Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's):

“What exactly is a Living Learning Community? What does it look like?”

For freshmen and transfers with less than 25 credits:

• You’ll live in one of the freshmen corridor-style buildings in the Lower Quad (McLean, McFarlane MacVicar or Thompson), and get to move in a day early.
• You’ll live in a hallway with freshmen like you who share your interests (in the Living Learning Community), but live in a building with other freshmen not in your Community (You aren’t isolated – you’ll get to meet all kinds of freshmen in your building).
• You’ll make meaningful connections with faculty through dinners, programs, and presentations.
• You may have access to a tutor to help you through some of the tougher courses (advanced math, anatomy, physics…)
• Programs and activities are created with your interests in mind.
• Each community has a specific focus: whether it’s to help you find career-building opportunities, help you make connections with faculty, or get you connected with study abroad opportunities, each community is tailored to the unique needs of the students who join it.
• Just complete the LLC section of your housing application to join!

For current students and transfers with 25 or more credits:

• You'll live in Mortimer hall which houses a Faculty-in-Residence, a 12th floor "sky lounge" and the Mortimer Health Club (a fitness center in the basement with some state-of-the-art equipment).
• You'll live on a floor with people who share your interests and have committed to being part of this themed environment.
• You'll continue to develop relationships with faculty and some alumni too.
• Programs and activities are created with your interests in mind, but also to help you develop as a student and a future professional.
• Just indicate your interest on the housing application to join - space is available on a limited basis.

“I don’t want to be isolated. I can’t imagine living in a building with ONLY people in my Living Learning Community. I want to meet all sorts of freshmen.”

Being part of a Living Learning Community (LLC) means you do live with students who share similar interests and maybe even some classes. But each LLC is just PART of a freshmen residence hall community. While students form their own identity as a Living Learning Community, they have many friends in the rest of the residential community that have different interests and majors.

"Isn’t living in a Living Learning Community a lot more work?”

Each LLC develops activities that students want to take part in. As a freshman student, you will hang out with your friends by going to campus events and floor activities that your RA plans. Living Learning Communities offer these general activities, but also offer things tailored to your interests. For example, students in Leadership & Community Service go on community service trips. Students in Future Health Professionals meet with faculty and mentors in the health professions while the students in Recreation & Fitness might go rock climbing. If you're in the Green House, you'll see windmill farms, alternative energy plants, and improve recycling efforts in the community. Students in Math & Science have gone to museums, malls, planetariums, and the beach. If you're in Teachers of Tomorrow, you'll work closely with faculty on internships and curriculum. Students in the Brockport Global Village get to explore all sorts of cultural opportunities in Rochester. And if you join the Creative Artists, you'll feel at home in an artsy environment with new performance and rehearsal spaces being designed just for you.

In addition, Honors students who do not select a themed LLC will be placed in the Honors LLC, where you'll have enhanced connection to your honors faculty and mentors and plan activities that you are interested in. The other new community, focusing on Academic Exploration, will help students explore their interests, with opportunities for self-discovery and the goal of deciding on a major by the end of the year. These communities are designed to increase student success and conenction to the campus.

Being part of a Living Learning Community puts you at an advantage because you can see and do really cool things with your friends, for little or no cost because each community has funding outside of the normal residence hall budget. By signing your LLC Community Agreement, you agree to participate in three events each semester. A typical student will participate in a whole lot more anyway.

It isn’t more work. It’s having fun, with style. And while nothing is mandatory, the effort you put into the community is what you’ll get out of it.

“I’m busy. I (am an athlete, have a job, etc.) I don’t have time to participate in everything.”

That’s ok! All we ask is that you keep an open mind and participate in three activities a semester. Chances are, once you come to one event, you’ll want to come to more. It doesn’t even have to be a big program like a fieldtrip – you can come to one of the dinners with faculty right in your residence hall (everyone has to eat, right?)

“But I want to have fun! I don’t want to feel restricted, or be in a ‘nerdy’ or quiet environment.”

We want you to have fun too! All students, no matter if you join a Living Learning Community or not, are required to sign a housing license and abide by all of the regulations in the student code of conduct. Just like any other student, if you break the rules, there are consequences. Other than those rules, these communities do not have any other special restrictions. At the beginning of the year, you will sit down with your RA and discuss goals and values of the community. You’ll help decide what kind of environment you want to live in. Overall, a Living Learning Community is a normal community, with additional opportunities.

“When will I know if I’ve been accepted?”

For first-year students and transfers, the preferred deadline to apply is June 1st. If we can start doing housing assignments early, we'll be able to properly welcome you to the LLC during summer orientation! You will receive official confirmation when you receive your housing assignment in late July.

For returning students, the deadline is April 8th. You'll get confirmation when you receive your housing assignment in late April.

“Is there a GPA requirement?”

Well, we’re going to give you loads of help, but we’d like you to maintain a 2.25 while living in your community. That’s a little better than a C average. If you have a rough semester and fall below, you will be required to enroll in the S.T.E.P.S. program (Strategies to Eliminate Probationary Status). This program gives you a mentor and the tools to improve in the spring semester.

“I’m coming to Brockport with a friend from high school. We’re planning to have different majors. If I want to be in one community, but she doesn’t, what do I do?”

Remember that your friend could request to live in the same building as you, but you don’t always have to share a room. When you live with someone new, you’ll have the opportunity to make a new friend, but you can still hang out with your high school friends anytime.

Maybe your friend will want to join another community, and you’ll be able to share in the different things you’re doing.

Occasionally, we can make exceptions, but we will always give preference to those who truly want to live in the community.

“If I’m in a special admittance program (EOP, Exceptional Talent, or Transition), can I still live in a Community?”

Absolutely! Contact the Coordinator as early as possible with your interests to make arrangements (llc@brockport.edu). You may be interested in a brand new community - Academic Exploration - especially if you are unsure of what you want to major in.

“Is it mandatory for all freshmen to join a Living Learning Community?”

While it is not mandatory to join, being in an LLC gives you a special advantage over those who choose not to join:

• You have more opportunities to get to know faculty outside of the classroom, which leads to better letters of reference when you apply for jobs and leadership positions.
• You might fit in better - because those around you will share the same interests and ideas, which means your chances of having a great roommate or college friendships will only increase.
• You get to go on fieldtrips all over Western New York - for little or no cost.
• And our students tend to do better academically...and who doesn't want that?