Residence Life

Greetings, new Catawba students! We are excited that you will be arriving on campus to live with us for the upcoming year! Below you will find information regarding the check-in and move-in process to welcome you and get you settled into your new home away from home!

Please review this information thoroughly. You will find all the information you need to make your pre-arrival, check-in, and move-in process successful!

All new students are expected to arrive on campus at their designated check-in day and time above. This information will be sent to your Catawba student email address.

All students will check in at Corriher-Linn-Black Library.

Pre-Arrival Preparation

• Reach out to your roommate (this information is available at erezlife.com). Discuss items you will bring, discover common interests, and discuss how you will communicate with each other.

Arrival & Check-In

• All residents should enter campus via Statesville Blvd and West Innes Street.
• Parking will be available in nearby lots at the library.
• Bring official identification (school ID, driver's license, state ID, etc.) and be prepared to show it upon check-in. If you did not receive your ID card at orientation, you will receive it upon check-in.
• To assist with crowd management, we ask that only students enter the check-in location to complete their check-in process. Families and friends can remain outside or near their vehicles in the parking lot.
• We cannot accommodate check-ins outside of these windows.
• During check-in, you will receive a placard indicating your residence hall location. This will assist the traffic control team in navigating you in the right direction. Please display this on your car’s dashboard.
• Please follow traffic control guidance to your check-in location. Directions to your specific residence hall will be provided at check-in. Do not go directly to your residence hall before checking in.
• During check-in, you will acknowledge any student holds, receive your room key, and get directions to your residence hall.
• Due to construction on campus, please follow all directions given to you by traffic control for a smooth move-in process.

Move-In Day

• We request you bring only one carload of items. Trailers or U-Haul vehicles are strongly discouraged.
• Label all items, boxes, containers, totes, etc. with your name, building, and room number.
• Once you are on campus, do not use GPS or map applications to navigate to your residence hall during move-in. We change traffic patterns for the day. Please follow traffic control guidance for directions.
• A team of volunteers will assist you with unloading your vehicle.
• While unloading your vehicle, the driver must stay with the vehicle.
• Residents and their guests are not permitted to park their car(s) in front of the residence halls during the move-in timeframe.
• Please be prepared to pull up to the unloading zone, unload, and immediately park your car in one of the following lots (Catawba College Parking Map)
  • P22
  • P23
  • P18
• Staff will take you back to the residence hall via golf-cart.
• Boxes, trash, and recycling containers will be available outside for items to be discarded. Please do not pile trash on the floors in the residence halls.

Getting Settled

• Residents are required to attend their mandatory residence hall meeting, where they will meet their Resident Assistant (RA) and learn university policies and standards for living well together.
• Residents are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to connect with one another through the Welcome Week Activities

Greetings, Catawba Students! We are thrilled that you will be living with us this year! We compiled everything you need to know to successfully return to campus and check into your residential community.

Please review this information thoroughly. You will find all the information you need to make your pre-arrival, check-in, and move-in process successful!

All returning students are expected to arrive on campus at their designated check-in day and time. This information will be sent to your Catawba student email address. Please make note of the following:

• We will not be able to accommodate your arriving on campus until your move-in date.
• Your room key will not be available until your move-in date.
• Exceptions will be made for students with pre-approved for early arrival.

All students will check in at Corriher-Linn-Black Library. During check-in, you will acknowledge any student holds, receive your room key, and can head to your residence hall.

Expect traffic delays and congestion on campus roads. Please plan to unload your car quickly and after unloading, promptly relocate your vehicle to a designated parking area.

General Items

• Bedding (twin XL)
• Broom / Small Vacuum Cleaner
• Cleaning Products
• Trash Can / Recycling Bin
• Headphones
• Plug Strip with Surge Protector (must have integrated circuit breaker)
• Flashlight
• Batteries
• Lamp / Desk Lamp (non-halogen)
• Stackable Storage System / Boxes
• Room Decorations

Personal Care/Hygiene Items

• Basic First Aid Kit
• Pain Reliever
• Prescription Drugs
• Contact Lens Supplies / Glasses
• Insurance Cards
• Medical Information
• Shower Shoes
• Toiletry Bag / Shower Caddy
• Towels / Washcloths

Clothing Related

• Clothes Hangers
• Laundry Detergent
• Laundry Bag / Hamper

For Classes and Studying

• General School Supplies (pencils/pens, paper, notebooks, etc.)
• Bookbag
• Calculator
• Paperclips
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Stapler
• Flash Drive

Hanging Items on Walls

• Command Strips
• Thumbtacks

NOTE: this is not an exhaustive list. For questions, please contact housing@catawba.edu.

• Any Type of Firearm or Bullets
• Weapons of any Kind
• Double-Sided Sticky Tape
• Wall-Mounted Bookshelf
• Wall-Mounted Mirror
• Wall-Mounted Frames
• Air Fryers
• Electric Skillet
• Expensive Jewelry
• Toaster Oven
• Oil Popcorn Popper
• George Foreman Grill
• Gas or Charcoal Grill
• Curtains (unless flame retardant)
• Lava Lamp
• Space Heaters
• Ceiling Fans
• Halogen Lamps
• Paintball, Water, Nerf, or Other Recreational/Toy Guns
• Pets (with the exception of fish in a 20-gallon tank or less)
• Hover Boards
• Scooters
• Electronic Skateboards
• LED Light Strips
• Waterbeds/Mattresses
• Illegal Drugs
• Drug Paraphernalia
• Candles (ceremonial, decorative, or display)
• Incense
• Hookahs
• Fireworks
• Non-Fire-Retardant Material Used to Decorate
• Wireless Routers
• Third Party Loft Beds
• Incandescent Bulbs
• Road/Traffic Signs or Safety Cones
• Extension Cords

Catawba is a residential college. Living in a residence hall is part of the educational experience, and ours represent the heart of the student experience. You’ll meet new people, share new ideas, overcome differences, and develop life-long friendships. Each hall has its own unique community, but every hall is “home.”

All full-time students (enrolled for 12 or more semester hours) who are not 21-years of age or older, and who do not live at home with their parents, guardians, or spouses, are required to live on-campus unless you have been granted an exception by the Director of Housing and Residence Life.

Guide to On-Campus Living 

Residence Halls 

Housing Contract

Visitation Policies & Guest Registration 

Campus Safety 

View the current academic calendar to find out when you can move into campus housing, when Catawba closes for breaks, and when you must vacate your room at the end of academic semesters.

Students needing to stay beyond Wednesday, December 6 at 7:00 p.m. must complete the late stay request. Please note that all students must complete this form on their own – housing and residence life cannot accept forms submitted by coaches, parents, or on a student’s behalf. Please note that this form is a request and is subject to denial.

You will receive information from your RA on how to prepare your room for the semester break. Here are some important reminders for all residents:

• Take home all valuable items including jewelry, medication, identification, electronic devices, or anything you may need during the break.
• Close and lock all windows (if applicable). Leave blind slats closed, tightly close all faucets, and turn off all lights.
• Set your thermostat to Auto, 72 degrees (if applicable).
• Clean room/apartment and remove all trash including, common/kitchen area, bedroom, and bathroom to the exterior dumpsters.
• Ensure common spaces are clean and free of any obstructions.
• Refrigerators (including minifridges) should remain plugged in, however, all perishables should be disposed of and refrigerators should be completely cleaned out.
• Unplug all electronic devices with the exception of refrigerators (regardless of size).

Room Selection: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Complete Your Housing Application

• Application Opens: February 16, 2026, at 12:00 PM
• Deadline: March 16, 2026, at 12:00 PM

To be eligible to participate in room selection, you must submit a housing application by the deadline.

1. Visit erezlife.com
2. Log in using:
   • Your student email address (without ‘@catawba.edu’)
   • Your password
3. Click on the “Housing Applications” tab
4. Complete the “AY 2026-27 (Fall 2026)” housing application
5. Submit your application
   • You will receive a confirmation email once your application is complete.

Important to Note: Students who do not submit a housing application by March 16 at 12:00 PM will not be eligible to participate in the Room Selection lottery. These students will be assigned to available rooms after the Room Selection process has concluded, based on remaining space availability.

Step 2: Review the Returning Student Room Selection Timeline

Mark these important dates to stay on track:

• February 16 at 12:00 PM
  • Housing application opens
  • Roommate grouping opens
• March 16 at 12:00 PM
  • Eligibility deadline for room selection – your housing application must be submitted by this time
• March 23
  • Room selection times are released and emailed to students
• March 24-27
  • Room Selection Period

Step 3: Create or Join a Roommate Group

Roommate groups allow you to select housing with another student. Roommate groups are not required, but if you have a preferred roommate in mind, it is important to follow these steps.

Roommate Group Guidelines

• Roommate groups must be within the same cohort (same class year or similar completed credit hours)
• Groups may include no more than two students
  • Larger groups may limit available room options during selection.
• Only students with completed housing applications may create or join a group
• Roommate requests must be mutual and confirmed before room selection

Creating a Roommate Group

1. Log into erezlife.com
2. Select “Create a Roommate Group for AY 2026-27 (Fall 2026)”
3. Select “Create new roommate group” and enter the name and Catawba email address of your preferred roommate.
4. The preferred roommate will receive an invitation via email, and they must accept the invitation within the housing application to join the group.
5. Ensure both students opt in and confirm the roommate group by following the above steps.

How Room Selection Works with a Roommate Group

• If your selected roommate has an earlier selection time, they may select a room on your behalf
• It is your responsibility to confirm that you were successfully pulled into the room
• If you are not placed as expected, you may select independently during your assigned lottery time

Attend a Roommate Matching Event (Optional)

If you do not have a roommate group and would like the opportunity to meet other individuals looking for roommates, we encourage you to participate in a roommate matching event.

Upcoming Events

• February 19: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• February 24: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• March 4: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

All events will take place in the Hurley Room on the first floor of Cannon Student Center. 

If you are moving to a different room for Spring 2024 or do not have a housing assignment for Spring 2024, you must complete the move-out process by 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

If you have already been approved to move to a new room or off campus for spring semester you must move out before going home for the break. Failure to move out of your Fall 2023 room may result in the room change/off campus approval being revoked.

All personal belongings including trash, food items, bathroom amenities, equipment and technology need to be removed from personal and/or common spaces prior to check-out. Before departing, your thermostat should be set to 72 degrees on Auto. Failure to do so may result in improper check-out fees.

If you are leaving and have roommates remaining in the same apartment for the next semester:

You will receive information from your RA during your community meeting on preparing to move out. Here are some important reminders for all residents:

• Make your space “Welcome Ready”: You are responsible for returning your space to the condition it was in when you moved in.
• Communicate with your roommates: Who will be responsible for ensuring each portion of your space is clean? When are each of you leaving?
• Plan and make a list: Don’t wait to decide when you are checking out. What do you need to accomplish before the end of the semester?
• Communicate with friends/family: Do you need a ride home? Who is taking which shared items? Does anyone need to help you move out? Can you start to move things home early?  Make sure you confirm these details early.
• Report facility issues (and missing keys) in advance: To simplify your checkout process, report any maintenance issues or lost keys to your RA immediately.
• Consider donating: Rather than throwing away unwanted items, consider donating them to a local charity.
• Ask for help: If you have any questions about the checkout process or need any assistance before the end of the semester, don’t hesitate to contact your RA or the housing and residence life office.

For additional questions, please contact the Housing and Residence Life Office via email at Housing@Catawba.edu.

Appliances and Cooking

The College has approved only a limited number of appliances that may be used in the residence halls. The following appliances are strictly prohibited: Open coil burners (hot plates), griddles or grills, regular toasters, electric hamburger or hotdog cookers (including George Foreman grills/Air fryers), indoor/outdoor grills or hibachis, and any high heat appliance capable of heating cooking oil to the boiling point. First violation of this policy will result in a fine of $50 per violation and immediate confiscation of banned items. Repeat offenses will be subject to additional disciplinary action.

Decorations

The College strictly prohibits LIVE Christmas trees. Also, holiday and decorative lighting that are not battery-operated is prohibited as decoration in the room as this does not comply with fire safety regulations. First violation will result in a fine of $50 per violation and immediate confiscation of banned items. Repeat offenses will be subject to additional disciplinary action.

Director/Assistant Directors are professional staff members of the College. They supervise RAs, respond to emergencies, counsel students, enforce College and residence hall regulations, help students adjust to college life, and much more.

Resident Assistants (RAs) are available in each living area or section of a residence hall. The RA is a current Catawba College student who is a liaison between the Office of Residence Life and students living on-campus. They help build community, advise and counsel students, coordinate hall activities, report conduct violations, help students adjust, and much more.

Catawba College has a four-year residency requirement which means you are expected to live on-campus for your four years. Each year, a limited number of students are granted an exception to live off-campus. In order to live off-campus, you must apply and be granted approval by the Director of Housing and Residence Life.

Applications to live off-campus must be received by March 1 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester. Failure to obtain approval to reside off-campus may result in having to pay housing fees.

Off-campus exceptions are not required for:

• Graduate students
• Non-traditional students
• Catawba Online students
• New students who are 21 years of age and older
• Students who are living with family and commuting within 25 miles
• Students who are married and/or have children

Contact

Questions? Contact us!