Commuting to The Valley

All services provided by Lebanon Valley College, other than residential living, are available to full-time commuting students. To be considered a commuter, a student must live within a 30-mile radius of campus and commute from their parent(s)/guardian’s home or permanent residence daily. 

Some students and families may prefer to remain living at home this year rather than live in college residence halls. The College has decided to temporarily relax the Commuter Policy, enabling students from farther than 30 miles to choose to commute to campus. Students interested in a change of status (from Residential student to Commuting student) should contact the Office of Residential Life at res-life@lvc.edu.

Residential students who wish to change to a commuter must complete a change of housing status form, available from the Office of Residential Life. The form requires a parent or legal guardian’s signature and must be received in the Office of Residential Life by July 1 for the fall semester and by December 1 for the spring semester.

Wondering Where to Hang Your Hat?

The Lebanon Valley College campus has numerous open spaces and lounges for studying and hanging out between classes and activities. However, The Commuter Center, located in the Lebegern Learning Commons on the lower level of the Allan W. Mund College Center, serves as the College's central commuter hub. The Commuter Center is used for dining, studying, and relaxing, and includes a microwave, water cooler, and refrigerator for students who wish to bring their own lunch.

Additional spaces specifically desirable to commuting students are the newly renovated Vernon & Doris Bishop Library, the Lynch Technology Center, Living Room of the Mund College Center, Jeanne and Edward H. Arnold Health Professions Pavilion, and the LVC Sports Center.

Dude, Where's My Car?

The Green Parking Lots behind Mary Green, Keister, and Funkhouser residence halls adjacent to the railroad tracks have been designated as commuter parking areas. We ask all commuting students to park their vehicles in the Green Parking Lot. The lot behind the Mund College Center is also available for commuting students. Overflow parking is always available in the North Parking lots. 

Campus Opportunities 

• Commuter Luncheons: Special luncheons are held for commuting students each semester. Attended by Student Affairs staff and student government representatives, these lunches provide commuting students an opportunity to socialize, gather important information, and raise important issues.
• Afternoon Apps: Various departments throughout campus host three of these events each semester. They are a great way to introduce our commuting students to staff and different offices and departments on campus. 
• Commuter Socials: There are numerous socials in the Commuter Lounge throughout the school year. Examples include doughnut days, PB&J days, hot dog days, and snacks to celebrate many of the holidays. In addition to these socials, the Student Engagement Office hosts an off-campus social (ex. Hershey Bears outing) for our commuter students and their guest each semester. These provide opportunities for our commuting students to get to know each other and have some fun.
• LVC Sports Center houses a state-of-the-art fitness facility available to all LVC students. Take advantage of this free membership.
• Health and Counseling Services are available to our commuting students. The Health Center is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Physician, physician's assistant, and counseling hours vary, and a scheduled appointment is needed.
• Campus Events: LVC offers a variety of events throughout the year open to all LVC students. Our calendar of events will tell you what's happening around campus. Feel free to stop by any of our events and bring your friends and family.
• Student Government Representatives: Commuting students have the opportunity to have a representative for each class on Student Government. Their information is posted in the Commuter Lounge. Any commuting student who has a student concern can contact these students or any representative on Student Government.
• Student Activities: There are more than 90 LVC clubs and organizations available to meet the needs of our full-time student population. Commuting students are encouraged to join one or more of these organizations to become more acclimated to campus life. For a complete list of organizations, stop by the Center for Student Engagement. 

When the Weather Outside is Frightful

Commuting students, in particular, are concerned about issues surrounding inclement weather. The general policy states that regular classes are held during bad weather conditions for the students and faculty members able to get to class without jeopardizing themselves. However, neither commuting students nor faculty are expected to take any personal risk to get to campus, nor will either be penalized in any way for missing class. We encourage all commuter students to contact their instructors whenever the weather prevents them from getting to campus. 

The College may be closed in cases of severe inclement weather or other emergencies. Check our website homepage, your local news media, and our E2campus weather alerts when there is winter weather.

I Love Campus So Much, I Don't Want to Go Home

Have you decided you'd like to change your residency status? Commuters who desire to live on campus MUST come to the Center for Student Engagement in the Mund College Center to secure a Change of Housing Status form and a Housing Contract.