What residential requirements and options does Macalester have?
There is a two year on-campus residency requirement for incoming students. By living on campus for their first two years, students build a strong community that will support them through their entire college experience. There are a variety of other options besides dorm settings. For example, there are five language houses (French, Spanish, German, Russian, and Japanese) located on a residential street close to Macalester. Students who live there speak the language and make their own meals. There is the Hebrew House (kosher) and the Veggie Co-op, a vegetarian cooperative where students live and make vegetarian meals. Students may move to these houses following their first semester. In terms of off-campus living, there are plenty of places around the campus to live. There are apartments and houses to rent in the area; the cost ranges from about $300 to $400 per/month depending on the number of people renting. Macalester is by no means a "suitcase school." Most students living off campus reside within six blocks of campus, and remain active, vital members of the community.
What are the dining services like at Macalester?
Except for those students who live in the Veggie Co-op, language houses, and the Hebrew House, all students who live on campus take their meals in the Cafe Mac in the campus center. Cafe Mac offers a wide selection of food from the four corners of the globe--north, east, south, west. Because approximately 70 percent of Macalester students live on campus, Cafe Mac has become a common meeting area on campus.
Students who live on campus must have one of three meal plans available at Cafe Mac for 12, 14, or 19 meals a week. Cafe Mac's operating hours accommodate most schedules. And, The Grille is open all day for snacks and late dinners or lunches.
How diverse is Macalester's student body?
The concept of multiculturalism is integral to Macalester. Today, 13 percent of first year students from the United States are people of color. Macalester's faculty of color has increased in number and accounts for approximately 10 percent of the faculty. The Minority Pre-Doctoral Fellow Program, initiated in 1988, also helps diversify Macalester's faculty and provides role models for students of color. Each year the program brings to campus an average of four graduate students of color to teach one course per semester. In return, they receive support to complete their doctoral dissertations.
How does Macalester accommodate vegetarians and vegans?
While Macalester does not have a vegetarian or vegan cafeteria, our dining hall does its best to address the needs of vegetarian and vegan students. At every meal there is at least one specific vegetarian entree served. In addition, the dining hall always has a salad bar with a range of vegetables, soy milk, pasta and at least one vegan bread option. You will find that our dining service is willing to work with students and try new recipes. In addition, students have the option of living in Macalester's Veggie Co-op, where approximately 30 students share house cooking and chore responsibilities.
How safe is the Macalester campus?
Macalester is located in a safe, quiet, and pleasant residential area known as Macalester-Groveland. This neighborhood is consistently rated among the safest in St. Paul.
Residence hall doors lock automatically when closed so that no one can enter the residence halls uninvited, and our facilities are reviewed periodically for lighting, after-hours security, and other safety concerns. There are telephones on the outside of most buildings around campus, and security officers are available at all times. In addition, there is an escort service available to students. Whenever there is an incidence of vandalism or violence (or the threat of violence) on campus or in the neighborhood, we make a point of broadcasting it throughout the community so that everyone is reminded to be careful.
Overall, we feel confident that we offer students a safe environment in which to live and study.
*The Annual Safety and Security Information Report required by the Student
Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act and its amendments is available upon request from Macalester Security Department at 651-696-6278, the Admissions Office at 651.696-6367 or by visiting the annual crime report page. The report contains crime definitions, certain campus crime statistics, reporting procedures, prevention programs, and drug and alcohol policies.
What community service opportunities are available for Macalester students?
The Macalester community prides itself in its dedication to community service. There are many volunteer opportunities within the Twin Cities, both on and off campus. Off campus, students donate their time at a wide variety of organizations, including ESL tutoring at various schools, Planned Parenthood, Agape Home, which is a local AIDS hospice, and Shriner's Hospital for Disabled Children, to name just a few. There is a Civic Engagment Center located on campus, which provides students with contacts in the community, and there is also a student organization, Maction, which sponsors one-time events on campus. Some recent activities have been a campus-wide blood drive, a Halloween party for area children, and Into the Streets, a one-day service event that encourages students to volunteer locally.
What are Macalester's surroundings like?
Macalester is located in a picturesque residential area with small shops, Victorian homes, apartment buildings and nearby malls. It is possible to reach downtown Minneapolis or downtown St. Paul in about ten to fifteen minutes by car or a bit longer by bus. It takes only about twenty minutes (by car) to get out to the country.
Summit Avenue, which is Macalester's northern boundary, is the country's longest stretch of preserved Victorian houses. It is a beautiful mile walk or run down to the Mississippi River and the parks that surround it. Grand Avenue, which bisects the campus, has a number of inviting coffee shops, eateries and specialty shops.
Because Macalester is located in the midst of two cities students may take advantage of off-campus living, internships and employment, and community service. The Twin Cities are an interesting and beautiful metropolitan area that will surely enrich your college experience.
What parks are located near Macalester?
At the bottom of historic Summit Avenue (the longest street of preserved Victorian houses in the United States) is the Mississippi River. Along the banks and bluffs of this river are beautiful state and regional parks. Hidden Falls, Minnehaha Park, and Fort Snelling State Park are the most accessible and nearest to campus. There are several parks in the Twin Cities which include wildlife preserves, and are accessible by public bus. The Eloise Butler Wildlife Park is a delightful natural wooded area, just 10 minutes west of downtown Minneapolis. There are plenty of opportunities for enjoying nature in the immediate environs, and even more in the countryside which is twenty minutes or more away by car. The best way to judge how you like the surroundings is by visiting the campus if possible and exploring the area.
How bad are Minnesota winters?
We do indeed get snow, sometimes a lot, and it is cold for much of the school year. However, most of the snow and cold come during January, which coincides with our six week winter break. Fortunately for the 80% of non-Minnesotan students here, Macalester is a fairly compact school. There is a system of tunnels connecting the dorms and links connecting many of the academic buildings. Twin Cities events and activities tend to set off any feelings of cabin fever. In addition to many indoor concerts and activities, outside activities include the annual Winter Carnival, cross-country and downhill skiing, skating, and playing in the snow. For a student used to warm climates, Minnesota weather can be a shock. However, winters usually last only three months, and with a good jacket, it is easy to keep warm.
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