student, and the living room has a sofa and table.  There are Internet hookups for each student and the living room has a cable hookup.  In a typical year, about two thirds of the units will be used for women’s housing and the other third will house men.  Students apply in groups of three or four for a unit.   The application period is in late February.   

Married Students

Each year we reserve a few units in the Flats for married students.  For this option, please make your intentions known early in the spring semester.