Geneva CollegeCampus Housing Summary

Written by Sarah Felton

Sarah Felton

Hometown

Fort Ashby, WV

Major

Writing

Grad Year

2012

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Geneva offers gender-specific housing in both dorm and apartment styles. The housing policies are stricter than most, but more lenient than many comparable schools. Men and women may visit each other’s dorms Wednesday evenings and weekends, and coed lounges are open every day. Alcohol and drugs are not permitted, and smoking is limited to the much-loved "Smoker’s Gazebo." Dorm policies are well-enforced by the residence staff, but students do not consider the regulations oppressive—they come with the territory of a statedly Christian college.

The dorm facilities are above average on some counts, such as the friendly and efficient maintenance staff, the free laundry, and the relaxed atmosphere. As with any residence, a lot depends on the people, not the facilities. RAs offer several programs each semester, from video game tournaments to making milkshakes, to foster community and provide stress-free social time. A limited number of seniors are permitted to live off campus each year, a popular option offering greater freedom and lower cost. Most recently, McKee and Memorial halls, two ornate dorms traditionally reserved for upperclassmen, were reassigned to freshman housing to accommodate the large incoming class and foster community among freshmen. This left upperclassmen the apartments and the houses, but no designated dorm housing—though a few still live in the freshman dorms. The large incoming class also spawned the G3! Program (three students in a two-man room) and the conversion of a few lounges into seven-man occupancy housing. On the plus side, residents in these situations are compensated a sweet $50 per week.