Living in a House at Carleton is an unique opportunity for upperclass students. Many Carleton students revel in the close relationships they form with housemates and enjoy living with friends. House residents share kitchen spaces, private bathrooms, lounge and other living spaces. With these additional amenities comes a greater need for responsibility and accountability. The following provides information about living in a house community at Carleton while also outlining some expectations house residents must take seriously to maintain safe, healthy, and sanitary house communities.
General Expectations of House Living
- Common Areas and Communal Responsibility – common spaces include living rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. You should treat all of these areas with respect, and consider how your actions might impact your community members who also use the spaces. You have a responsibility to keep these areas clean and clear.
- Chores and Cleanliness – each house will work with their Resident Assistant to determine procedures for ensuring house cleanliness. Chores and other responsibilities for keeping the house clean will be designated; however, we expect you to participate in this process. If you are assigned to complete a chore or task, you should follow through. During closing periods at the end of terms, you will also be responsible for supporting the overall cleaning and general closing procedure as directed by your Residence Life staff.
- Effective Communication – you should strive to be communicative with your Resident Assistant and fellow community members. If in the event you are unable to participate in an activity or complete a task for the house, you should seek to communicate this with housemates.
- Communal Respect – Respect the privacy and personal dignity of all members of the house community through practicing noise reduction, sharing common spaces, and refraining from entering the private room spaces of others without prior permission.
- Active Participation – Attend regular house meetings hosted by your Resident Assistant; provide advance notice if you cannot attend .
Cleaning / Custodial Cleaning in Houses
The kitchens, bathrooms, and common room spaces of all draw houses and interest houses are cleaned on a weekly basis by custodial staff. Bathrooms in Townhouses are only cleaned during Winter Break.
Custodians will be in houses cleaning between 2:00pm and 5:00pm, with the exception of Benton, Douglas, Faculty Club East, Wade, Neil, & Rice which are between 10:00am and 1:30pm This schedule can be found below and will also be posted in a common area of your house.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen | Aster A and B- Upper Units | Birch A and B - Upper Units | Allen (tidy) | Chaney (tidy) |
| Chaney | Benton | Douglas | Dacie Moses | Farm- Lower Unit |
| Parish (Daily) | Dacie Moses (tidy) | Farm - Upper Unit | Hickory A and B- Upper Units | Farm (tidy) - Upper Unit |
| Trillium - Upper Unit | Huntington | Geffert | Huntington (tidy) | Neil |
| Wade | Multicultural A (Casa) | Multicultural B (Kheya) | Jewett | Rice (tidy) |
| Page East | Wilson | Multicultural C (CHAI) | ||
| Prentice | Page West | |||
| Rice | Wade (tidy) | |||
Prior to the designated weekly cleaning time, residents are expected to:
- Remove all belongings from the shower and sink areas in bathrooms
- Declutter & organize the floor and furniture spaces in common rooms including organizing shoes/boots in entryways.
- Store all kitchen items inside cabinets or in individual rooms
- Wash and remove all dishes from the sink
- Refrain from using common spaces, bathrooms, and kitchens during the custodial cleaning time including cooking.
- Take out trash and recycling in common room containers
Townhouses Residents should follow the above expectations prior to leaving for Winter Break in addition to any other Residence Life expectations communicated related to closing procedures for Townhouses.
Waste Removal: Trash, Recycling, and Compost
| House | Collection Sites |
|---|---|
| Allen | Northfield Collection |
| Benton | Northfield Collection |
| Chaney | Central Collection site by Faculty Club garage |
| Douglas | Waste/Recycling: Central Collection site between Parish and Wade; Compost: Northfield Collection |
| Faculty Club | Central Collection site by Faculty Club garage |
| Geffert | Northfield Collection |
| Huntington | Northfield Collection |
| Jewett | Northfield Collection |
| Page East | Central Collection site at Nutting House |
| Page West | Central Collection site at Nutting House |
| Parish | Central Collection site between Parish and Wade |
| Prentice | Northfield Collection |
| Rice | Central Collection site by Rice |
| Townhouses | Central Collection site on the Musser side of Hall House |
| Wade | Central Collection site between Parish and Wade |
| Wilson | Northfield Collection |
Houses with Central Collection Sites
Trash and recycling
Students living in campus houses and townhouses are responsible for gathering in-unit trash and recycling and bringing it to the designated centralized waste containers listed below. Resident Assistants will create and send out a trash/recycling sign up form early in each term and residents are expected to sign up for at least one week/term to be responsible for trash and recycling removal.
For trash generated in individual rooms, students should bag trash and recycling themselves and deposit the bags in the designated college collection sites. Please do not put trash bags in the recycling container. Recycling must be loose when it enters the central collection site. To do this, empty the recyclable contents within the bin liner into the central container. Reuse the liner.
Spray container handles and tops down with disinfectant before and after putting waste in them to deter the spread of pathogens and viruses.
Compost
Houses are provided a small gallon pail(s). The pails are meant to be stored in kitchen freezers to prevent bacteria and mold formation. Residents can put any household compost in these small pails throughout the week.
The resident who has signed up for trash and recycling in any given week is also responsible for ensuring that the small compost pail in the freezer is emptied.
Residents can request additional gallons sized pails and 5 gallon pails through contacting your Area Director via email.
Northfield Collection Information
Trash and Recycling
Residents of theses house are responsible for removing trash and recycling from common areas of the house. Resident Assistants will work with residents to create and send out a trash/recycling sign up form early in each term and residents are expected to sign up for at least one week/term to be responsible for trash and recycling removal.
The City of Northfield provides these houses with large outdoor containers for trash and recycling. The exterior collection containers must be taken to the curb directly in front of the house on Sunday Night after 5pm in order for the City to collect trash and recycling the following day. Students should roll the city bins back to their houses Monday evening once it has been emptied. Recycling pick up occurs every other Monday. Students should work with their Resident Assist to create a schedule with details about who takes the bins to the curb and who returns the bins to the house.
For trash generated in individual rooms, students should bag trash and recycling themselves and deposit the bags in the containers outside. Please do not put trash bags in the recycling container. Empty your recycle from the plastic trash bag into the exterior container and throw the plastic bag in the trash container.
Spray container handles and tops down with disinfectant before and after putting waste in them to deter the spread of pathogens and viruses.
Compost
Each house is also provided a set of pails for compost collection. The smaller, gallon sized pails are meant to be stored in kitchen freezers. Residents can put any household compost in these small pails throughout the week. The compost will freeze and prevent bacteria and mold formation.
Each house is also given a 5 gallon pail(s). This 5 gallon pail should be stored on the porch of the house or next to the external trash/recycling containers. The resident who has signed up for trash and recycling in any given week is also responsible for ensuring that the small compost pail in the freezer is emptied into the larger 5 gallon pail outside. 5 gallon compost pails are to be placed at the curb for pick up on Mondays. You will be provided a new compost bag with each pick up.
Residents can request additional gallons sized pails and 5 gallon pails through contacting your Area Director via email.
To access the Northfield Trash, Recycling, and Compost schedule, click here.
Townhouses Waste Removal
Custodial Services does not assist Townhouse residents with trash, recycling, or compost removal from individual units. Residents are expected to deposit all apartment waste, recycling, and compost into the collection containers on the Musser side of Hall House.
These collection containers are removed for pick-up as follows:
- Trash: Friday mornings
- Recycle: Tuesday and Friday mornings
- Compost: Tuesday mornings
During this time, residents should plan keep their waste in the containers provided in the unit. Residents should never stack trash and recycling bags on the ground by the Hall House location. Trash and recycling left outside of collection containers may attract rodents that could pose a danger to community members.
All collection containers will be put back within 24 hours of the removal times listed above.
Each Townhouse suite should coordinate a schedule for removing trash, recycling, and compost between themselves early in the term.
Storage in Basements and Common Rooms
All student belongings should be stored in individual student rooms. Exceptions include items designated as interest house belongings. This applies only to interest house items that remain in the house from year to year (decor, small kitchen appliances, interest specific items).
Basements in interest houses and draw houses should not be used for personal storage. Items found in these spaces will be removed and the owner of the belongings will be charged for removal. Students are prohibited from storing items in Townhouse laundry rooms, custodial closets, or facilities closets.
Kitchen Supplies
House residents are permitted to store kitchen supplies and food in the kitchen cabinets and community refrigerators. Students should take an inventory of any stored food on a regular basis to ensure food stored in houses is not expired. Food stored in cabinets should be stored in sealed containers when possible to avoid attracting rodents, insects, harmful pathogens, and mold.