FAQ
When can I start moving in? We encourage you to arrive early enough on Friday to begin doing some unpacking and getting settled before supper time and the Friday evening WELCOME WEEKEND activities. TUFW Residence Halls open for new students at 10:00 am (EDT) the Friday before the start of the Fall Semester. You should receive a Welcome Weekend brochure in the mail with more information about the entire weekend in mid-August. There are a lot of activities going on for students and families once you are all moved in.
Things to bring / things not to bring: See the "Packing List."
What about bathrooms and laundry facilities? On each floor, students share a central bathroom. There are washers and dryers in each building that are available for your use. A per semester fee allows usage without coins, much like doing laundry at home.
Furnishings: Each student has a bed, dresser, closet space, a mirror, a desk, and a chair. The mattresses on each bed are a standard twin size and the bed rolls in and out below a bookshelf bolster which when pushed in doubles as a couch.
Color: All on-campus residential rooms are painted off white with either off-white or wooden trim so you can choose any color for your personal decorations. Sorry, students are not allowed to re-paint the rooms.
Windows: There are mini-blinds in each room, so there is no need to furnish your own. Students who desire to have curtains may bring them. However, only pressure rods can be used for curtain hanging since there is no hardware.
Can I have a car? All students may have cars on campus provided the cars are registered properly and display the appropriate stickers. Anyone operating a vehicle on campus is assumed to have valid motor vehicle insurance coverage. Anyone discovered to have a lapsed or cancelled policy, will have their campus driving privileges immediately revoked until vehicle insurance coverage is reinstated. There is limited parking near Bethany and Oakwood...but plenty of parking space in our Hausser, Eicher and Witmer parking lots where most first year students can park. The sidewalks between Eicher / Witmer lots and the residence halls are well lit at night. There is no parking on streets in residential areas.
What about students with no cars? Within a half mile of campus are drug stores, convenience stores, discount stores, grocery stores, banks, fast food establishments, regular restaurants, and churches. Anything that cannot be purchased in our campus bookstore can be easily and conveniently purchased nearby. Glenbrook Square is an indoor shopping mall and is only a 15 to 20 minute drive north of campus. One of the city's largest parks is just three blocks from campus and our River Greenway system goes through this park on its way around Fort Wayne. Thus, students with bicycles can easily bike the Greenway. And there are always students driving places who would be more than willing to have some company!
Room temperature: None of the residence halls are air conditioned, so you might want to bring a fan for those unusually warm fall and spring days. Most of the residence halls are well shaded, so rooms generally stay comfortable. Since we don't have the electrical capacity for window air conditioners, none are allowed (unless absolutely necessary for health purposes and with a note from a doctor).
Storage: There is limited storage in each residence hall. During the year each person will be allowed to store two or three personal items, such as a bicycle, suitcase or Rubbermaid container. Bicycles MUST be registered in your hall when you check in.
A word about telephones: Each room has a phone that's on the campus-wide voice mailbox network and has built-in "answering machine" capabilities. Therefore, do not bring an answering machine. You will receive information when you arrive about how the system works and how you can place long distance phone calls.
Do the rooms have Internet access? Our residence hall rooms are networked. If a student wants to use the Internet on their personal computer in their room, they must have purchased a wireless Internet Access Card. In addition, the Calvin English Library has laptops that are able to be checked out for use in the library which also has a wireless Internet connection.
Electrical outlets and lighting: There are outlets in each room, so you might not need extension cords or multi-outlet strips. However, you are welcome to bring them if you think they are necessary for your electrical needs. There is an overhead light in each room. In Hausser Hall, there is also a desk light and light over the mirror above the dresser.
Carpeting: You are welcome to bring carpeting for your room IF it meets current FHA requirements and has a 0-75 Flame Spreading Rating (carpet dealers have this information).
Clothing for Northeastern Indiana and the Taylor University Fort Wayne campus: We're often asked about temperature, acceptable clothing, etc. Fort Wayne can get a lot of rain year round, so bring an umbrella; but we also have lots of bright, sunny days! Our winter stretches between January and March usually has temperatures and wind chill factors well below zero, snow and lots of ice. Be sure you have a heavy winter coat and a good pair of snow boots! Students' attire can range from jeans/slacks/walking shorts/casual skirts to dressier clothing. There are also guidelines to acceptable campus attire in the Student Handbook that you will be receiving on Welcome Weekend. This can answer any other questions you may have about appropriate clothing.
More Questions? We've tried to answer the most often asked questions. However, if you have specific questions we haven't addressed, we'd be delighted to talk with you. Please give our office a call at 260.744.8633. Student Development Office hours are Monday-Friday, 7:45 am - 4:30 pm EDT. If we are away from our desks when you call, please leave a message and we'll call you back.