Frequently Asked Questions - Room Selection 2008-2009
What's new for room selection 2008/2009?
1. Theme based housing
2. Commuters will be allowed to take part in the on-line room selection process
3. Contract signing will be an on-line process
4. Tutorials for on-line room selection will be provided in person as well as via the internet
Room Deposits and Pre-Registration
When and where can I make my $200 non-refundable housing deposit?
Click here for Room Selection Calender
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 RA 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?
You will NOT need to submit a deposit or receipt to your RA, 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. Please plan ahead not only for yourself, but also for your roommate(s).
If there are still rooms available at the conclusion of the room selection period, 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 on or after May 12, 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 2008-2009 academic year, you must report to the Housing Office in Elmwood Hall on Monday, May 12, 2008, to see what bed spaces are available at that time. When you report to the Housing Office you will need to provide a $200 (check) deposit to reserve a room.
Room Selection Lottery Assignment and Notification
How are Room Selection times assigned?
If you deposit by March 14, 2008, you will be assigned a Room Selection lottery number. 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 number.
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 can log in and select a room?
An email will be sent to your UMassD email address informing you of your assigned lottery number and lottery timetable by Friday, April 18, 2008 (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 May 2, 2008. Just keep in mind that the 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). 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. Upperclassmen are not permitted to live in a First Year Hall
Specialty Housing
How do I apply for thematic housing?
Thematic on-line room selection is a separate process from general on-line room selection.
You can print a thematic contract from the housing website.
Fill out the contract and submit to Housing main office at Elmwood Residence Hall by March 28th.
Refer to the room selection on-line calendar for complete information.
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 28, 2008. You can also pick up these forms from your RAs 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. 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.
New SNESL students will have to report to the Office of Housing on or after May 5th to check housing availability and have your placements manually entered.
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 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 sometime after April 4, 2008.
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.
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. This process will not be offered as an on-line option.
- 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.
- All apartment mates must 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 .
- Housing and Dining contract signing notification will be sent to all co-ed mates via e-mail.
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 14, 2008 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.
Off Campus
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, 2008 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 2008-2009 academic year can take part in the on-line room selection process. Click here for Room Selection Calender.
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, what should I do?
You should contact Nicole Pelaggi, Assignments Manger, in the Office of Housing and Residential Life by March 14, 2008.
Her phone number is 508 999 8140. Her email address is nicole.pelaggi@umassd.edu.
The Housing Contract
Once I have signed-up for a room online, am I done with the process?
NO! If you DO NOT sign the contract, you will lose your bed space. The contract signing process is curently scheduled to be an on-line process similar to the room selection process. Click here for Room Selection Calendar.
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 2008-2009 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, you are not required to select a meal plan. You may however select a Declining Balance program during Online Room Selection.
Online Room Selection Process Questions (technical aspects)
Where can I sign up for my room when my time comes up?
You will be able to access the on-line room selection 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?
Students will need their COIN log on and password to access the on-line room election 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, May 2, 2008.
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 present must give you their pull-in/proxy password and COIN username. Please note, if a student plans to be pulled in, they will need to create a new password to use for the on-line 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?
Trained Housing staff members will be available to answer all of your questions before you attempt to sign up for a room. Also, tutorials will be available.
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 May 2). You can have a friend sign you up by giving them your log-in information. You can go to your RD (RA) and fill out a proxy form. This form will then be used by the RD (RA) to select a room for you, based on your preferences. Students that want their RD (RA) to chose their room MUST self-identify themselves ASAP.
Pulling-In Friends
When do I set my pull-in password?
April 11th - Thematic housing applicants may go into the online room selection website and set their pull in password if they are going to be pulled in by a person with a better lottery number into a thematic designated area.
April 17th - Students who have pre-registered and are planning to get pulled in by someone who has a better lottery number may go into the online room selection website and set thier pull in password.
Students cannot get pulled in unless they set this password and hand it over with their COIN username to their friend.
I retained my room on the first day of room selection. Now I want to choose my roommates. How do I go about this?
Login on April 24th or 25th to pull in your roommate/apartment mate(s) to available vacancy. Mate(s) being pulled in must create a pull-in/proxy password prior to pull-in dates. Mate(s) being pulled in has to provide you with their pull-in/proxy password and COIN username
21 Plus Housing
I am hoping to live in housing that is for students 21 years of age and older. Will you be offering this option again next year?
No, specific areas for 21+ will not be designated. Woodlands and Cedar Dell will have a suite by suite 21+ designation. Every person living in the suite/apartment will have to be 21 years of age for the entire suite/apartment to be designated as 21+. If one student is under the age of 21, the enire suite/apartment has an under 21 designation.
I have not turned 21 yet. Am I still eligible to live in a 21 plus housing area?
Yes, you can live in a 21+ housing area; however, the suite/apartment you live in will be designated as under 21 until you and all of your roommates are 21 years of age or older.
Late Deposits
If there are still rooms available at the conclusion of the room selection period, can I make a deposit and select a room?
Yes. You may make a late deposit starting on May 24, 2008. You may inquire about a room availability on or after May 12, 2008.
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 2008-2009 academic year, you must report to the Housing Office in Elmwood Hall on Monday, May 12, 2008, to see what bed spaces are available at that time. When you report to the Housing Office you will need to provide a $200 (check) deposit to reserve a room.
Depending upon space availability, students who have made a late deposit will be able to select a room assignment or be added to our wait list.
General Questions
Can I keep (retain or squat) my room from this year for next year and just skip room selection?
If your room is retainable (a list of unretainable rooms will be posted soon), you must log onto the room selection program on April 24th or 25th and retain your room.
What if I do not have a roommate lined up for next year?
See your RD right away for assistance. There are other students in this same situation that may be an ideal roommate for you. Also, you can simply choose a room at room selection time and randomly be assigned a roommate.
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 scheduled room selection time. Rising sophomores will most likely fill Oak Glen, Pine Dale, Evergreen or Willow Halls.
*Please continue to check the Housing website for updates*
Last Updated On: 5/2/08
