Residence Life and Housing
(440) 826-2114
reslife@bw.edu
Living On BW's Campus
Discover life on campus at Baldwin Wallace – imagine waking up in your residence hall in the morning, grabbing a quick breakfast with a friend, followed by a short walk to your first class of the day. By living on campus, you’ll easily make connections and stay involved, plus everything you need is nearby – from grocery shopping to restaurants to the library. Living on BW's campus means you’ll be surrounded by the support of faculty and peers throughout your academic journey.
Beginning with the incoming class of fall 2023, all full-time students are required to live on campus their first three years entering Baldwin Wallace University. Residency exemptions are made for commuting students who are living with their family or have other qualifying circumstances. Apartment and house options are available to third-year students and higher.
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The Front Street lounge offers an ideal space to study or gather with friends, right above downtown Berea.
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Front Street residents can use the shared kitchen area to make a meal or use the lounge area to watch TV.
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A double room in Front Street provides the perfect shared space to hang out.
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Front Street Residence Hall has ample space with its studio or double rooms.
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Make your Front Street dorm room your own perfect study spot.
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Double Room Suite in Davidson Commons
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Double Room in Davidson Commons
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Shared Suite in Davidson Commons
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Lounge in Davidson Commons
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Kitchen in Davidson Commons
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Double Room in Carmel Living Learning Center
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Double Room in Constitution Hall
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Lounge in Ernsthausen Hall
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Kitchen in Ernsthausen Hall
Undergraduate Housing
- Residence Halls
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R. Amelia Harding House for Sustainable Living, 77 W. Bagley Road
Harding House accommodates students in single and double rooms that are co-educational by floor. Harding House, which was renovated using environmentally sound materials and techniques, offers a supportive community to students with a mind toward reducing their environmental footprint. The building features a garden, energy use monitoring and indoor bike storage to encourage bike riding instead of driving. It is also air-conditioned, handicap accessible and includes an elevator. Harding House does not have vending machines because of the environmental impact they have due to the individual packaging of items and the energy used by the machine to operate. In the fall of 2014, Harding House received Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Certification.
Constitution Hall, 144 Tressel Street
Constitution Hall houses students in single and double rooms that are co-educational by floor. The building has East and West sections with single gender restrooms and shower areas per floor. There are two lounges in each section for social and study activities, newly renovated kitchen in Constitution West and an outdoor recreational space that includes a basketball court. It’s home to first-year students.
Davidson Commons, 63 Beech Street
Davidson Hall
Klein Hall
Saylor HallDavidson Commons houses returning BW students in four and six person suite-style rooms that are co-educational by suite.
Davidson Commons is comprised of 54,688-square feet of new and renovated space and also includes Klein and Saylor halls. Davidson hall has study lounges, a large glass walled atrium for studying and events, modern kitchens and indoor bike storage. The halls also use geo-exchange technology for heating, which is eco-friendly and allows individual room heating and cooling. Another eco-friendly feature of Davidson Commons is a large outdoor green space with sustainable elements including native plantings and a butterfly garden where students can gather, socialize or study. Davidson Hall also has a gas fireplace for residents to enjoy.
In addition to the standard furniture provided in all halls, suites contain a dining table with four chairs and two sofa style chairs. The four person suites also contain a loveseat and end table while the six person suites contain a couch and coffee table. The double rooms that are not part of a suite contain a sofa style chair. Each suite also has its own bathroom. Davidson Commons has handicap accessible rooms available.
Ernsthausen Hall, 84 Tressel Street
Ernsthausen Hall houses students in single and double rooms that are co-educational by room. The hall features central air-conditioning, a laundry area per floor, two vending areas, and single gender restrooms and shower areas per wing. The main lounge features a two-story cathedral ceiling with a gas fireplace. There are two additional lounges on the upper floor, as well as lounges at the end of each of the eight hallways. The building is handicap accessible and has an elevator. Ernsthausen was the first residence hall in Ohio with geothermal heating and cooling. Ernsthausen houses students who participate in fraternity and sorority life.
Findley Hall, 265 Beech Street
Findley Hall houses students in single and double rooms that are co-educational by floor. The hall is air-conditioned and the main lounge is a favorite gathering place for students who enjoy the large screen TV and fireplace. Findley also features a large multipurpose room and kitchen with ping-pong and ample space for studying as well as providing easy access to the basketball and sand volleyball courts on the North Quad.
Front Street Residence Hall, 110 Front St.
Front Street Residence Hall opened in fall 2018 as BW's newest residence hall. The building houses students in studio and double rooms on three floors of a mixed-use complex. The ground floor commercial space includes The Buzz on Front (BW spirit shop), Starbucks and more.
Heritage Hall, 114 Tressel Street
Heritage Hall houses students in double and triple rooms that are co-educational by floor. Heritage is BW's largest residence hall and is divided into five sections. It’s home to first-year students. Heritage features a kitchenette, four section lounges which are used as social and study spaces and a large main lounge. The hall also houses Aramark, Printing Services, and the Commuter Student Lounge.
Lang Hall, 253 Beech Street
Lang Hall houses students in single, double and triple rooms that are co-educational by floor. There are large lounges on the first and fourth floors along with a kitchen on the first floor. Lang is the only residence hall with its own dining hall. Lang also has easy access to the basketball and sand volleyball courts on the North Quad.
- Living-Learning Communities
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21 Beech, 21 Beech Street
21 Beech houses first-year conservatory students in double rooms that are co-educational by floor. The hall features both a study lounge and a social lounge, as well as a kitchen. The entire building is air-conditioned and designed to create a house-like setting.
Carmel Living Learning Center, 135 E. Tressel Street
Carmel Living Learning Center houses students in double rooms that are co-educational by room. The hall features suite-style rooms with a two-person room connected to a neighboring two-person room through a shared restroom and shower area. The hall has lounges at both ends of each floor, classrooms in the middle of the second and third floors, and a common kitchen at the east end of the first floor. It is also air-conditioned, handicap accessible and includes an elevator.
Students who participate in the Honors Program are eligible to live in Carmel.
North Hall, 309 Beech Street
North Hall was newly renovated for fall 2022! It houses students in double rooms that are co-educational by room. The hall features double rooms with salon-style community bathrooms (private sink, shower and toilet area). It has a large gathering space on the first floor with a new kitchen, as well as a new multipurpose room that can be used for wellness, classroom space and hall programming. It is also air-conditioned, handicap accessible and includes an elevator. STEM students are eligible and encouraged to live in North Hall.
- BW Apartments
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Floreske Apartments, 219 Seminary Street
The Floreske Apartments house students in double and quad units. Apartments include:
- Carpet throughout rooms, hallway and living room. The two quad apartments have hardwood flooring in the bedrooms
- Appliances (refrigerator and stove)
- Furniture (beds, dressers, desks, chairs and dining sets)
- Cable and data ports
- Wireless Internet access on the BW network
- All utilities
- Parking lot
Hamilton House, 375 & 381 Front Street
The Hamilton House apartment complex houses students in single, double and triple units. Apartments include:
- Carpet throughout hallway living room, and most bedrooms.
- Appliances (refrigerator and stove)
- Furniture (beds, dressers, desks, desk chairs and dining sets)
- Cable and data ports in living room and bedroom
- Wireless Internet access on the BW network
- All utilities, including air conditioning
- Parking lot
- 2022-23 Undergraduate Room Rates
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The following rates are in place for the 2022-23 academic year. Rates are per person.
Residence Halls (non-suite style)
(21 Beech, Amelia Harding House, Carmel, Constitution, Ernsthausen, Findley, Heritage, North and Lang Halls)
Room Type Per Semester Entire Academic Year Single $3,693 $7,386 Double* $3,129 $6,258 Triple $2,756 $5,512 *Financial aid packages are based on the standard double rate
Davidson Commons and Front St. Residence HallRoom Type Per Semester Entire Academic Year Single $4,188 $8,376 Suite Room (Double) $3,748 $7,496 **Davidson Commons only
BW ApartmentsRoom Type Per Semester Entire Academic Year 1 bedroom, 2 person $3,338 $6,676 2 bedroom, 3 person $3,133 $6,266 2 bedroom, 4 person $2,967 $5,943 - FAQs
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When will I find out where I am living?
Current students will select housing assignments on April 3. Current students can log in to Jacket Connect for details. Incoming students who apply by June 1 will select housing on June 15. Those who apply after June 1 will be assigned on a rolling basis. Please check your BW email address for information on the process and housing assignments.
Can I see my room before moving in?
Due to summer conferences, rooms are not available for viewing or measuring prior to check in. The Admission Office does include a "show room" visit during campus tours. Videos of residence hall rooms are also available to current BW students at bw.erezlife.com under resources.
What comes with my room?
All rooms have the following furniture:
- Extra-long twin bed per student
- Closet or movable wardrobe
- Dresser space
- Desk and chair per student
- Wastebasket - uses tall kitchen bags
- Recycle bin
- Horizontal blinds - wait until you move in and measure your windows before purchasing additional window treatments.
See a complete list of amenities for each residence hall.
What should I bring?
Print this list for an easy guide of the items you should bring to campus.
Note: Residents of Davidson Commons (Davidson, Klein and Saylor halls), Harding House (first floor only), Carmel, Front Street Residence Hall, campus apartments or a room that has a private bathroom, MUST bring toilet, shower and sink cleaning supplies.
BW partners with Bedloft.com to rent MicroFridges to students. The eco-friendly unit has 2.9 cubic feet total storage capacity, including a full freezer and a 600 watt microwave. You can pre-order a Microfridge and have it delivered to your room before move-in day. MicroFridges may also be rented on move-in day, but quantities will be limited.
What am I not allowed to bring?
You should NOT bring the following:
- Candles and incense (even decorative)
- Coffee pots with hot plates
- Contact/wall paper
- Dartboards with metal tipped darts
- Flammables (gasoline, propane, etc.)
- Freezers
- George Foreman Grills and similar type grills
- Halogen lights/lamps
- Hotplate, toaster, toaster ovens or other appliances with exposed heating elements
- Illegal drugs
- Pets except for fish in a 20-gallon or less aquarium
- Space heaters
- Street signs
- Weapons or ammunition of any kind (including martial arts weapons, air-soft style or paint ball equipment)
Is my room air conditioned?
Air conditioning is provided in 21 Beech, Amelia Harding, Carmel, Ernsthausen, Findley, Front Street, and Davidson Commons.
Residential rooms in Constitution, Floreske, Heritage, and Lang do not have air conditioning. However, students are permitted to bring and set up one (1) portable air conditioner per room. Students must coordinate with their roommate(s) to purchase a unit. These requirements must be followed:
- Only portable floor-style units are permitted. Window units are no longer permitted. Any window units installed in rooms will be removed by the BW Buildings and Grounds department.
- While BW does not endorse any brands or suppliers, the following units have the correct specifications and can only be used in student rooms in the buildings listed above.
- The unit must be 6,000 BTUs or less.
- When purchasing an air conditioner, confirm that it is an air conditioner and not an evaporative cooler.
- The unit must not draw more than 12 amps.
- The unit must be plugged into the gray receptacles in rooms in the wiremold (see example).
- Microwaves or other appliances that draw a lot of power may not be in the same outlet.
- Students are responsible for installation. If the window seal is too short, a piece of plywood and painter’s tape can be provided by a residence hall staff member.
- The unit must be regularly maintained (filters cleaned and water drained properly if applicable) by the student(s).
Baldwin Wallace University reserves the right to inspect rooms to make sure air conditioners are plugged into the correct outlet and outlets are not overloaded. BW is not responsible for repairs to portable air conditioners.
Are residence halls co-educational?
All halls are co-educational. Some are co-educational by floor (one gender per floor) and others are co-educational by room (one gender per room, but the floor may have rooms with the opposite gender). Floors that are co-educational by room have separate bathroom facilities for each gender. Gender inclusive housing is also available on campus.
Can I loft my bed?
BW partners with Bedloft.com to provide a loft rental program. Renting a bed loft is an easy, affordable way to create additional living space in your room. You can pre-order a loft online and have it delivered to your room before move-in day. Lofts may also be rented on move-in day, but availability will be limited. Bedloft is the only loft endorsed and approved by Baldwin Wallace University.
Students are not permitted to bring in personal lofts.
Note: Ernsthausen includes everything you need to loft your bed. The second and third floor suites in Davidson cannot accommodate lofted beds.
Are animals allowed?
Pets are not permitted in the residence halls with the exception of small fish (as noted in student handbook).
Emotional Support Animals (ESA), once approved through residence life, are permitted in University housing. For the complete ESA rules, procedures and application forms, visit our MyBW page or email reslife@bw.edu.
Service animals, as defined by the ADA, are permitted in University housing. Students are encouraged to voluntarily provide information about their service animal to residence life so that appropriate staff (e.g. hall staff, custodial, campus maintenance, etc.) can be made aware of the presence of the service animal, ensure appropriate waste disposal options exist and alert emergency personnel if necessary.
What can be done if I don't like my room assignment?
A change process is available after the second week of classes each semester.
Can first-year students have cars on campus?
First-year residential students are permitted to have cars on campus. However, they may only park in the Center Parking Lot.
How often are rooms cleaned?
Students are responsible for cleaning their own rooms. Custodial staff are responsible for cleaning the public areas (hallways, lounges, etc.) and public restrooms. Students with bathroom facilities in their individual rooms or suites are responsible for cleaning their own bathrooms on a regular basis with their own cleaning supplies.
Am I able to store my belongings at BW over the summer?
Students are unable to store items at BW over the summer, however, BW is excited to recommend Storage Squad as a preferred storage provider.
- Storage Squad’s everyday low pricing is determined by size of item stored and includes free mega boxes, tape, pickup, four months of storage and re-delivery.
- Questions about storing with Storage Squad can be directed to support@storagesquad.com or (830) 200-0269.
Learn more about Storage Squad.
Please be aware that all transactions for summer storage are directly between the student and the vendor. BW Residence Life and Housing does not coordinate storage for individual student items, nor are we responsible for the individual business transactions made between the student and the vendor.
How do students submit a work order for their room (e.g., a burnt out lightbulb)?
Depending on the issue a student is experiencing, either BW Buildings and Grounds or Aramark will respond to the work order request. To submit a work order, students can inform a residence life staff member in their building or contact our office at (440) 826-2114 or reslife@bw.edu.
In case of an emergency that requires immediate attention after hours (flooding in a bathroom, a broken window, etc.), contact BW Safety & Security at (440) 826-2000.
How do students connect to Spectrum University?
If a student lives in BW housing, they have access to this service both while on campus at BW and while at home on break. As long as students continue to live in the residence halls, they will have access to this service. Please note if using the app to download the "Spectrum University" app rather than the "Spectrum TV" app.
- Watch Live TV on your PC/Notebook/MacBook Computer
- Download the SpectrumU app for your iPhone or iPad
- Download the SpectrumU app for your Google Android Device
- Download the SpectrumU app for your Amazon Device
- Download the SpectrumU app for your Amazon Device
How do I get mail?
The BW Mail Center receives student mail and packages, distributing mail every weekday to students' secured mailboxes in their residence halls. Packages are kept in the mail center in Bonds Hall for pick-up. Students are notified by email when a package is received. Outgoing mail pick up is also available to students.
- 2022-23 Housing Contracts
- Apply to Become a Resident Assistant (RA)
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A resident assistant (RA) is an undergraduate student staff member of Residence Life and Housing, and is an essential leader within the Baldwin Wallace University community. Major job responsibilities include:
- Being a resource to residential students.
- Educational and active programming.
- Policy enforcement and duty rotation.
- Some administrative tasks.
An RA is expected to be a person who genuinely cares about others, inspires respect, establishes a good example in attitude and behavior, and communicates well with others.
Apply to be a 2023-24 resident assistant.
Nominate someone to be a resident assistant.
Why Should You Apply to Become an RA?