Columbia College Chicago is committed to providing a safe, accepting and inclusive experience for all students. The College has a nondiscrimination policy that includes gender identity and/or expression which extends to student housing. Housing and Residential Experience offers Gender Inclusive Housing (GIH) that provides an on-campus residence experience that welcomes students across all gender identities and/or expressions, especially for transgender, questioning or gender non-conforming students. All residential students, regardless of sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation have the option to request gender-inclusive housing. This community is not for those that want to live with their significant others. Please note we do not use gender as a criteria in the assignment process for the GIH communities. All students assigned to the GIH community will live with others who have requested this living accommodation.
WHAT ABOUT MEAL PLANS?
There are two types of meal plans. Let’s start with the suite room types at the University Center. Most first year students will be residing at the Dwight; however, if you are in the Honors program and select a private room suite, a deluxe double suite, or a semi-suite room at the University Center, the full meal plan is mandatory for the academic year contract. Suite rooms do not have kitchens, so the meal plan is required. The rates published on the college’s website for suite rooms include the cost of the meal plan, but the charge will appear separately on your student bill. All suite rooms are in the University Center, which is where the dining hall is also located.
For all other residential students (i.e. students not in suite rooms at the University Center) there is an optional, supplementary meal plan of 150 meals for the academic year which you can select inside the Housing portal and will be billed in the fall term. Meals in this plan are divided equally between fall and spring, with each term including 75-meals. There is also a 75-meal plan students can purchase for the spring only, but we only allow signing up for those in January 2025. All apartments in the Dwight have kitchens.
When considering whether to purchase the supplementary meal plan, keep these tips in mind:
The meal plan is non-refundable, in whole or in part, for any reason—even if you withdraw from the institution entirely after September 13, 2024.
All other room types (non-suites) have full kitchens, so students have the option of cooking for themselves—and many of our students do. There are three grocery stores (Jewel-Osco, Trader Joe’s, and Target) within a few blocks of campus, and grocery delivery is available from online services.
The dining hall serviced by the meal plan is located in the University Center at 525 S. State Street. Students living in other buildings should consider that they’ll be walking to and from the University Center for their meals.