Residence halls on the Pleasantville campus

What to Bring and What Not to Bring

What to Bring (and What Not to Bring) 

This guide will help you in planning for your year in housing and packing for your arrival on campus. This is not an exhaustive list, either of what is recommended to bring. Also, while we have provided a thorough list of prohibited items, additional restrictions may apply, as the university reserves the right to restrict items as deemed necessary for community safety. Please refer to the Guide to Residential Living (PDF) for more details. It is strongly advised that if you are uncertain about whether or not an item is permitted, students move in without the item, and check with a housing staff member before bringing the item into the residence halls.

The information below is divided into two sections: Household Items and Appliances and Electronics. Please be sure to review both lists.

  • Most students bring…

    • Toiletries, including toilet paper, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, deodorant, etc. (toilet paper is not provided in rooms/suites that have a private bathroom)
    • A bathroom caddie for keeping your things together and clean
    • Shower shoes and/or slippers
    • Hangers, laundry bag or basket
    • Linens, towels, bedding, pillow; our mattresses are slightly longer (78”) than standard, so they usually fit both extra-long twin and regular twin sheets
    • Cleaning supplies – students are responsible for cleaning their own rooms, and in rooms/suites that have a private bathroom, they are responsible for cleaning the bathrooms as well
    • Posters/pictures with mounting materials – students must use mounting systems that do not leave residue or otherwise mar the. Students are encouraged to decorate their space but will be charged for wall damages or walls that need to be repainted after they move out. Keep in mind that even products advertised to not damage walls may actually cause damage. Students are urged to use caution whenever affixing anything to the walls of their room.
    • A small personal fan – we suggest one that clips to your bed’s headboard; if you want to bring a large fan, we suggest you coordinate with your roommate(s)/suitemates first
    • Seasonally appropriate clothing – we strongly advise that, unless they will not have the opportunity to get home before the onset of colder weather, that students do not bring their entire winter wardrobe at the start of the academic year
    • In Pleasantville, we recommend that students who bring cars also keep a snow shovel and snow brush/scraper in their car (residential first-year/freshman students are not permitted to have cars on campus).

    You should probably coordinate with your roommate(s)/suitemates before packing the following items…

    • Garbage pail and liners for the room
    • Organizing items such as storage bins, plastic drawers, under-bed storage, etc.
    • Pots, pans, plates, utensils – students are permitted to cook in kitchens (located in common area, and in each Townhouse)
    • Snacks – students may store and enjoy food in their room, but must maintain a clean and hygienic environment
    • Shower curtains and rings for students assigned to building in which suites have private bathrooms. Shower heights are "standard" in all buildings except 15 Beekman, Alumni, Elm and some rooms in 55 John (which have a 78" height shower curtain rod). Shower curtains are provided in Martin Hall and North Hall.

    The following items are CONDITIONALLY PERMITTED; understand the restrictions and check with your roommate(s) before planning to bring:

    • Alcohol – beer and wine are the only types of alcohol permitted on campus, and only in rooms where all residents and guests present are 21 years of age and older (other restrictions apply)
    • Lockbox for valuables – students should keep in mind that, in rare instances in which the university must search a room due to a security concern, the security and residential life staffs must be permitted to see the contents of lock boxes
    • Pets – only fish, in tanks of 10 gallons or less, are permitted in the residence halls. Students who plan to have an Emotional Support Animal or Service Animal must complete the Housing Accommodations Request process with the Student Accessibility Services office before bringing the animal into the residence halls.
    • Knives - In order to be permitted in the residence halls, knives must have a total unfolded length of 4.5” or less, only one blade side, and the blade cannot be gravity, spring or otherwise mechanically assisted.

    The following items are NOT PERMITTED:

    • Bed lifts
    • Furniture – most outside furniture, including desk chairs, futons, love seats, beanbag chairs, etc. are not permitted except as required for an approved medical accommodation. Students can also request an exception for outside furniture by speaking with the University Director of Housing Operations.
    • Incense/candles
    • Personal safety devices (pepper spray, “Tasers”, etc.)
    • Street signs
  • Most students bring…

    • Ethernet cord/cable (Cat-5) although wireless internet service is provided in all residence halls, students are advised to keep an Ethernet cord available as a back-up
    • Surge protector extension cord (limit of 2 per student; regular extension cords are not permitted)
    • Headphones

    You should probably coordinate with your roommate(s) before packing the following items…

    • Coffee maker (automatic shut-off required)
    • Iron (automatic shut-off required) & Ironing board
    • Lamp (non-halogen)
    • Vacuum/broom

    The following items are CONDITIONALLY PERMITTED; know your building assignment and check with your roommate(s) before planning to bring:

    • Microwaves and Refrigerators
    • A Micro-Fridge unit is provided in 182 Broadway, 33 Beekman, and 55 John Street. A refrigerator is provided in the Townhouses. Additional refrigerator units cannot be brought into these buildings (unless required by a medical accommodation)
    • Maria’s Tower residents in NYC may rent one microwave per room (as part of a “micro-fridge” combination) through Collegiate Storage and Rental
    • Students in the Pleasantville campus may bring their own (or rent a) small refrigerator or Micro-Fridge unit for their room (up to one unit per single or double; and up to one additional small refrigerator per triple or quad, unless required by a medical accommodation)
    • Freestanding microwave ovens are not permitted, with the exception of in the Townhouses
    • Television Set – not permitted in 55 John Street where they are already provided; one set per bedroom (or shared common area in Elm and Townhouses) permitted in all other buildings. Students can also request to have more than one television in a room by speaking with the Director of Residence Life for their campus.

    The following items are NOT PERMITTED or is unnecessary:

    • Sound amplification equipment
    • Electric or kerosene heater, or any appliance or device that operates on combustible fuel
    • Grill, electric, counter-top (e.g. Foreman Grill)
    • Halogen lamps
    • Hotplate/open coil hot plates are not permitted in any residence hall
    • Toaster ovens, toaster or air fryers
    • Powered scooters or other powered mobility devices, except as formally approved as an accessibility accommodation
    • Coaxial cable – cable television is being phased out in favor of enhanced Wi-Fi to support streaming platforms. Some rooms may, for a period of the year still have cable service, but it will not be sustained