College means more than just the academics. After all, when a student chooses a college, it becomes a home away from home for the next four years. We know that nothing can replace the comforts of home, but we would like to think that Pitt-Johnstown would be a close second. In fact, the residence halls and campus facilities are common reasons that many students give for choosing us.
We are very proud of our campus. We strongly encourage anyone who is interested in Pitt-Johnstown to come for a visit. Once here, we can show you what we have to offer, including housing. A college campus becomes a student’s second home. It makes good sense to have a look around first.
New Students
All first-year students live in our freshmen residence halls. There are five of them located centrally on campus. Freshman-specific housing allows us to reach new students with programming and services geared towards their unique needs.
In addition, having all new students together provides a common first-year experience. Knowing that everyone else in the building is going through the same transition reduces a new student’s worries.
Residence Halls
Basic amenities found in each room include a phone, beds, closets, dressers, and desks. Additionally, each room is equipped with a microwave oven and mini refrigerator combination, two Ethernet ports for Internet access, and is cable-ready.
Students are welcome to bring their own computer, although there are several computer labs on campus for their use.
Support and Supervision
Resident Assistants (RAs) are upper-class students who reside in each wing of the residence halls. RAs are a student’s first line of support, here to act as mentors and guides for new students. They are trained to enforce residence hall policies, to handle basic counseling of students, and to provide activities and programs that are geared toward first-year students and their concerns. There are also Resident Directors (RDs) on campus.
They oversee the RAs and provide another form of support and resource for students. Additionally, Area Coordinators and other professional staff within the Office of Housing and Residence Life are here to help out.
Bathrooms
Each residence hall room is joined to another by a bathroom. Residents share the bathroom with their roommate and the students in the adjoining room, known as suitemates. Students are responsible for cleaning the common bathroom area on a regular basis.
Housing Guarantee
All full-time students are guaranteed housing on campus for the duration of their education. After a student’s first year, various housing options become available. The Living/Learning Center (LLC ) operates as a dual purpose facility. It combines a residence hall with a Conference Center and modern classrooms. The “living” portion of the building houses students in double occupancy with private bathrooms. All rooms are air conditioned and carpeted.
Other students choose to live in group lodges. Lodges house recognized organizations on campus. Still others choose to live in the on-campus townhouses. These townhouses are much like those rented off-campus, complete with a full kitchen. Some students prefer the feeling of living off-campus, and they choose to live in the College Park Apartments, which are located less than a mile from campus. Though the apartment complex is off-campus, it is University-owned and maintained.
Roomates
College is a time of discovery. As part of that discovery, living with a roommate is often an adjustment, and at times, a challenge for college students. Pitt-Johnstown helps make the transition to residence hall life as easy as possible. Students are asked to complete a housing survey that requests information about their lifestyle habits. They are then matched with someone with traits most similar to their own.
When roommate conflicts arise, students are encouraged to work out their differences. If needed, the assistance of a Resident Assistant or Director is available. A room change may be implemented when a situation becomes irreconcilable.
Commuters
Students who commute to campus are part of the residential community as well.
We’ve given a great deal of thought to the needs of commuting students, especially in providing services for those “down times” between classes. These gaps in a schedule are a great time to prepare for class, study, or relax. Study lounges with comfortable chairs, computer labs with e-mail and Internet access, a big screen TV lounge, game rooms, and sports facilities are all available.
It is a perfect way to find a “Home Away From Home.”
Spending Money
This is a difficult question to answer because the response depends on a student’s needs and his or her ability to budget money. We suggest that students have about $500 per semester to purchase books.
Often, students can buy used books at a discounted rate, but sometimes a student will have a schedule with classes that require all new books.
Students spend money in many of the same ways they do at home. They may want to keep their refrigerator stocked with food supplies, and this could mean an occasional trip to the grocery store. It is also nice to get off campus and eat out once in a while, just as it is at home. They may want to have extra money for an occasional shopping spree. A trip to the movies may be in order to celebrate a successful exam. Whatever you and your son/daughter include in your consideration of expenses, be sure to add a little extra for the unknown if you can.
It brings peace of mind for both parents and students.