Over the past several months, Campus Life has been evaluating the Harstad Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equity learning community and the increasing interest of students seeking Upper Division learning communities. Upper Division housing and interest in single-rooms have increased exponentially in the past several years and our office is working to accommodate the growing number of requests for these types of rooms.
As a result, Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equity will be relocating to Stuen Hall and Upper Division singles will be housed in Harstad Hall beginning Fall 2023.
We understand that this change will be exciting for some and will also be discouraging for others. Our department hopes to answer many of your questions with the follow page.
Why is Campus Life making this change?
Upper Division housing and interest in single-rooms has increased exponentially in the past several years and our office is working to accommodate the growing number of requests for these types of rooms. Please know that Campus Life makes every effort to support students and to track changing trends and interest in order to meet students’ requests. The decision to move LC’s was based on data, trend lines and feedback shared on campus.
The Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equity learning community will continue to focus on learning outcomes through programming and community building activities throughout the year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please review the questions below regarding the changes that will be made to Harstad and Stuen. Campus Life will start converting Harstad rooms to single rooms and Stuen rooms to double rooms during the Summer of 2023 to be ready for Fall 2023.
Changes to Harstad Hall
Stuen Hall is currently able to offer 52 upper division single rooms for students. Harstad Hall will be able to increase this number to 98 upper division rooms. This may allow for Campus Life to be able to offer more students single rooms in total throughout all halls on campus.
Harstad Hall and South Hall will be the only halls that will feature Upper Division learning communities. Students who are approved for single rooms and meet the upper division criteria are eligible for the upper division room rate anywhere on campus.
Yes. Harstad Hall will become a mixed-gender hall beginning Fall 2023. All floors and wings will be mixed-gender. Restroom and showering facilities will be designated for male and female identifying students within the hall.
Campus Life will continue to uphold the upper division alcohol policy that Stuen Hall currently implements. This policy permits alcoholic beverages in a resident’s room as long as the resident and any visiting guests meet the legal drinking age (21). Please review the Stuen Hall Alcohol Policy page for more information.
An Upper Division Single room is equal to the cost of a double room plus an additional 20%. All rooms in Harstad will be charged at the upper division rate regardless of shape and/or size of the room. Please review the rates and dates for the 2023-2024 academic year here.
**Students assigned to single rooms in other traditional halls that meet the upper division criteria, will be charged this same rate, which is lower than the regular single-double or designed-single rate.
Harstad Hall will have four Upper Division Double rooms located on the first floor of Harstad Hall for an upper division-double rate. These rooms were previously triple rooms and are significantly larger in size. The upper division-double rate will be slightly lower than the upper division single rate.
- Large lounge spaces on each floor
- 4 Lounges with community TVs
- 4 lounges with whiteboards for studying
- Fireplace on 4th Floor lounge
- Community kitchens located on the second, third and fourth floors
- Elevator and stair access
- Laundry facilities in the basement
Parking
Harstad Hall has a designated parking lot located on the east side of the building on Park Ave. Harstad Hall residents with a returner/continuing student parking decal will be permitted to park in the Harstad Lot.
Students who are interested in living in an upper division learning community can apply through the Living Plans and Learning Community Application. Applications for all upper division housing will be due February 15, 2023 at 11:59pm.
Harstad rooms come furnished with the following furniture
- One twin-XL mattress and bedframe
- Option to loft bed
- Two desks with chairs
- Two dressers
- Two closets
- One trash and recycle bin each
- * Harstad first floor rooms do not have closets, but have additional wardrobes for hanging and storing clothes.
**Students living in the upper division-double will have 2 beds, 3 desks with chairs, and 3 wardrobes and dressers.
Yes. As a part of the upper division learning community, Harstad residents will be eligible for the reduced Meal Plan E option. Harstad residents may not opt out of having a meal plan but will have the choice of a smaller, dining-dollars only meal plan. Please review the Meal Plan Descriptions page for more information.
Harstad Hall is equipped with an elevator for mobility access. Access to the elevator from the exterior of the building can be found on the west side of the building through the bike co-op.
Harstad Hall also has one unit with a private bathroom that is reserved for medical accommodations. Students who would like to request need-based housing accommodations* must do so through the Accessibility and Accommodation application.
Students who are approved for medical singles through the Accessibility and Accommodation application can live in Harstad Hall, as long as they meet the upper division requirements. Medically approved single rooms will be charged at the upper division single room rate and will not be offered at a reduced price.
*Students who would like to request the single-room with bath accommodation in Harstad hall must meet the upper division criteria in order to be assigned. PLU has additional single-room with bath accommodation rooms in other traditional hall housing for students who do not meet the criteria.
Changes to Stuen
Yes. In keeping with the Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equity learning community, Stuen Hall will now be a female and gender-non-binary identifying hall. All restroom facilities within Stuen Hall are gender-inclusive. Restroom and showering facilities will be designated for female and gender non-binary identifying students.
Male-identifying students will not be permitted to live in the learning community but are welcome to visit students as guests. Male-identifying visitors will have access to the single use public restrooms located on the first and basement floors of the building.
- Large lounge spaces on each floor with TVs and seating
- First floor lounge has a gas fireplace and kitchen access
- Basement with a fully stocked game room
- Laundry facilities in the basement of the building
- Large first floor kitchen and additional kitchens on 2nd and 3rd
- Bathroom facilities with increased privacy with stall dividers extending from floor to ceiling and changing space in showers
- Tap card access to rooms – no physical keys!
- Indoor recycle rooms on each floor
Yes. Campus Life will be designating a small number of single rooms for students who are approved for the Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equity learning community to pick from during the Room Selection Event. Students who are approved for both a single room and the learning community will have the opportunity to live in a single-double room in the hall.
Stuen rooms will be set up in a double-occupancy configuration and come furnished with the following furniture
- Two twin-XL mattresses and bedframes
- Option to loft bed
- Two desks with chairs
- Two built in bookshelves
- Two dressers with shared vanity
- Two closets
- One trash and two recycle bins
No. Stuen Hall residents will be required to choose from meal plan options A-D. Students assigned to single room in Stuen will be required to choose from these meal options even if they qualify for an upper division room rate.
No. Per Campus Life policies, as a traditional hall, the Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equity learning community does not allow alcoholic beverages in any resident rooms regardless of meeting the legal drinking age.
Additional Questions?
If you have any additional questions not addressed on this page, please reach out to Campus Life at RLIF@plu.edu or 253-535-7200.
Our office is located in AUC 161 and is open weekdays from 8:00am – 5:00pm*
*Closed 12:00pm-1:00pm for lunch.
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