Housing & Campus Resources for KSI Researchers

Upon arriving to the St. Olaf College campus, scholars should first visit the Mohn Hall front desk to pick up their ID card and dorm room key.

The Mohn Hall front desk will be staffed daily from 8:00am until 11:00pm and we strongly encourage you to arrive during those hours. If you are arriving after hours, you will need to call the Public Safety office by phone (507-786-3666) and ask to be connected to Residence Life staff to request check-in assistance; it is recommended that you call Public Safety approximately 15-20 minutes before you arrive to campus so that they can be ready to assist you.

Please note that Mohn Hall is located across campus from the dorm where scholars will be staying for 2025: New Hall. You will need to walk across campus to access your dorm room. You will pass by the Kierkegaard Library (Steensland Hall) on your way from Mohn to New Hall. Linens will be waiting for you in your dorm room at New Hall.

Junior Research Fellows will be housed in double rooms, sharing a bathroom between up to four participants.

If you have a preferred roommate you will be able to indicate that on the housing form. We will attempt to assign you together only if both individuals indicate one another as preferred roommates.

Research fellows will be housed in single rooms, sharing a bathroom between up to two participants.

Each guest will receive two sheets, one pillow with pillow case, one blanket, one washcloth, and one bath towel to use during their stay. Guests are responsible for washing their own linens, as needed.

In addition to the combo refrigerator/microwave included in each dorm room, there are kitchens located on each floor in New Hall for guest use. The kitchens contain a full-sized refrigerator, sink, stove/oven, and microwave. Limited cookery (e.g., pots/pans) are provided; if you are missing any items, please inquire at the Kierkegaard Library — we have items you could borrow from a storage space on the lower level of Steensland Hall.

Guests are responsible for keeping the kitchens clean by cleaning up after themselves.

• Put food away
• Wipe down counters
• Confirm dishes are washed and put away

Please note that cooking appliances (e.g. coffee makers, electric kettles, hotplates) are prohibited in  bedrooms.

A laundry facility is located on the 3rd floor of New Hall.

• There is no cost to use the machines.
• Guests must provide their own detergent.

Guests may utilize the common areas, such as the computer room, closed study rooms, and formal lounges (including televisions and pianos).

All summer scholars must check out from their St. Olaf dorm room by the end of the day on July 31, 2025. After the checkout date the St. Olaf accounts used for KSI will expire and scholars will no longer have access to St. Olaf computers, printing, internet, etc. Any items borrowed from Rolvaag Library must be returned when the program ends.

Each room must be completely stripped to its original state – bed sheets removed, bed frames returned to original un-lofted position, etc. Kitchen items borrowed from the Kierkegaard Library or the New Hall front desk should be cleaned and returned before check-out. When your room is cleared, you will then take both your St. Olaf ID card and room key back to the front desk of Mohn Hall for drop off before leaving campus.

Please note: if you are departing campus outside of the Mohn Hall staffed hours of 8:00am to 11:00pm, you will instead need to drop off your ID card and room key at the Public Safety office, located on the lower level of Tomson Hall (room 010).

KSI researchers wishing to purchase meals on campus have two options: a campus cafe called the Cage or a cafeteria called Stav Hall. Menus can be viewed via the provided links; the average cost per meal in the cafeteria is around $13. Both options are located in Buntrock Commons.

KSI researchers wishing to dine on campus can use the “Ole Dollars” debit feature to add money to their St. Olaf ID card; doing so will help save 10% when purchasing meals on campus. This feature has been set up for all KSI researchers and you can “deposit” money to these accounts by visiting the campus Bookstore or Business Office.

The possession, distribution, or consumption of alcohol and THC products and associated paraphernalia is prohibited on the St. Olaf campus, on land owned by the college, and in student residence halls and houses. St. Olaf prohibits the unlawful possession, distribution or use of illicit drugs and/or controlled substances on any property owned by the college or in any program or activity sponsored by the college in any location.

Anyone violating college policy regarding alcohol, illicit drugs and/or controlled substances may be dismissed from the program.

view policy on alcohol & other drugs

Our campus is a smoke-free environment.

view smoking policy

Researchers living in summer housing may retain an automobile on campus, but must obtain a parking permit which can be picked up at the Kierkegaard Library during your check-in. Please indicate on your housing form if you are planning to bring a vehicle to campus.

For more information see the St. Olaf College Parking Policy.

Please note that all campus mail should be sent to the campus post office in Buntrock; USPS and other couriers do not deliver to individual dorm rooms.

If you receive a package the campus post office will notify you by email; if you receive a letter they will deliver it to the Kierkegaard Library.

The campus mailing address is: 1520 St Olaf Ave., Northfield, MN 55057

The Hong Kierkegaard Library’s KSI Research Fellowship Program recognizes the importance of fostering a supportive and collaborative environment for our fellows. We understand that academic partnerships can play a vital role in the success of research and scholarship. As such, we are pleased to offer fellowship recipients some options for bringing along their spouse or partner.

When the accompanying person is also a researcher in a relevant field and wishes to fully participate in the program, they must submit a separate fellowship application to be considered for participation. The spouse/partner must meet all eligibility criteria for the program and demonstrate their intention to engage fully in the fellowship’s activities and research environment. Applications from spouses/partners will be reviewed in the same manner as those of individual applicants.

Alternatively, a spouse or partner who will not be participating in the Library’s programming may receive on-campus housing. Housing fees for non-participating guests would be paid by the participant in advance and are nonrefundable. Requests for non-participant housing will be considered on a case-by-case basis; please inquire at the email below for more information.

The Hong Kierkegaard Library’s KSI Research Fellowship Program is committed to supporting academic collaborations and enriching the fellowship experience. If you have any questions regarding this policy or the application process, please email KSI-Application@stolaf.edu.

KSI researchers are encouraged to bring their own laptops; there are no public computer terminals in Steensland Hall. Information about public computer terminals located elsewhere on campus can be found online.

Please note that the Library is unable to provide computer charger power adapters to scholars; international travelers are advised to purchase this in their home country before arriving in the US.

Information about connecting to the campus WiFi network can be found online.

The recreation facilities are available to KSI participants, but there is a summer pass fee of $50 and guests must complete an online waiver. When completing the waiver, select “Kierkegaard Scholar” as your membership type and “yes” to confirm you have an ID card.

Hours for the fitness center are limited during the summer:

Monday-Thursday 11:00am-7:00pm
Friday 11:00am-3:00pm

Additional information can be found online here

View bookstore hours & additional informatIon

View Buntrock commons hours & additional information

View Stav Hall Dining Hours & Additional Information

View Cage Hours & Additional Information

Participants who wish to check out books from Rolvaag library must register for a community library card at their service desk.

view Rolvaag Memorial & Halvorson Music Library Hours

Hiawathaland Transit provides daytime transportation services to locations within the city limits of Northfield. Please see this map for route stop locations and times. Normal route service is free with a St. Olaf ID.

More information regarding local transportation can be found here.

Here you will find a list of restaurants, cafés, movie theater, and more to help you explore Northfield.