Residential staff

As part of our commitment to student well-being, Cornell University's School of Continuing Education has contracted with a third-party organization, Summer Discovery, to support components of our Residential Precollege Studies Program, including the provision of residential staff and implementation of a robust social menu to build community and buffer academic stressors.

Summer Discovery Residential Administrative Staff live in the halls and supervise the Resident Counselors (RCs), oversee community events, provide one-on-one support to students, supervise non-academic activities, and hold judicial meetings with students.

RCs provide supervision and guidance while residing in the residence halls. They are either current students or recent graduates, and will be able to provide their own observations on college life.

While Summer Discovery provides residential care, Cornell University retains full control over all academic elements of the Precollege Studies Program, including academic curriculum, instructor selection, and course content.

Residence halls

Students in the Precollege Summer Residential Program live in residence halls on Cornell’s North Campus. The buildings contain study areas, laundry rooms, and main lounges for studying and large gatherings.

You'll receive your room and roommate assignments when you arrive on campus.

All students are assigned to single, double, or triple rooms based on gender identity with close supervision by residential staff.

Because we believe that living with someone from a different state or country can be one of the best learning experiences at Cornell, students may not request a roommate. The Summer Discovery Staff will work closely with students to help them adjust to different interests and lifestyles.

Many of the North Campus residence halls are among the earliest buildings on the Cornell campus. Please note that not every building has air conditioning, elevator access, and/or rooms with wheelchair access. In 2026 students will reside in air-controlled dorms and have access to additional air-controlled spaces during their time on campus.

As stated in the Precollege Code of Conduct, commuter students will not be permitted to enter the residence halls.

What if I need accessible housing?

If accessible housing accommodations (i.e., strobe fire alarms, an air conditioning unit installed) are needed due to a documented disability or chronic health condition, online registration with Students Disability Services no later than May 31 is required. For instructions, see Students with disabilities.

Contact us with any housing concerns.

Student supervision

To help ensure the safety of all Precollege residential students on Cornell’s campus, we provide a 1:10 staff-to-student ratio. Students are supported by trained staff throughout the day and night, with clearly defined campus boundaries, scheduled check-ins throughout the day, and real-time attendance monitoring. Our model is designed to balance safety with age-appropriate independence, ensuring students are consistently accounted for while gaining experience navigating campus life responsibly.

During daytime hours (until 6:00 p.m.), students may move within designated campus areas in groups of three or more, following established time and location guidelines. After 6:00 p.m., students are limited to the North Campus area unless chaperoned by RCs.

To support accountability and safety, students are required to:

  • Carry a charged cell phone at all times with program and emergency contacts saved.
  • Download the program’s approved communication application and share their live location with staff in case of an emergency.
  • Complete multiple in-person electronic check-ins throughout the day (meals, classes, activities, and evening return to the residence hall).
  • Remain within approved campus zones and return to the residence hall by curfew.

These measures allow students to build independence while remaining under consistent supervision and immediate staff support if needed. At the same time, supervision is intended to be unobtrusive as possible while still providing easy access.

SCE reserves the right to make changes to supervision protocols and expectations based on compliance, efficiency, events, conditions on campus, or the directives of Children and Youth Safety or other Cornell units that oversee institutional risk and safety.

Student visitation

As outlined in the Precollege Code of Conduct, all students are expected to remain on campus for the duration of the program. Once they’ve formally checked in on Opening Day, they may not leave campus or “check out” of the program to have meals with visitors, attend family events, or participate in other activities nor may they host visitors.

In turn, parents/guardians are asked not to visit their student during the program or enter the residence halls. If a student has medical circumstances that must be considered, parents/guardians are asked to contact Samantha Elebiary, SCE's Precollege Studies director, at precollege@cornell.edu or 607.255.4987.

This policy exists to ensure that residential staff can focus their primary duty—ensuring student safety—and not be overwhelmed by managing visitors. In addition, staff are working hard to build a strong, cohesive student community during a short, intensive period. We want all students, not just those with parents living nearby, to enjoy the richest possible experience during their time with us. Thank you for your understanding.

For more information, view the Precollege Code of Conduct. Please contact us if you have questions about supervision.