Student Housing FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. How many students live on campus?
Canisius is home to approximately 1,100 resident students. An additional 400-450 students live in the neighborhood surrounding the college. 

2. How much technology is available in college-owned housing?
100% All of our college-owned housing being offered includes computer and wireless access, and satellite TV. A 24-hour computer lab is available for students living in Bosch, Frisch and Dugan Halls in the connected Palisano Pavilion. There is also a 24-hour computer lab available to residents of the Village Townhouses and Delavan Townhouses in their Community Centers. 

3. What types of laundry facilities are available?
All college-owned housing at Canisius comes equipped with coin-free washers and dryers. The cost of doing laundry is included in the room rate. Resident students have unlimited access to the laundry facilities. LaundryView, a web-based platform, provides students with real-time online information, from their computers, on about washer and dryer availability, and how much time is left on the loads of laundry they are currently doing. The convenient monitoring system includes as well as statistics that show when the best time to do laundry in a particular laundry room based on actual use.

4. Can I get my deposit back if I decide not to move in?
In order to receive a housing and food contract, a student must pay a non-refundable deposit ($200 dollars for freshmen and returning residents), which serves as a down payment for a yearlong housing and food contract. This is not a damage deposit and therefore is not refundable. If the student fulfills the conditions of the contract, the deposit is credited toward the Spring semester's housing and food bill.

5. Is college housing available during college vacation periods?
Only in-season approved student athletes and international students are permitted to stay on-campus during break periods. Summer housing is based on an application process and is restricted to students attending summer school or working for the college.

6. How does Student life assign freshman roommates?
Housing is assigned based on an online housing application that is filled out by all incoming deposited students after they submit their deposits. The application asks questions such as: Are you a morning person? What are your hobbies? etc. This is also where On the application students may also request specific students they wish to be matched with. The date that the incoming student makes their deposit is also used to determine whether or not they can receive their building or roommate preference.

7. What is the role of the Resident Assistant (RA)?
The Office of Student Life employs sophomore, junior, senior, and graduate students for leadership roles in the residence halls.  There are RAs assigned to each floor in all of our residence halls.  The RA works to create a community among the students on their floor and throughout the building through by assisting students in need, enforcing college policies, and serving as a mentor.

8. How do you pick where you live after your freshman year?
We hold an online Housing Selection process in March or April of each year where so current residents can select their roommates and housing for the upcoming year. The process is based on points students earn for the following categories: GPA (the higher your GPA, the more points you earn), number of credits earned and the number of semesters lived in college housing. A group of four friends would can create a team, in which case each of their point totals would be added together and that total would be ranked in a highest to lowest order. The team with the highest number of points would be assigned to their first preference and so on until all teams are assigned a place to live.  

9. What is the Snowbound Program?
The Snowbound Program is a program where we allow commuter students an opportunity to live in college housing for roughly 40 days during each semester. It is only offered when there is space available. The student would pay a daily rate for the days he/she lives on campus (its reflecting the actual semester rate broken down to a daily rate). At the end of the 40 days, they have to make a choice of must choose to either become a permanent resident or move home. Typically 80% of the people who participate in the program choose to remain in the residence halls. 

10. Are all Canisius students required to live on campus?
Unless they live with their families (parents or legal guardians) and are commuting from home, only freshmen and sophomores are required to live on campus. However, we encourage all students to consider living on campus for part of all of their time at Canisius. We believe that spending time on campus in close community with peers enables each student to make the most of their college experience.