Housing Selection for 2020-2021: Please note, because of the suspension of the residential program for spring semester 2020, the timeline of the housing selection process has not yet been finalized. Students will be informed via Kenyon email when the selection process for the 2020-2021 academic year will begin.
The housing selection process will be facilitated through the online Residence housing program. Below are step-by-step instructions on the process as well as tips and suggestions. Please make sure to read the instructions carefully. If there are any questions, please contact the Office of Residential Life at 740-427-5142 or email reslife@kenyon.edu
Please note, if you have accepted a pre-housing assignment (accommodation, division/theme housing, etc.), or will be participating in off-campus study in fall 2020 or the entire academic year, 2020-2021, you will not participate in the online housing selection process.
View a pdf version of the Residence Housing Selection Instructions and Information with screenshots.
Residence is our newer online Housing Management System. Students will be able to select rooms during the housing selection processes, and soon be able to view their Room Condition Report, view contracts such as the Housing and Meal Plan Terms and Conditions, complete applications for Break Housing, Summer Housing and more.
The rules for the online process will be very similar to the in-person process in the past:
There are several ways to access the Residence system. We have linked it to your Personal Access Pages, at the top of this webpage, or by simply typing in residence.kenyon.edu into your browser. Please note that this will direct you to Duo as part of the SSO — you will need your phone/token to access the system.
Once on, you will see several tabs at the top including Home, Applications, Roommates, Room Selection (if available), My Account and More. Active processes such as applications (break forms, etc.) and selection will be shown on your home screen. You can also find them on the relevant tabs.
Please remember, if you have accepted a pre-housing assignment (accommodation, division/theme housing, etc.) or are participating in off-campus study (OCS) in fall 2020 or the entire academic year, you will not be a part of the online housing selection process and will not see this process active on your home page (or have a Room Selection tab).
If you have not been pre-housed or are not OCS in fall 2020 or for the entire year, and you do not have a Room Selection option on Residence, please contact the Office of Residential Life at 740-427-5142.
To enter the Selection Process, please click on the ‘Open’ button either on the Home page by Room Selection or on the Room Selection tab.
Once there, you will see several things of note. Near the top, left side of the page, you will see the selection process timeline. The first line is the time slot assigned to you. The next line is the time the selection process was displayed. The last line is the time the process will end.
As stated earlier, there will not be lottery numbers. Instead, you are randomly assigned a time slot based on seniority. Each student is given a 5-minute time slot. You can still choose a room after your 5-minute time slot (up until the end of the selection process). However at the end of your time slot, the next student’s 5-minute time slot begins and they can select a room.
In the top right corner is your name and your roommate code. This is the code you will need to form a group (see How to Form a Group section below for more info).
There is also a countdown clock. The clock will serve two functions. First, it will count down the time until your time slot begins. Once that time has come, the clock will switch over to counting down the time you have until the process is over. Again, you can select a room anytime from when your time slot begins until the end of the process. However, the time slot that is dedicated to only you is for five minutes from the time your time slot begins. If you do not want to run the risk of someone with a time slot after you from selecting your preferred room, you should make your room selection during your 5-minute time slot.
There are also two buttons in the center — "Update Roommates" and "Select a Room." This is where you will form your groups and view/select rooms.
Under those buttons you will find a "Search Resident Profiles" tab and a "Find Someone you Know" tab. The profile function has been disabled for the moment. However, the other tab (Find Someone you Know) is the tab that you will use to input a friend’s roommate code in order to form a group.
Lastly, in the box near the bottom, right side is where a list of your group members will be once a group has been formed. The message tab is deactivated at this time — please use Kenyon email to communicate with the group.
A group in Residence is two or more students who wish to live together, either in a residence hall, apartment or suite. For example: two people wishing to live in a double in Manning, three people looking for a triple in Hanna, six people trying for a six-person suite in Caples, or five people vying for an Acland Apartment — are all groups. When a group is formed, the "best" time slot of all the members will be used for the group’s selection time slot. That time slot will be displayed in the "Assigned Room Selection Time" (near the top, left side of the page under the "Room Selection" tab), and will be automatically adjusted if/when new members are added or members are removed from the group. A group will have members and a group leader.
Students who are planning on selecting a single room in a residence hall, will not have a group. They will select a single space (if available) on their own. Should a single room not be available at the time of selection, the student can either join/create a group or participate in the Option Housing process (please see the Option Housing section below).
The group leader is the one who will be able to add/remove members to a group and select a room/apt./suite for the group. Individual members will be able to remove themselves from a group as well, but will not be able to add members.
This group leader does NOT need to be the student with the ‘best’ time slot. As explained above, the group’s time slot is determined by the best time slot of the members. The group leader is the student who initiates forming a group. However, you can easily change the group leader to another member by hovering over a member’s name in the "My Group" box and clicking on the up arrow. Only the current group leader can make another member the group leader. Who is group leader will be especially important to consider (once a group has been formed and the group’s time slot is adjusted) to ensure that the current group leader will be available during the time slot to select housing for the group.
To form a group, you will first need your friend’s roommate code. Again, each student’s roommate code is found in the top right corner. Once you have their code, click on the "Find Someone you Know" tab and enter in their code.
Once you submit the code, your friend will receive an email (through Kenyon’s email) that will have a link in it. Once they click on the link, they will have the ability to Decline or Accept the group invite. They MUST check their email, click on that link, and Accept the invite in order to be part of the group.
It is imperative that you do this prior to selecting a room. First, it could affect the group’s time slot if they should have a better time. Second, they will not be part of the group until they accept the invite. This could affect your ability to fill a space. All spaces will need to be completely filled and will need groups fully formed (exception is for Option Housing — see below). For example, if you are attempting to get a four-person NCA and only three people have accepted the group’s invite… you will not be able to select any four-person NCA since you do not have the required number of people in your group. Please make sure to communicate with each other and check the status of your group members in the "My Group" box prior to the selection time slot so you are not having to scramble at the last minute to have everyone accept their invites and fully form the group.
However it may become necessary to add/remove members during the selection time (if your first choice is not available and you need to adjust your group for your second choice for housing). For example, if you have a five-person group and plan on selecting an Acland Apartment, but discover all Aclands are taken once your time slot opens and instead would like to select a four-person Morgan Apartment, you will need to remove a member of the group first in order to select a Morgan. Another example is if you have an eight-person group and there are no eight-person NCAs left and instead would like to break up into two four-person groups. The group leader can remove four members, who can then re-group together. You may also have to add a person(s) to group (going from a four-person New Apt. to a six-person group).
Remember – to add members or re-group, those new members will need to be available to check their email in order to accept their invite. So, if you have a second/third… choice of housing that has a different group number configuration, you will need to plan ahead if you are doing this during your time slot so everyone is available.
Tip – if a student declines a group’s invite and later changes their mind, they can only receive one invite from a person. This prevents someone for spamming someone with invites. A work-around for this is to either assign another person group leader and have them submit an invite, break up the group and re-form with a different person doing the invite, or if just two people.. have the person who declined the invite be the one to send an invite to the second person.
Note – since we have a seniority-based system, only groups within the same year can be formed. If you choose to have a mixed-group such as a group of seniors with jr/soph or a group of juniors with sophomores, you will need to select a space in-person in ResLife during the mix-group time (please see the Mix Group section below).
Adding members is the same as forming a group above. Only the group leader can add members. To remove a member, either the student can remove themselves by clicking "Leave Group" at the bottom of the "My Group" box or the group leader can remove any member by clicking on the "x" by the group members name in the "My Group" box. If the group leader should leave the group, another student is automatically assigned as group leader.
Once the process is open, you can view rooms, apartments, and suites by clicking on the "Select a Room" button.
From there, you are able to sort by Building or Floor. Note — the Room Attribute sorting is not available at this time.
You will see a list of spaces that are open. Once a room/apt/suite is selected, it will be removed completely from the list. The spaces that are shown are available, but may or may not be selected depending on your group size. Since our spaces must be completely filled, you will only be able to select a space that matches your group size. You can determine this by looking at the "Open Room" button at the end of each space. If it is blue — you can select that space. If it is white, you are not eligible. For example, our test student does not have a group. They are looking for a single. So only single rooms (or availability of 1) will be selectable. Doubles, triples, etc. are not selectable by this student.
Only group leaders can select a space and only once their time slot has started, however anyone can look at spaces. You can see additional info by clicking on the "Open Room" button as well. You can see this info whether the button is blue or white.
Once your time slot has opened, the group leader, or in this case a student without a group looking for a single, can select a space for housing. While this page can be seen at any time during the process, the box and "Finalize Selection" button will only be visible once the time slot for selection has opened.
If this was an apartment or suite with more than one room, each room would be displayed in the box with a drop-down list of members of your group. The group leader would then need to assign each member to a room. Once that has been completed, you simply click the "Finalize Selection" button and your housing has been selected.
Warning — once you finalize selection, you are unable to change your selection. The Selection Process will be closed and you will be unable to re-enter.
One very useful tool is the Favorite button either on the Open Room page or the Star button next to the list of rooms on the "Select a Room" page. Once a space is favorited, it will be shown on the "Select a Room" page under the Favorites section.
If a room has been favorited and another student then selects that room, it will automatically be removed from your favorite list (as well as the list of rooms).
Students are encouraged to use this function prior to their time slot starting and make a list of choices. This will make selecting a space during your time slot quick and easy without having to go search to see if your first choice is still available as well as your second choice. You will be able to tell immediately by looking at your favorite list to see what is still available.
Note — any member can favorite a space. However, only students without a group or the group leader’s favorites will show up in that list of favorites. General member favorites will only highlight the star and will not be listed in the Favorite list.
Tip – the list is populated by having the last space favorited snapping to the top of the favorite list. For example, if a student favorites a Bushnell room first and then a Leonard room, the Favorite list will have Leonard appear first and then Bushnell under it. So if you have a list of rooms you are interested in, add them to this favorite feature in reverse order of preference. By entering your least favorite first, and moving up to your first choice – the Favorite order in Residence will be in proper order. Again, when it comes time to select a room, you will already have your most preferred space at the top. Simple click on that space’s "Open Room" button and finalize your choice.
[This tip may not work for all, but has worked for some. Favoring is a great way to keep track of preferred spaces without going back and forth between buildings. But if the order can be placed as in order, that is even better. For students who need a proxy – if the order is not following suite as described above, please make sure to contact reslife@kenyon.edu with your preferred room order.]
For students who are unable to be present during their selection time slot due to work, class, athletic practice, or OCS with inconvenient time difference/poor internet, there are a few options.
If you are a member of a group, check to see if another member can be present during the selection time and have them be the group leader and do the selecting.
You can also wait until you are available. Remember, you do not have to select during your 5-minute time slot; you have until the end of the process to finalize your selection. However, if you are worried about your top choice being selected by the time you are able to select, you will need a proxy.
Please note — for those who are abroad and wish to select their own space, selection times are in the Eastern Standard Timezone. Make sure to convert your selection time to your current location’s timezone.
If selection options are not available and you are in need of a proxy, ResLife can select for you. In the past, a friend could be your proxy. However, with the online system, your friend will not have access to your account to select for you. Please do NOT share your password with anyone.
Please contact the Office of Residential Life at reslife@kenyon.edu or 740-427-5142 if you need us to be your proxy.
We will ask you to complete your Favorites list as instructed above. Make sure to put several choices on there, and put them in order so that your most preferred room is on top (remember to add them in reverse order — least favorite to most favorite; see instructions above on how to do that). You can also let us know if you just have a general preference — any double in Old Kenyon, any double north, etc. When your selection time slot opens, we will log in and assign you/your group a room based on preferences.
Groups that would like to have more than one class year in them will need to select housing in-person during their mixed-group time. Mixed-groups are unable to select online through Residence.
While mix-groups are unable to select a room online, they may be able to still form a group online.
It is not necessary for everyone in the group to come to the mixed-group selection, but it is fine they do. However for groups who will not all be present, it would be beneficial to form your group online. That way when you come to ResLife during your mix-group time, housing will be able to see that everyone has accepted being in the group.
If you do not form your group online or are unable to, and not all members can come to the mix-group selection, please have those who will not be present email either ResLife or a member of the group (who will be attending) that you agree to be part of the group.
Should housing be unavailable for a mixed-group, individuals will need to return to the general selection process online. Those whose selection time slot has already started will be able to form a new group (within the same class year) if they like or select a single on their own (if available). Those individuals whose selection time slot has not started yet will need to wait until it opens to select a room. They are also welcome to form new groups within their class year as well.
If an individual is unable to form a new group and they are unable to select a single room, that student will need to participate in the Option Housing process after the general process ends (please see the ‘Option Housing’ section below).
Option Housing is for students who are unable to select a single, and are unable to completely fill a double/triple/apartment/suite. Option Housing is not filled by groups, but instead individuals can fill spaces with in a room.
Since our process requires all rooms/apartments/suites be completely filled, students without a group will not be able to select any housing other than single rooms. However, sometimes due to cost or unavailability, singles are not an option.
For those cases, Option Housing is available. There have been doubles or triples set aside in each residence hall, as well as apartment spaces in New Apartments, NCAs, Morgan, Taft, and Acland Apartments.
Option Housing Selection will take place in the Office of Residential Life at a date to be determied. Students will be lined up according to their time slot and will then select their space.
These doubles or triples will be filled according to identifying gender and preference. A student may select a preferred building and if an option room is available, they can be placed there. The next student with the same identifying gender and preference for that building will be placed in that room as well.
Over the years, it has been brought to our attention than several students wished to live in an apartment, however because they were unable to fill one, they were not able to select an apartment during the selection process. By creating Option Apartments, students without a group will still have an opportunity to live in an apartment (providing availability based on random draw by seniority).
For these apartment spaces, students will be able to select available single rooms. For available double rooms in apartments, a student may pull in a roommate. If they do not have a roommate to pull in, the room will be treated like a residence hall option room and the next student with the same identifying gender and apartment preference will be placed in the double room with you.
Please note that the different rooms within an apartment may be mixed gendered, and so you may be sharing a common space/bathroom with opposite genders. All apartments are also able to accommodate Emotional Support Animals. If possible mix-genders and/or ESAs are a concern, you may want to consider an option room in a residence hall instead. Reminder — Manning and Mather are animal-free and will have option rooms available.
To participate in the Option Housing process, please come to the Office of Residential Life on the date to be determined.
Students who had hoped for a single, but were unable to select a single room during the general selection process due to unavailability, will need to come to the Option Housing process to select housing. Since a single may still be a student’s first choice, a Housing Wait-List will be available after all housing selection process have been completed.
If you have already selected a room during the general selection process, you will not be able to participate in the option housing process.