OVERVIEW: Western Connecticut State University

Western Connecticut State University Housing and Residence Life is a featured program.

Western Connecticut State University is a 4-year, public university located in Danbury, CT. Located 65 miles north of Manhattan, the University is distinguished by its two-campuses – the Midtown campus in the heart of urban Danbury, and the 364-acre, rural Westside campus located near the New York border. The university awards Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctor’s degrees.

There are 5 colleges: the College of Arts & Sciences, the Ancell School of Business, the Graduate College, the College of Professional Studies, and the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

University Mission
Western Connecticut State University serves as an accessible, responsive and creative intellectual resource for the people and institutions of Connecticut. We strive to meet the educational needs of a diversified student body through instruction, scholarship and public service. Western aspires to be a public university of choice for programs of excellence in the liberal arts and the professions by providing full-time and part-time students with the necessary background to be successful in their chosen careers and to be productive members of society. It accomplishes this by emphasizing:

A strong liberal arts foundation
Strong skills in communication, problem solving, and critical thinking
Opportunities for experiential, cooperative, and internships experiences
A strong background in information technologies
Interdisciplinary programs
A strong sense of commitment to public service
A personalized learning environment

Our mission as a public comprehensive University is given life through the principles and values that guide us.

Fulfilling the University Mission

Principles

Empowering students to attain the highest standards of academic achievement, public and professional services, personal development, and ethical conduct is our fundamental responsibility.
Facilitating learning is our primary function, and it requires that our faculty be active scholars who have a lasting interest in enhancing instruction and that our curriculum be dynamic and include advanced instructional technologies.
Preparing students for enlightened and productive participation in a global society is our obligation and is best fulfilled by developing the best possible academic programs and learning experiences.
Promoting a rich and diverse cultural environment that allows freedom of expression within a spirit of civility and mutual respect is our abiding commitment.
Strengthening our partnership with the people and institutions of Connecticut is a benefit to both the University and the state and endows our teaching and scholarship with a special vitality and dedication.

Values

Quality in all that we do, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Integrity in the process of teaching and learning.
Respect for the dignity and rights of each member of our University community.

Housing & Residence Life: Housing Options:
Of the 5,800+ undergraduates, approximately 35% live in on-campus housing. Housing is available on both the Midtown and Westside campuses.

The Midtown campus has 3 traditional style residence halls housing mainly 1st year students:

Fairfield Hall – the original and smallest residence hall, which for most of its life served as an all-female hall. Built in 1927, with an addition in the 1940s, Fairfield was renovated in 2007 and reopened as a coed facility. This fall, Fairfield will open as an all-singles building, holding 52 students.

Litchfield Hall – is a coeducational hall built in the 1960s. Designed as an “open square”, the building has a lovely courtyard (complete with small fish pond) in the center of its living space. Litchfield is also home to the university’s Health Services and Substance Abuse Prevention offices. Litchfield holds 241 students at capacity.

Newbury Hall – is the last of the Midtown Halls. It, too, is coed, and like the other Midtown halls, houses mainly first year students. Newbury can hold 206 students, and is home to the offices of the Department of Housing & Residence Life.

The Westside campus has 3 suite/apartment style halls, which house mainly sophomore, junior and senior students.

Grasso Hall – was the first Westside residence hall. Built in the late 1970s, it is named for former CT governor Ella T. Grasso (the first female governor). Grasso is a 2-bedroom (double rooms) apartment housing 4 students in each apartment, for a total of 269 students. It was renovated in 1999, and again in 2012, and has a vibrant and active activities lounge on the first floor.

Pinney Hall – a 425-bed building, was named for former BOT member A. Serle Pinney, a Danbury attorney. Opened in 1999, Pinney is a 3-bedroom (5 person) apartment with 2 bathrooms, a living/dining room, kitchen and balcony. Pinney also has a small conference center available to student organizations for meetings and programs.

Centennial Hall is our newest building, opened in 2004. Centennial was named by the students living in it during its first year of operation, and celebrates the Centennial of the University. Centennial is a suite-style building for 351 students, each suite sharing a bath, kitchenette, and living room, along with 2-double bedrooms. Centennial has satellite offices used by our summer conference services and central office staff when on Westside.