Small-group Houses

Small-group houses are freestanding houses which range in size from 30 to 65 students. They include those on the Row and the independent houses in Governor’s Corner (GovCo). The Row houses and small-group houses in GovCo are run by student staff and there are no Resident Fellows or Resident Directors living in the house (except in the theme houses Casa Italiana, Muwekma-Tah-Ruk, and EAST (Treat) House). Each house has its own outdoor recreational area, living room, dining room, study, and other common areas.

The Row, which houses some 1600 upperclass undergraduates, attracts students who are looking for independence, freedom, and the power to make decisions for themselves about how they will live from day to day. All Row houses are officially part of the Stanford residence system and as such, their residents are bound by all the same rules that apply to students living in residence halls. However, in these houses, unlike in larger residences, the educational program entails, as an intrinsic part of its definition, enabling students to manage their own affairs with a high degree of autonomy and accountability.

Stanford vs. Student-managed Residences

Small-group houses are either University-operated or student-managed. In student-managed houses, residents are responsible for certain aspects of the operation of the house, such as the meal service or cleaning.

The University owns all student residences (including residential fraternities and sororities) except for the Sigma Chi fraternity where the University has a lease hold agreement. Student Housing,a division of Residential & Dining Enterprises, provides overall management of student residence facilities. Within the residence system, however, there are several options for provision of custodial and dining services.

• Except for Co-ops and Sigma Chi, all other houses receive university staff for custodial services.
• Residents of self-operated and cooperative houses must purchase the house’s board plan.
• Except for EAST (Treat), Yost and Murray (in GovCo), each house hires their own cook. In all Row and independent houses, meals are served within the house.
• Please contact the house kitchen manager for more details. As a note, houses generally have an open kitchen available to residents outside mealtimes.

Student Staff

Each house regardless of size has a Resident Assistant, Community Manager, and Kitchen Manager. Other staff members exempted in the draw include RCC staff, PHE staff, and other staff.  Students who live in a small-group house feel a strong sense of self-reliance, and residents share responsibilities for planning house activities, both social and educational. Resident Assistants in each house guide students to see that the house runs smoothly, that problems get solved, and that house activities reflect the social and educational interests and needs of residents.

Fraternities and Sororities

Residents for Greek Houses are chosen through the annual rush process.  If you are interested in joining a sorority or fraternity please go to Fraternity and Sorority Life at Stanford, and for housing assignment guidelines, see Greek Housing.

List of Row and Small Group Houses