Colgate University’s Office of Residential Life (ResLife) issued several key changes to the housing selection process for sophomores on Jan. 20th. ResLife made adjustments to give students more freedom in their choice of residential-living for next year, as well as overall mobility across campus through an expansion of ’Gate Card access.
For the first time in many years, first-year and sophomore students now have card access to all living spaces up the hill from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and during this year’s housing selection, first-years are granted the liberty to choose a room assignment in any residential space — including those outside the student’s residential commons. They will also be able to make “rooming groups” with anyone from any commons during the 2026 housing application process. With these modifications to residential life for Colgate students already established, ResLife is looking to install a new way of camaraderie for students living on the hill during their early years at Colgate.
Prior to these adjustments made by ResLife, first and second-year students were housed based on a commons-system. Colgate has four commons that are closely tied to students’ first-year seminar: Brown, Ciccone, Hancock and Dart-Colegrove Commons encompass all residential buildings available for students during their first two years.
Prior to these changes, once placed into a dormitory their first year, a student only had access to that building and the others belonging to that commons. This meant exclusion from roughly 75% of the residential buildings on Colgate’s campus.
Some students familiar with this system, including first-year Ian Ntrivalas, said that it was far too restrictive and, in some ways, socially detrimental.
“I felt isolated because I was so distant from all [my] friends,” Ntrivalas said. “It was just a huge barrier when trying to form connections here.”
Other students, like first-year Kyle Fleshman, expressed that the new changes to residential rules will impact how and where they socialize in the future.
“I think the new access will allow me to more easily visit friends who live on other parts of campus, or in other residence halls,” Fleshman said.
ResLife’s decision to grant students access to all dormitory-style buildings has been met with welcoming sentiments. So far, this change has been cherished as a great move on behalf of the university, and many students hope the changes are permanent,
Having access to all buildings, students can now enjoy spending time beyond their accustomed living spaces. For many students having access to any residential building, especially during the winter months, can be incredibly important for protection from the cold. Also beneficial, some believe, is the opportunity to gain familiarity with all dormitories on campus.
Residential Life Director Mo Muckinhaupt explained that the open commons decision was made in an effort to maintain campus unity and encourage inclusivity among underclassmen.
“Community development is at the core of what Residential Life strives to achieve. And we know that students create community in many spaces,” Muckinhaupt said. “Extending access for first-year and sophomore students to all residential buildings up the hill directly supports community development as well as the ability of students to develop connections across all Commons.”
ResLife’s second change to housing at Colgate was permitting the ability for current first-years to choose any dormitory building as their residence for their sophomore year. Before these changes were installed, students could only choose to stay in a dormitory within their own commons. With new freedom granted by the university, many students are happy with their future housing prospects.
“Being able to choose a residential space in any building opens the options for who I can live with and where I can live,” Fleshman said. “Originally, I expected to be limited to my current commons, but now I have a plethora of options.”
Ntrivalas believes this move encourages students to break away from their commons social bubble by opening the door for rooming opportunities with those outside it.
“This system opens up the options not only for actual housing but also for who I can house with, instead of punishing me for choosing to live with someone outside of my commons,” Ntrivalas said.
Like with the first decision of granting students access to all residential halls from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. with their ’Gate cards, the Office of Residential Life came to this resolution based on direct student feedback. In a 2024 survey, it was reported that students wanted greater flexibility in their housing options and the ability to live with friends from outside of their commons.
“The decision to broaden housing options for sophomores came directly from student feedback in the 2024 senior survey, as well as surveys that Residential Life conducts each year after housing selection,” Muckinhaupt said. “Students indicated that even though there was an intercommons transfer process, they wanted greater flexibility in their housing options and the ability to live with their friends.”
