Balch Hall
Balch Hall is a residence for first-, second-, third-, and fourth-year female-identified students. A four-story Gothic building that opened its doors in the 1920s, Balch is one of Cornell's most historic and unique residence halls, with ivy-covered stone walls, mullioned windows, and flagstone-bedded interior courtyards and gardens. It is being renovated to add modern amenities while retaining its historic charm.
Self-governance, long a tradition for Cornell women, is well established in Balch, with plenty of leadership opportunities. The student-driven Balch Hall Council arranges programs and events for the hall's residents, ranging from group outings to see plays or go apple picking to educational programs focused on women in the workplace, surviving academia at Cornell, sexuality and relationship development, and body image.
Note: North Balch Hall will reopen starting fall 2024! South Balch renovation will continue through the 2024-25 academic year and is scheduled to reopen fall 2025.
Community Features
- Open to first-year women
- 230+ residents
- Located on North Campus
- Single and double rooms arranged along corridors and shared corridor bathrooms
- Lounges, study areas, shared kitchens, and laundry facilities
- Bedrooms contain, for each occupant: an extra-long twin bed, a closet and a bureau (or wardrobe/bureau combination), a desk and desk chair, a desk lamp, a wastebasket, and floor carpeting
- Wireless Internet access
- Balch Hall rooms will be temperature controlled
Housing Population Type
Faculty Involvement
Emily Wilcox Gier, Associate Professor of Practice, Dietetics Program Leader and Internship Director in the Division of Nutritional Sciences, is the Faculty-in-Residence for Balch Hall. She and her husband, Paul, reside in Balch Hall and regularly spend time with student residents of the Balch community.
Balch Hall also has a number of Faculty and Community Fellows that provide students with opportunities to explore and cultivate their academic, intellectual, and cultural interests. You will find them attending events in your building, eating with students in the dining room, and leading on and off campus trips to lectures, plays, films, concerts, and regional points of interest.
Helpful Information and Important Links
Below are resources and guidelines to support your residential experience at Cornell University. Please review the tabs below and bookmark these pages to apply for housing, browse through meal plan options, find mail and package information, and explore the Balch Hall community pages in CampusGroups.