At Queen's Residence Life & Services, we are proud of our commitment to environmental stewardship, sustainable living, and fostering an inclusive community where Indigeneity, equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and accessibility are embraced and celebrated.
Our department's actions and values demonstrate our commitment and responsibility to progressing across these areas by embedding I-EDIAA and sustainability practices into our daily operations and leadership mindsets.
We welcome all ideas and suggestions for new initiatives that would make Residence more sustainable, welcoming and inclusive. Email us at: reslife@queensu.ca
Residence I-EDIAA Initiatives
The Housing and Ancillary Services’ I-EDIAA plan framed across four dimensions: People, Spaces, Services & Programs, Principles & Values, guides a lot of our work in Residence. As a community resident, we want to ensure you feel welcomed and supported regardless of your identity.
We recognize that our strength and enrichment come from our residents' diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences. We invite you to join us in creating a respectful living environment as we work together to shape a more equitable future.
Living Learning Communities
First-year students can apply for Living Learning Communities (LLCs) through the residence application process. LLCs are unique faculty or interest-based floors or clusters of rooms where students with similar values live together and engage in creative, social, and educational programming related to the topic of their specific community.
Accommodations
Residence Admissions teams arrange one-on-one personal support for students requiring disability, health, or non-health related accommodations while living in residence. In collaboration with Hospitality Services and the Registered Dietitian, students on the residence meal plan with allergies and diverse cultural and dietary needs will have support in finding safe and suitable dining options.
Single-Gender Residences
Ban Righ Hall and Adelaide Hall are single-gender, all-female identified residence buildings providing gender-equitable living spaces.
Embedded Counsellors
Life at university is exciting and filled with new experiences, but it can also be overwhelming. Embedded Residence Counsellors offer support in confidential spaces to students living in residence.
Events in Residence
Programs and events developed by Residence and student staff collaborate with campus partners such as Queen's student associations, Hospitality Services, Office of Indigenous Initiatives, Health Promotion Office, Queen's University International Centre, Student Experience Office and others to reach the entire student body living in residences. Events including Consent Week, HOCO 101, Pride Month, Wellness Week, Black History Month, and other educational initiatives help get students diversely involved.
Menstrual product dispensers
In partnership with the Residence Society, Facilities installed seven dispensers in five residence buildings to provide free menstrual products in female-identified and single-use washrooms. This initiative reduces the financial barriers that only women experience to accessing menstrual products.
Residence Sustainability Initiatives
Residence Life and Services is part of the Housing and Ancillary Services (H&A) portfolio, and together commit to advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Housing and Ancillary Sustainability Framework living document records important drivers of progress in all 17 SDG areas. H&A collaborates with campus partners helping to evaluate, plan, develop, communicate, and implement sustainability initiatives and projects.
If sustainability is your passion, we encourage you to join the Sustainability Working Group, which meets monthly to share resources, discuss projects, explore research, and update progress.
Safe and Engaged Community
Residence Life Coordinators and Dons, upper-year students trained in peer counselling, conflict mediation, community development, and leadership, help students navigate opportunities to be involved in residence and the larger campus community.
Swipe It Forward
Swipe It Forward Queen’s (SIFQ) is an initiative to help address food insecurity on campus and provide short-term, immediate support to students in need. Students have the option to donate one meal per day, up to five per semester, to a student in need by simply asking a cashier to Swipe it Forward. Students in need can be referred to SIFQ by campus partners for access to meals.
LEED Gold Residence & Gathering Space
The new Endaayaan – Tkanónsote residence targets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certifications with a focus on responsible consumption and production throughout the project. Students benefit from the indoor and outdoor green spaces, a courtyard designed by an Indigenous artist, study nooks, yoga, nap, and prayer rooms help enhance student well-being. A secure indoor bike storage area encourages alternative transportation, and this building also has a service animal washing station.
Mindful Moving
Mindful Move-In and Move-Out webpages in collaboration with Sustainable Queen's helps students move more environmentally conscious and save money.
Digitizing Paper Processes
IT Services has digitizing paper-based processes such as Move-In Check-in and Move-Out Checkout to reduce paper, energy, and toner waste.
Community Donations
Move-out generates significant waste from students transitioning from residence each year. Donations of miscellaneous personal and household items can be made to charity through the Canadian Diabetes drop boxes in residence year-round.
Drop and Swap Event
At the end of the academic term, students can donate their gently used items and also pick up any items they need from others' donations for FREE.
Reusable Programs
Incoming students auto-enroll in the GOOD TO GO Reusable Container Initiative and can commit to reducing single-use disposables on campus by participating in the Bring Your Own Cup (BYOC) program designed to help reduce single-use waste on campus. Check out our Reusable Programs.
Organic Waste & Recycling
Organic bins and recycling bins are installed in common rooms in all residence buildings.
The following documents help guide the work of Residence and Life and Services: