Frequently Asked Questions for Online Room Selection 2007-2008

April 23, 24, 25, 26, 27
11:00am-8:00pm

Room Deposits and Pre-Registration
Room Selection Lottery Assignment and Notification
First Year Students & Transfer Students
Specialty Housing
Off-Campus Students (Co-op, Study Abroad, Commuters, LOA)
General Questions
The Housing Contract
Online Room Selection Process Questions (technical aspects)
Proxy Procedure
Pulling-In Friends
21 Plus Housing

Room Deposits and Pre-Registration

When and where can I make my $200 non-refundable housing deposit?

Housing Deposits will be accepted over a two week period Pre-Registration period March 5-March 16, 2007. Resident students should bring their deposit to their Resident Directors (RDs). RDs will only accept checks or receipts from the Enrollment Center. If you want/need to pay by cash or credit card you must go to the Enrollment Center, make the payment and get a receipt THEN you must take that receipt to your RD so they can officially Pre-Register you for Room Selection. You must hand your check or receipt directly to a staff member. Do not slide anything under an office door. Please retain the receipt you are given as proof of your deposit.

Do I need to bring anything else or do anything else when I Pre-Register with my RD?

No. BUT, there will be a series of questions regarding room preferences that your RD will need to ask you so that they can complete the official Pre-Registration process and enter your name into our records as being eligible to sign up for a room.

What if I'm a College Now student?

Your RD will have a list of current College Now students. You will NOT need to submit a deposit or receipt to your RD, but you WILL need to Pre-Register with them and answer the room preference questions that are necessary to officially register you for Room Selection.

If I paid my room deposit and my intended roommate has not, can I still pick a room and reserve the other bed for my roommate?

No. All students participating in Room Selection must have paid their room deposits during the Pre-Registration period. You will need to find another roommate to live with or risk losing your priority in selection for a spot on the waiting list. Please plan ahead not only for yourself, but also for your roommate(s).

If there are still rooms available after the April Room Selection, and if I deposit late, can I select a room?

Yes. If there is still room availability and you have paid your deposit, you may come to the Elmwood Hall Housing Office and select a room after May 7, 2007.

May I select a room during Room Selection even though I missed the Pre-Registration period and therefore have not paid the University a $200 non-refundable housing deposit?

No. Only students who have paid the deposit during the pre-registration period may participate in Room Selection in April. If you missed the Pre-Registration period, but are still interested in living on-campus for the 2007-2008 academic year, you must report to the Housing Office in Elmwood Hall on Monday, May 7, 2007, to see what bed spaces are available at that time. When you report to the Housing Office you will need to provide a $200 deposit to reserve a room. Please note, that the Housing Office will not accept deposits from students who missed the Pre-Registration period before this date.

Room Selection Lottery Assignment and Notification

How are Room Selection times assigned?

If you deposit by March 16, 2007, you will be assigned a Room Selection time. Students will first be divided by Expected Graduation Term (as indicated by your program standards in COIN). Within each Expected Graduation Term, student will then be sorted randomly and assigned to a time.

What if I think my Expected Graduation Term is incorrect listed in COIN?

You will need to sort those discrepancies out with the Enrollment Center and then be in touch with the Housing Office in Elmwood to inform them of the change.

How do I know what time I have been assigned to?

An email will be sent to your UMassD email address informing you of your assigned time by Tuesday, April 17, 2007 (if not before).

Once I have my designated time to sign up, how long will I have to complete the process?

When your designated Room Selection Time comes you will be able to sign up from that point up until the close of Room Selection on Friday, April 27, 2007. Just keep in mind that they longer you wait to sign up, the fewer room choices there will be.

First Year Students & Transfer Students

My friend is transferring here in the fall and we want to be roommates. Is this possible?

No. All current residential students will have first choice to available bed spaces. New students (including first year students and transfers) will be placed in the summer. Incoming students can indicate a roommate preference in their Housing application, but is not a guarantee.

OK, I understand that you can not guarantee my transfer friend and me a room together, but is there anything more we can do to try and solidify this type of arrangement?

Yes. As soon as classes begin in the fall, both you and your friend should see your RA's and RD's so they can begin trying to get you into a shared space after the Room Freeze ends (if the other student meets the requirements for living in the building age, etc.). The sooner the staff knows what your requests are, the sooner they can help facilitate your goals.

I am really not sure who I am going to live with next year, but I do know that I really don't want to live with a First Year Student since I will be an upperclassman. Is it possible to arrange this?

Yes. Students should know that the OHRL has designated, Elmwood Hall, Maple Ridge Hall, Chestnut Hall and Roberts Hall as First Year Student halls.

My friend/sibling is going to be a first year student here in the fall. As a First Year student, can he/she live with me in an upper class hall?

No. All First Year Students will be housed as a class in one of our First Year Halls; Elmwood, Maple Ridge, Chestnut or Roberts.

I don't mind living with the First Year Students. So, can I select a room in a First Year Hall?

No. Upperclassmen are not permitted to live in a First Year Hall, as First Year Students are not permitted to live in an upper-class hall.

Specialty Housing

I would like to make a special housing request for my personal circumstance, perhaps for a medical reason. To whom can I speak?

You will need to fill out an ADA Reasonable Accommodation Form (also found under Housing Information) and submit supporting documentation to the Housing Office by Friday, March 30, 2007. You can also pick up these forms from your RDs when you Pre-Register or from the Elmwood Housing Office. Approved students will be notified prior to Room Selection in April as to what accommodation has been made for them and on what dates they will need to register.

If I have satisfied my special housing request requirements, will I be able to pull in room/apartment mate?

Yes, you can pull in room/apartment mate at the time you submit your ADA Reasonable Accommodation Form.

Can Law School Students live here for a second year?

Yes. As long as you are enrolled in the SNESL program. In the past it has only been a one year offer, but it is now acceptable. SNESL students will not be able access the online system, but rather will have to report to the Office of Housing and have your placements manually entered. You will be notified by the Office of Housing prior to Room Selection with more details.

If my first choice is a single room and there are none left when my turn to pick comes up, what happens?

All students should go into the Room Selection Process with a back up plan to their first choice of housing. You should know which double or triple or quad that you would want and who your roommates or apartment mates will be in each case.

I am planning to live with an RA. What process should I follow?

The RA will pull you in and will explain to you the process for securing your bed with their RD prior to Room Selection yet sometime after April 1, 2007.

As a smoker it would help to know before I select a room which rooms/halls on campus am I allowed to smoke in?

All UMD residential facilities, including hallways and common areas are smoke free. Smokers are expected to always smoke outside of the buildings.

Can my roommate and I select a triple room as a double? You know, to have more space to ourselves?

In order to select any room on campus, you must be able to fill the room according to room occupancy. Therefore, to select a triple, three students must be interested in the room.

I would like to chose roommates who are of the opposite sex. How do I got about reserving a co-ed apartment?

To accomodate those interested in co-ed living, the Office of Housing and Residential Life has developed an “in-house” process for
choosing co-ed rooms in the Woodlands only. Additionally, we have extended our business hours to 8 p.m. during room selection
week. This process will not be offered as an on-line option.

To choose a co-ed room:

You must have each room assigned to a roommate. In other words, if selecting a 4 person apartment, you must have 4 students committed to living in that co-ed apartment at the time of the in-house sign-up.
Students will come to the Housing Office located in Elmwood Hall during their room selection time.
Students will then log into a computer at the Housing office to choose an available co-ed apartments.
Once the apartment is selected, students will be asked to fill out an agreement form and 2007-2008 Housing and Dining Services contract.
If all members of the co-ed apartment cannot be present to select a room, proxy forms and the agreement forms must be submitted to the Housing Office at the room selection time.
Proxy forms and the agreement forms will be available online and through your RD. The proxy form requires a copy of the absent student’s UMass Pass for verification.
Students who are not present at the room selection time will be required to sign the contract the week following room selection.

Off-Campus Students (Co-op, Study Abroad, Internship, Commuters, LOA)

I am currently not living on campus because I am a co-op, study abroad or internship student for the semester. I need on campus housing for the fall when I return to the classroom, what should I do?

You should make a housing deposit by March 16, 2007 to the Elmwood Housing Office and you will be included in the Room Selection in April. If you are not able to physically come to campus, you can submit your deposit to the Enrollment Center over the phone. You will then need to email housing@umassd.edu to inform us that a deposit has been made to your account.

I will be living off campus in the fall because of my co-op or study abroad programs. How do I make arrangements for Spring Housing?

Please email housing@umassd.edu on December 1, 2007 and we will begin to make Spring Housing arrangements for you.

What if I'm currently a commuter and I want to live on campus next year?

Commuter students looking to live in on-campus facilities for the 2007-2008 academic year must report to the Housing Office in Elmwood Hall on Monday, May 7, 2007 (between the hours of 9am and 5pm), to see what bed spaces are available at that time. When you report to the Housing Office you will also need to provide a $200 deposit to reserve a room. Please note, that the Housing Office will not accept deposits from Commuters before this date.

I am currently not living on campus because I am currently on a Leave of Absence (LOA). I need on campus housing for the fall when I return to the classroom, what should I do?

You should contact Nicole Pelaggi, Assignments Manger, in the Office of Housing and Residential Life by March 16, 2007.
Her phone number is 508 999 8140. Her email address is nicole.pelaggi@umassd.edu.

General Questions

Can I keep my room from this year for next year and just skip Room Selection? This is called Room Retention or sometimes is also referred to as "squatting".

Room Retention will occur the first day of the room selection process, Monday, April 23, 2007. Please click here for list of un-retainable rooms.
All students living in 2 or 4 person apartment in the Woodland Commons that wish to retain their rooms will not be able to do so on-line.
These students must report to the Main Housing Office in Elmwood Hall on Monday, April 23, 2007 (hours:11:00 am to 8:00 pm) to retain their room.
Oak Glenn and Pinedale residents who wish to retain can still do so on-line.

What if I do not have a roommate lined up for next year?

See your RD right away. There are other students in this same situation and they will do their best to try and get you in touch with other students so you can decide if you'd like to try and room together. Or, at your Room Selection time you can simply choose a room and meet your new roommate later on, once the other bed has been assigned.

I'm a rising sophomore (current first year) and I know I cannot retain my current room as it is reserved for next year's first year students. What buildings can I move to?

Students will be able to select any room that is vacant at their time to select a room. As long as the student meets the age requirement for the building, the room is open to them. Rising sophomores will most likely fill Oak Glen, Pine Dale and Evergreen or Willow Halls.

The Housing Contract

Once I have signed-up for a room online, am I done with the process?

NO! During the week following Online Room Selection (April 30- May 3), students will be required to go to the Woodland Commons to physically sign their copy of the Housing Contract. If you DO NOT sign the contract, you will lose your bed space. Specifics times to be determined. More information will to come regarding this process.

What is the process I follow if I decide to move off campus after I have signed my Housing Contract?

Please be advised that the UMD Housing Contract is a year long legally binding contract with the University. Once it is signed, you will be billed for on campus housing whether you elect to live on campus or off campus as a UMD Student during the 2007-2008 academic year. Only students who withdraw from the University are excused for their housing contract.

Do I have to select a Meal Plan?

If you will be living in Oak Glen or Pine Dale you will be required to select a Meal Plan and do not have the option of the Declining Balance Program. If you do not select a Meal Plan during Online Room Selection, a default 16 Meal Plan will be assigned to you.

If you will be living in the Woodland Community OR Cedar Dell South ONLY, you do not have to select a meal plan. You may however select a Declining Balance program during Online Room Selection or at the Contract signing session.

Online Room Selection Process Questions (technical aspects)

Where can I sign up for my room when my time comes up?

This year's Room Selection Process is all online, so you will be able to access the system on any computer that is connected to the internet.

What information will I need to have prior to sitting down at a computer to sign up for my room?

All students that will be participating in the Online Room Selection Process will need their COIN log on and password to access the Room Selection system. If you cannot remember your password, you will need to create a new one prior to signing up for a room.

What if my Room Selection time has already passed once I get to a computer?

You can go ahead and log on and select a room as long as it's before Friday, April 27, 2007.

What if my potential roommate/apartment mates cannot be present when it is time for us to select a room?

The roommate or apartment mates that cannot be with you when you sit down at the computer to chose your room must give you their COIN log-on and password. PLEASE NOTE: Students will be able to create a new password to use for the Online Room Selection Process only. Information on how to create this special password will be available at a later date. This will allow your roommate or apartment mates to choose your room, while still keeping your COIN account private and inaccessible.

What if I don't have a computer or internet access? How will I sign up for a room?

The Office of Housing and Residential Life will provide alternate locations where we will have a computer set up for students in this situation. Information on where these computers can be found will be available at a later date.

What if I want to know more about the Online Room Selection Process (after all updates to these FAQs have been posted)? Who can help me?

There will be tutorials available both online and in person at Information Sessions prior to the April Room Selection dates. Trained Housing Staff members will be available to answer all of your questions before you attempt to sign up for a room. Locations, dates and times of the Information Sessions will be available at a later date.

Proxy Procedure

What if I'm not available to choose a room when it's time for me to chose a room?

You can wait until you are available to get to a computer as you can sign up at any time AFTER your selection time begins (through April 27th). OR you can have a friend sign you up by giving them your log-in information. OR you can go to your RD and fill out a proxy form. This form will then be used by the RD to select a room for you, based on your preferences. Students that want their RD to chose their room MUST self-identify themselves ASAP.

More information to come.

Pulling-In Friends

I selected my room on the first day of room Selection because I wanted to retain the room I am currently living in this year. Now I want to choose my roommates for next year. How do I go about this?

Students should report to the Main Housing Office (hours:11:00 AM to 8:00 PM) at Elmwood Hall on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 to pull-in roommates.

21 Plus Housing

I am hoping to live in housing that is for students 21 and older. Will you be offering this option again next year?

Yes. 21 plus housing has been reserved for Aspen, Ivy, and Birch. Students must be 21 by 9-1-07 to be eligible to live in these designated buildings.

I have not turned 21 yet. Am I still eligible to live in a 21 plus housing area?

Yes, housing for students who will become 21 by 1-28-08 has been reserved for the top two floors of Hickory. Please note that until all occupants turn 21, the apartment will not be considered 21 plus.