The Office of Residence Life and DU CARES will once again host The Original Study Break in the Hogan Dining Hall on Friday, May 1 from 9 p.m. to midnight. Faculty and staff will embody the Duquesne Mission of Serving God by serving Students…in this case serving food, fun and friendship. Continue reading
Tag Archives: office of residence life
Building Closings
As many of you prepare to depart for the summer, the Office of Residence Life would like to share some important end of the semester information. Continue reading
Free Summer Housing for Current Students
The University offers free summer housing for currently enrolled undergraduates (freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors) who want to take on-campus courses this summer. Continue reading
Group Housing and Room Selection
Group Housing
There are exciting Group Housing options are available for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Groups of students wishing to live together can apply for wings in the Duquesne Towers or nine person suites in Des Places Hall! Continue reading
Assumption Hall 60 Years of Collegiate Community
In 1954, Assumption Hall opened and became Duquesne’s first residence hall. At the time it was an all-female residence hall. On Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, Assumption Hall celebrated “60 years of Collegiate Community.” Assumption residents, Duquesne employees and students joined in the celebration, which took place in the Assumption lobby. Older photographs from the 1950’s adorned the Assumption lobby. Continue reading
Alcohol Awareness Week 2014
Alcohol Awareness week 2014 was once again a week dedicated to sharing information about the risks associated with illegal and excessive alcohol use for Duquesne students of any age. The week included a variety of activities to illustrate to students how the illegal and/or excessive alcohol use can negatively impact them in legal, social, career, clinical, health, interpersonal and other ways. Various activities were planned to raise awareness in a fun and interactive way, to help students understand the “real vs. perceived” social norms of alcohol use in society and on campuses, and to provide strategies to reduce the risks and to learn refusal skills. Continue reading
Take a Study Break, You Deserve it!
On Friday, Dec. 12, 2014, the Office of Residence Life and DU CARES once again sponsor The Original Campus Study Break in the Hogan Dining Center. This event, which students and staff have come to excitedly anticipate, includes an evening of fun and festivities, where members of Duquesne’s staff and faculty continue the mission of “Serving God by Serving Students” in a very immediate way. Continue reading
Planes, Trains and Automobiles!
Residence Halls will close on Thursday, Dec. 18 at 9 a.m for Christmas Break. The halls will re-open on Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 9 a.m. Please make travel plans accordingly. We wish you safe travels.
Home Sweet Home; On Campus Housing for 2015-16
It’s that time of year! Room Selection is approaching for the 2015-2016 academic year. Here is some important information that you will need to know.
- Each student will be required to make a non-refundable $300.00 deposit. Deposits must be submitted to the Cashier’s Office in the Administration building. Please keep your receipt. You will need it to select your lottery number.
- Lottery numbers will be selected in the Assumption Hall Lobby from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 25-27 and March 9-11.
- Room Selection for Current Sophomores and higher will occur on March 11, 2015 in the Duquesne Union Ballroom.
- Room Selection for Current Freshmen will occur on March 12, 2015 in the Duquesne Union Ballroom.
- The buildings available for selection are Assumption Hall, Brottier Hall, Des Places Hall, Duquesne Towers and Vickroy Hall.
Please watch for our room selection newsletter in the Living Learning Centers and online at www.duq.edu/residence-life.
Office of Residence Life Fire Marshal Program
Nationally, there are approximately 3,300 campus-related housing fires each year including both on-campus and off-campus student housing. On average there are 7 deaths, 46 injuries, and $25 million in property damage each year. According to the Center for Campus Fire Safety, between January 2000 and March 2014, 123 people lost their lives in campus related fires. While most of these deaths occur in off-campus housing, there have been nine deaths on-campus and ten deaths in Greek housing. For the past four years, The Princeton Review has rated Duquesne the highest possible score (99) in its Fire Safety Rating Honor Roll. Continue reading
Welcome to the Residence Life Family
Residence Life completed a one week intensive training for our 96 Resident Assistants in mid-August. Building community, crisis response, understanding the University Mission Statement and bystander awareness were only a few of the topics covered to prepare RA’s to support and serve our resident students. Applications for the 2015-16 year will be available on the Residence Life web site in early December.
Residence Life
The Office of Residence Life (ORL) has always strived to make campus an exciting place to live and learn. Throughout the year, the ORL team puts a particular emphasis on livening up the weekends of students who live on campus. Resident Assistants, Resident Directors and Residence Life Central Staff hosted over 150 weekend programs during the 2013-14 academic year, working collaboratively with many student groups and other offices including DU Cares, Freshman and Sophomore Class Councils, Duquesne Program Council, RHA and others. Continue reading
Who Dunnit?
The Office of Residence Life (ORL) has always strived to make campus an exciting place to live and learn. Throughout the academic year, the ORL team puts a particular emphasis on livening up the weekends of students who live on campus. Resident Assistants, Resident Directors and Residence Life Central Staff hosted over 80 weekend programs during the Fall 2013 semester, working collaboratively with many student groups and other offices including DU CARES, Freshman and Sophomore Class Councils, Duquesne Program Council, the Black Student Uunion and others. The range of events offered were widely varied and offered something for everyone: From trips to sporting events, creative arts and crafts programs, tours of the city and small festivals to celebrate the seasons. Continue reading
The Original Study Break!
Join Residence Life and DU CARES for the Original Study Break on Friday, May 2, 2014, from 9 p.m. to Midnight in the Hogan Dining Center. Free food, raffles, bingo, crafts and chair massages.
Free Summer Housing for Current Students
The University offers free summer housing for currently enrolled undergraduates (freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors) who want to take on-campus courses this summer.
The free housing is available for the duration of the summer course(s) only. To be eligible, students must be enrolled for at least 3 credits and will be responsible for any meal plan costs. Students also must either have lived on campus for the spring semester or must have deposited to live on campus for the upcoming fall semester. Continue reading
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service

Towers staff was joined by students from the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Cares and individual families for the day of service.
Ten Year Anniversary of Brottier Hall
Group Housing Selection
There are exciting Group Housing options are available for the 2014-2015 academic year.
Groups of students wishing to live together can apply for wings in the Duquesne Towers or nine-person suites in Des Places Hall! Please consider this great opportunity for housing next year!
For more information, please refer to your room selection newsletter or visit us online at www.duq.edu/life-at-duquesne/housing/campus-residency/room-selection.
Breakfast with Santa
On Saturday, Dec. 7, the Office of Residence Life hosted its annual Breakfast with Santa event in the Union Ballroom, with over 200 guests in attendance. Staff and faculty members, along with their families, were able to celebrate the holidays by playing games, making crafts, decorating Christmas cookies, and enjoying a breakfast buffet. Children also had the opportunity to have their picture taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus. The Office of Residence Life would like to thank all of the Resident Assistants and RHA members who volunteered their time and dressed as elves to facilitate the games and crafts for the event.
Residence Life and DU CARES Study Break
The Office of Residence Life and DU CARES invite you to attend the Original Study Break on Friday, Dec. 13, from 9 p.m. to midnight in the Rev. Sean Hogan Dining Center. Continue reading
Murder Mysteries
The Office of Residence Life, DU CARES and RHA hosted a Murder Mystery party on campus on Friday, Sept. 20. The theme of the Murder Mystery Party was ‘Terror in a Toga’ and was set in Rome. Participants filled the decorated “arena” in the Towers Multipurpose room for a night of intrigue and fun. It was an interactive, role playing event where students were assigned specific roles, given character information and costume ideas prior to the event, and then were ‘fed’ information and objectives to solve the murder throughout the evening. “Roman” food was served (from the ovens of Buca di Beppo). It was a successful event and several others have been planned for this semester. The next mystery will take place on Friday, Oct. 11 (Homecoming weekend) and is entitled “A Homicide at Homecoming.”
Staff Recognized for Service, Innovation and Teamwork
President Charles J. Dougherty honored employees at the December 21 Staff Awards Holiday Luncheon for their outstanding work in 2012. Continue reading
Room Selection
It’s that time of year! Room Selection is approaching for the 2013-2014 academic year. Here is some important information that you will need to know.
- Each student will be required to make a non-refundable $300 deposit. Deposits must be submitted to the Cashier’s Office in the Administration building. Please keep your receipt. You will need it to select your lottery number.
- Lottery numbers will be selected in the Assumption Hall Lobby between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 27-28, March 1, and March 11-13.
- Room Selection for Current Sophomores and higher will occur on March 13, 2013, in the Duquesne Union Ballroom.
- Room Selection for Current Freshmen will occur on March 14, 2013, in the Duquesne Union Ballroom.
- The buildings available for selection are Assumption Hall, Brottier Hall, Des Places Hall, Duquesne Towers, and Vickroy Hall.
Please watch for our room selection newsletter in the Living Learning Centers and online at this link.
Breakfast with Santa
Saturday, December 1, 2012, the Office of Residence Life hosted its annual Breakfast with Santa event in the Union Ballroom. Staff and faculty members, along with their families were able to celebrate the holidays by playing reindeer games, making crafts and enjoying a breakfast buffet. A Santa’s Workshop sponsored by the Women’s Guild was also available for children to buy small gifts for their families. The Office of Residence Life would like to thank all of the Resident Assistants and members of the Residence Hall Association that volunteered their time and dressed as elves to facilitate the games and crafts for the event.
Deck the Halls Program
Residence Hall Association & Hurricane Sandy Relief
The Residence Hall Association (RHA) recently concluded an effort in the residence halls to raise money for victims of Hurricane Sandy. With numerous Duquesne students coming from areas hardest hit by the storm, RHA members believed that raising money for the victims was a great way to serve both the mission of RHA and the mission of the University. Continue reading
Study Break
The Office of Residence Life and DU CARES will again sponsor the “Original Study Break” for the first time in the newly renovated Hogan Dining Center.
So while the venue looks different, we will continue with traditions that make this the biggest study break on campus. It will be held on Friday, December 14 from 9 p.m. until midnight. Again this semester, we have faculty and staff from across campus living the mission of serving God by serving students. This term they will serve breakfast foods, in addition to the standard fun and root beer floats that they serve twice a year. And as always, we will have chair massages, bingo, door prizes, crafts, pictures with friends….and fun, frolic and merriment.
Room Selection
It’s that time of year! Room Selection is approaching for the 2013-2014 academic year. Here is some important information that you will need to know.
- Each student will be required to make a non-refundable $300.00 deposit. Deposits must be submitted to the Cashier’s Office in the Administration building. Please keep your receipt. You will need it to select your lottery number.
- Lottery numbers will be selected in the Assumption Hall Lobby between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on February 27-28, March 1 and March 11-13, 2013.
- Room Selection for current sophomores and higher will occur on March 13, 2013 in the Duquesne Union Ballroom.
- Room Selection for current freshmen will occur on March 14, 2013 in the Duquesne Union Ballroom.
- The buildings available for selection are Assumption Hall, Brottier Hall, Des Places Hall, Duquesne Towers and Vickroy Hall.
Please watch for our room selection newsletter in the Living Learning Centers and online at www.duq.edu/residence-life.
Building Closings for Christmas Break
All Living Learning Centers close for Christmas Break at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, December 19, 2012 and re-open at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, January 2, 2013.
To request break housing, you must sign-up at the desk of your Living Learning Center by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, December 14, 2012 and are required to meet with your Resident Director.
Housing will only be provided in the Duquesne Towers, Des Places Hall and Brottier Hall.
If you reside in Assumption, St. Ann, St. Martin or Vickroy Halls, you will be required to relocate to a different building.
See your Resident Director if you have any questions.
We wish you the peace of the season and good luck on finals!
Duquesne Opens Des Places, New ‘Green’ Residence Hall
This fall marked the opening of Des Places Hall, Duquesne’s newest residence hall, an environmentally friendly residence with the highest standards for comfort and safety.
The 12-story Living Learning Center—named for Spiritan Congregation founder Claude Poullart des Places—houses nearly 400 upperclassmen, graduate and law students who live in one-, two- and three-bedroom suites. The building was designed with a commitment to sustainability by WTW Architects, which incorporated many sustainable technologies, from drought-tolerant landscaping to use of locally manufactured materials. Estimates based upon construction standards indicate that sustainable efforts will save at least 22 percent in energy use. Continue reading
Residence Hall Association 2012-13
The Residence Hall Association (RHA) serves as the representative student governing body for Duquesne’s Living Learning Centers. Residence Hall Association was organized to ensure an atmosphere conducive to positive group and individual experiences for resident students. During the 2010-11 academic year, a new initiative was introduced to incorporate Hall Councils for each Living Learning Center to get more resident student involvement. With the incorporation of Hall Councils, RHA has grown from five members in the past to approximately 30 active members in the organization. Continue reading
Des Places Living Learning Center

The first ever students to register for Duquesne's newest Living Learning Center, Des Places Hall: (L-R) Stephanie King, Regina Dutz, Katie Bennett, Mary Sprague
Des Places Hall Rooms are still available!
If you will be a junior or higher next year and would like to live in Des Places Hall, please contact the Office of Residence Life. The Office of Residence Life is in Assumption Hall, and you can e-mail us.
More information about Des Places Hall can be found here.
Cookout on the Commons
Cookout on the Commons is an annual tradition hosted by the Office of Residence Life and Campus Ministry. This year’s cookout will take place on April 20 at 1 p.m. on the Assumption Commons. There will be live music, smoothies and of course food! Take a break from studying and enjoy the afternoon on the Bluff with your friends at this year’s cookout.