HOUSING SERVICES
What to Bring/What Not to Bring into Residential Housing
Suggested Items to Bring for Living in a Residence Hall
- Desk and/or floor lamp (non-halogen)
- Shower bucket/shower shoes
- Stationery supplies
- Laundry supplies
- Hangers
- Extra-long bed linens
- Towels
- Cleaning supplies
- First aid supplies
- Surge protector
- Heavy duty extension cord(s)
- Wastebasket
- Plastic containers with lids (for proper food storage)
- Window or floor fan
The following items are not provided in apartment-style halls and must be provided by the residents:
Living Area
- Lamps (desk and living room)
- Television
Kitchen
- Pots and pans
- Dishes
- Silverware
- Glasses
- Dish towels
- Toaster or toaster oven
- Can opener
- Hot plate with enclosed heating coils (i.e., ceramic top)
- Dish drain
- Kitchen trash can
- Plastic containers with lids (for proper food storage)
Bedroom/Bathroom
- Pillow(s), sheets, blankets/comforter or bedspread
- Closets (located in bedrooms) do not have doors. Students may wish to purchase a curtain and curtain rod for closet openings.
- Shower curtains (Note: showers in Farley, Gallen, Jackson, and St. Clare are not a standard size. The University will provide extra-long shower curtains for these showers. Residents of Klekotka, Moulden, Rudolph, and Welsh must supply their own standard-sized shower curtains.)
- Towels
- Bathroom rugs/bath mat
- Bathroom trash can
Please note: Students are responsible for providing their own toilet paper, paper towels and cleaning supplies in their apartments.
Please DO NOT Bring:
- Candles (decorative or functional, wick or no wick)
- Toaster ovens or crock pots (prohibited in traditional residence halls, permitted in apartments)
- Hot plates or appliiances with exposed heating elements
- Space heaters
- Pets or animals of any kind (unless service animal or University-approved emotional support animal)
- Halogen lamps
- Platform beds or lofts
- Cinderblocks or any other item designed to raise the height of your bed (bed heights are adjustable)
- Wall mounted shelves or any other item that requires permanent fixture to walls or furniture
- Air conditioning units
- Electric scooters, self-balancing one- or two-wheeled boards or motorized skateboards (electric mobility aids for those with impaired mobility and electric bicycles are permitted)
A Note about Headboards:
While permitted, the addition of headboards to University beds is discouraged. One of the most significant contributors to mold growth is poor air circulation. Furniture, including headboards, may not be placed in front of the HVAC vent or return, as they can severely diminish the rate of circulation. A fabric headboard provides a soft surface for potential mold growth and cannot be easily cleaned—this is especially a problem when the fabric is in the path of HVAC circulation.
Additionally, ÃÞ»¨ÌÇÖ±²¥ beds are not designed for user modifications, which may create additional hazards. An improperly secured headboard can create a potential fall hazard if the headboard fails when the student leans against it.
Residential Housing Information
Every first-year resident will have an extra-long twin mattress which measures 36x80x7. Other residence halls have standard twin-size mattresses measuring 36x76x7. We are in the process of converting all beds on campus to extra-long twin mattresses by Fall 2026. Both standard size and extra-long twin sheets will fit the standard size mattress. All rooms and apartments in The Commons will have extra-long mattresses.
For students assigned to buildings where extra-long mattresses are not standard, Residence Life has a limited supply of extra-long mattresses and are available upon request and based on need. Requests should be limited to those over 6'2" in height. These mattresses require extra-long twin-sized sheets. Students can request an extra-long mattress by contacting the Office for Residence Life.
All students requests for an extra-long mattress will carry from year-to-year. There is no need to contact Residence Life after the request has been made.
Small dehumidifiers are installed in residential rooms in Stanford, Good Counsel, St. Monica, St. Katharine, Caughlin, McGuire, Fedigan, Sheehan, Sullivan, Austin, Corr and St. Mary's Halls. Students living in these residence halls do not need to bring their own dehumidifiers.
Laundry facilities are located in all residence halls. Washers and dryers are available for use at no additional cost for residential students.
MicroFridge rentals are available this year directly from The MicroFridge combines a microwave, freezer and refrigerator. Please note that only one MicroFridge or refrigerator/ microwave is permitted per room.
Campus Specialties will set up the unit in student rooms and will pick it up at the end of the Spring Semester. If anything goes wrong with the unit, Campus Specialties will replace it.
Add extra storage room without taking up valuable floor, wall, or closet space. Top Shelf Designs' (TSD) Dorm Buddyâ„¢ and Dorm Buddy Plusâ„¢ shelves fit securely atop your University-issued desk hutch, providing more storage space & surface area for all of your belongings. TSD's shelves are perfect for storing your textbooks, TVs, printers, desk lamps, makeup, hair tools, toiletries, décor and more. Our shelves were designed by ÃÞ»¨ÌÇÖ±²¥ students for college students to transform their cramped, messy dorms into spacious, organized areas ideal for studying and relaxing.
TSD's Dorm Buddyâ„¢ and Dorm Buddy Plusâ„¢ come pre-assembled and can be delivered to your residence hall room before you arrive on campus. to shop and learn more about our journey as entrepreneurs and ÃÞ»¨ÌÇÖ±²¥ students.
ÃÞ»¨ÌÇÖ±²¥ provides free wireless Internet access throughout the campus. It is readily available in all academic and residence halls to all students, faculty and staff .
ÃÞ»¨ÌÇÖ±²¥'s wireless network SSID is "VUMobile." To connect, simply click on VUMobile on your computer's list of available wireless networks and enter in your ÃÞ»¨ÌÇÖ±²¥ user name and password.
Trouble connecting? Please email UNIT User Support or call the UNIT Help Desk at 610-519-7777.
ÃÞ»¨ÌÇÖ±²¥ residential students have free access to Xfinity Stream, which streams live TV, movies and shows to any device. To set up Xfinity Stream when you arrive on campus, visit .
What if I have trouble with my service?
For assistance, please email UNIT User Support or call the UNIT Help Desk at 610-519-7777.
The University’s property insurance only covers property that is owned by the University. It does not cover damage to students' personal property. It is highly recommended that students insure their own personal property via an existing homeowners insurance or purchase a renters insurance policy. It is important to confirm with your homeowners insurance carrier that student’s property (including computers and other electronics) will be fully covered for loss while housed outside of the family dwelling.
As stated in the Student Handbook and the housing contract, the University assumes no legal obligation to pay for loss of or damage to items of student’s personal property occurring on campus or in its buildings or storage areas.
Spring Closing Policies and Procedures
- Students must vacate their residence hall 24 hours following their last final examination or by noon on Saturday, May 11. Please note: students participating in Commencement or approved for Extended Stay Housing are exempt from this requirement.
- Resident assistants will hang express check-out forms near the entrances of each room/suite/apartment in the coming weeks. Please follow the instructions and sign the form once completed to depart campus. Residents do not need to make an appointment with their resident assistant or the Office for Residence Life to check out.
- Residence Life staff members will complete room assessments once all residents of a room/suite/apartment have departed campus—students do not need to register or be present for end-of-year room assessments. Damage charges may be assessed for rooms that do not meet move-out standards.
- Please take all personal belongings with you. Once you have departed campus, you will not be permitted back into your residence hall without approval from the Office for Residence Life. Any personal items left behind will be considered abandoned and become the property of the University.
Remove Decorations and Personal Items
- All decorative items, including but not limited to corkboards, mirrors, shelving, posters, hooks, decals, stickers, etc. must be removed.
- Decals, stickers, marks, tape, adhesive, nails, "Stick-Up" Air Fresheners, and lettering on ceilings, doors, furniture, walls and windows should be cleaned off and/or removed.
Walls
- Do not attempt to repair and/or paint damaged walls in your room or apartment. Doing so usually results in additional repair costs to the University and student.
Furniture
- All University furnishings present in your room at the time of check-in must be in your room at departure. Replacement costs will be assessed for missing furniture.
- Furnishings and other items that are the personal property of residents, such as couches, chairs, rugs, shelves, headboards, etc., must be removed from your room/suite/apartment prior to departure.
- Dumpsters will be located near residence halls to assist with disposal.
- Do not un-bunk or re-bunk your beds. Professional movers will complete these tasks.
You will be assessed a labor charge for the removal of all personal items left in your room/suite/apartment.
Leave Your Room/Suite/Apartment Clean
- Prior to departure, please remove all trash from your room/suite/apartment and sweep the floors.
- Students who leave trash in their rooms/suite/apartment will be assessed a Custodial Service charge for trash removal.
Storage is not available on the University campus. Additionally, drop-off storage pods are not permitted on campus due to parking and space restrictions. Off-campus storage facilities are available in the local area.
Students may choose to contract directly with a company that provides residence hall pick-up in the spring, storage for the summer, and delivery to a new residence hall in the fall. Students will work directly with the chosen company and all questions or concerns should be directed to the company.
Because of University insurance requirements, the companies below are the only businesses permitted access to campus and University residence halls. The names are provided for your convenience at the request of the outside vendors. Please note that the University does not endorse any of the companies listed.
- Students participating in Commencement or individuals unable to vacate their residence halls by Saturday, May 11, must register for Extended Stay Housing.
- Students who have registered and been approved for Extended Stay Housing will be permitted to remain on campus until 6 p.m. on Friday, May 17.
- Students registered for Summer Housing need to depart residence halls by Saturday, May 11, unless otherwise approved by Residence Life. Summer Housing residents will receive additional information at a later date.
If you've rented a MicroFridge for the year, Campus Specialties will pick up the unit at the end of the spring semester. Students do not need to move the MicroFridge from their room upon move-out.