February 25, 2021
Dear Pitzer Students,
With the optimistic news of increased vaccine access nationwide, we are currently planning a return to full occupancy in our campus housing for Fall 2021. We very much look forward to having our residence halls once again (safely) filled with our wonderful Pitzer students! From meeting virtual friends in-person for the first time and reconnecting with past roommates to enjoying Pasta Bar and repainting the Free Wall, we have much to look forward to as we reunite our community after these many months away from campus.
As a reminder, these occupancy plans are in process and will respond accordingly to college-wide planning for fall, LA County guidance, and other health and safety protocols. There will be other COVID-19 related safety measures (i.e. masks, social distancing, Mindful of Each Other community agreement expectations, community health ambassadors, etc.) involved in a return to campus that we cannot fully predict at this time.
To assist in student housing planning for the fall, in particular for those students who typically lease off-campus in the fall, we felt it was important to start painting a picture of our fall housing process.
Changes for Fall 2021 to Housing Selection
- First-Year Experience (FYE)
- As is tradition, our Pitzer, Sanborn and Atherton (PAS) Halls will be used for the entering class.
- Considering the size of our incoming first-year class, some of these students will also live in Skandera Hall, which is typically within the West, East, and Skandera (WES) complex, but is located immediately adjacent to PAS.
- Sophomore Year Experience (SYE)
- We are eager to welcome the rising sophomore class to their first semester on campus!
- Since the sophomore class missed out on a first-year residential experience, we will be offering an opt-in “Sophomore Year Experience Community” this coming year in West, East, and Skandera halls.
- Sophomores looking to opt-out of the SYE can choose to live and select housing with Juniors and Seniors, or apply for Off-Campus approval.
- All sophomores in the SYE will be able to select their own suitemates/roommates, explore new roommates/suitemates via our software system, or sign-up to be placed with another sophomore who is also interested in the assigned roommate experience.
- Off-Campus Housing
- Typically about 40% of Seniors, 30% of Juniors, and 10% of Sophomores live off-campus.
- Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors are welcome to begin applying to live off-campus in the local Claremont area. Students must apply and be approved to live off-campus each year to be released from the live-on requirement.
- Seniors will be automatically approved for off-campus status upon applying. Juniors and Sophomores will be approved based upon review following our usual guidelines, more information at the Housing Selection website.
- Students considering applying for off-campus housing should review the Off-Campus Housing Guide.
- Campus Housing Selection
- Sophomores that decide to opt-out of the SYE can group with Juniors and Seniors.
- Individual housing selection times will be provided based on Class year, with Seniors prioritized. The best Individual Selection Time in a group becomes the Group Selection Time. The housing selection application is not yet available will be announced.
- Most of Mead Hall and the Claremont Collegiate Apartments (CCA) will be available for upper-class students seeking to live in campus housing. Any WES spaces still open after RADA, FYE, and SYE selection will also be available. These halls host the majority of our singles and offer unique suite sizes:
- WES – Double and single rooms
- Any spaces still available after Room Accommodations for Disabilities, FYE and SYE housing processes.
- CCA – combination double and single rooms in apartment-style living
- 2 bed, 1 bath w/kitchen
- 2 bed, 2 bath w/kitchen
- 3 bed, 2 bath w/kitchen
- Mead – combination double and single rooms
- 8 person suites
- 7 person suites
- 4 person suites
- Class-Year Identity
- We want to acknowledge that many students may feel they aren’t sure what “class-year” they belong to this fall given defers and leave of absences from this virtual academic year. We will allow students to assist us in self-identifying if they feel they should belong to a certain class that they, by credit, don’t officially fall into.
- Universal Room Rate
- As a reminder, all campus housing rooms, whether they are a single, double, apartment, suite, etc., will be billed at a universal room rate. Main campus single rooms are only accessible to students with documented disability accommodations, as well as Seniors and Juniors.
- Financial Aid Cost of Attendance (COA)
- Students on financial aid are encouraged to review the updated Cost of Attendance (COA) calculation regarding how students’ financial aid packages change depending on their selection of campus housing, off-campus housing, or living at home with relatives.
- More information can be found on the Financial Aid website.
- Room Accommodations for Disabilities Application (RADA)
- Students seeking to apply for a Room Accommodation for Disabilities (RADA) will be able to complete a separate RADA form on Residence before the Sophomore and Junior/Senior selection processes (timeline TBA).
- Due to the potential strain on medical systems as a result of the ongoing pandemic, we highly encourage students seeking to apply for accommodations to begin communication with their medical provider to gain proper documentation. Documentation standards can be found here. More information on Housing Accommodations can be found Here.
General Housing Selection Information The Housing Selection process is facilitated entirely online using our Residence software system. As such, the Housing Selection has three main steps:
- Apply
- Roommate Groups and Explore Rooms
- Select Rooms
Detailed notes and screen shots of each phase can be found on our Housing Selection Website. Students are encouraged to reach out to [email protected] with any questions in regards to the Housing Selection process.
Application Timeline
- Off-Campus Applications – OPEN NOW on Residence
- Off Campus Applications are reviewed before the Campus Housing Selection process begins. If you are interested in living off campus, please review our Off Campus Housing Priority criteria, outlined on the Housing Selection Website.
- These applications are open on a rolling basis for now, with a deadline TBD. Applicants are prioritized according to our Off-Campus priority guide as well as the date/time they applied.
- Students must apply and be approved to live off-campus BEFORE they sign a lease for off-campus housing.
- Campus Housing Selection – DATES TBD
- The Housing Selection timeline will be impacted by health and safety standards dictated by local health officials. We aim to facilitate the Fall 2021 housing selection process only once. So, while the Campus Housing application typically goes live at the end of February, we will be delaying the application until more Fall 2021 details are confirmed.
- We aim to open the Campus Housing application during the Spring 2021 semester, but will likely delay students’ selection of rooms until Summer 2021.
Other Fall 2021 Planning
Much about fall semester remains to be determined including move-in dates and logistics, Orientation program plans for incoming first-years and rising sophomores, COVID-19 related health and safety measures on-campus (I.e. social distancing, face coverings, guests, gatherings, etc.), and more. We encourage students to stay tuned to their email for updates as we have them as well as for input and open forum opportunities as we have them.
We remain optimistic about the potential of a modified fall return to campus and will do our best to communicate updates as we have them. We appreciate everyone’s patience throughout the process. As questions emerge, please reach out!
Our best,
Residence Life
Kirsten Carrier and Josh
Kirsten Carrier, M.S. (she/her/hers)
Associate Dean of Students and Director of Residence Life and Conference Services
Josh Scacco, M.Ed. (He/Him/His)
Associate Director of Residence Life
