Housing Selection Information for 2008-2009

For the 2008-2009 School Year

Timeline - Housing Application & Deposit - Housing Contracts - Lottery Numbers - Housing Selection Nights - Housing Selection Information - Apartment & Suite Tours - 24-Hour Quiet Floor - On-Campus Apartments - Co-Ed Housing - Special Interest Housing - What to Bring to Housing Selection Night - Proxy - Roomate Matching Opportunity - Students on ROTC Housing Scholarship - Smoke-Free Housing - Away for a Term? - Work Together! - Housing Process FAQ - Myths About the Process - Housing Rates - Floorplans (Founders, Ellsworth/Fuller & New Building)

Housing Selection Timeline

Monday, January 14th

Special Interest Housing Applications available at Residential Services - Healthy Alternatives and  World House.

Wednesday, January 23rd

Housing Selection Info Session at Noon in Mid-Century Room in the Campus Ctr.
Thursday, January 31st

Housing Selection Info Session at 4pm-5pm in Mid-Century Room in the Campus Ctr.
Thursday, February 7th

$100 Housing Deposit & Housing Application due to the Business Affairs Office by 4pm
Wednesday, February 13th

Special Interest Housing Applications due to Residential Services by 4:30pm
Tuesday, February 12th

Students who have paid a housing deposit receive their lottery numbers by email
Wednesday, February 19th

Housing Selection Night - starting at 6:00pm in the Campus Center Odeum

Housing Contracts

Housing contracts will be sent to those students who have paid a deposit fee.

Read a copy of the housing contract

Lottery Numbers

Each housing application is randomly assigned a lottery number by the CCC. This number determines placement in the Housing Selection process. Lottery numbers will be available to students beginning on February 10, 2008 in the WPI Web Information System (Banner). Once in Banner, click on the Student Services and Financial Aid section and follow to the housing section.

Housing Selection Nights

Housing Selection will take place on two nights.

February 18th at 6pm (in the Campus Center Odeum) will be the first night of housing selection. ONLY SENIORS WHO ARE SEEKING HOUSING IN THE NEW BUILDING need to attend housing selection on this evening.

February 19th at 6 pm (in the Campus Center Odeum) will be the second night of housing selection. ALL STUDENTS SEEKING HOUSING should attend housing selection on this evening.  It will continue until all available apartments and rooms have been selected or all lottery numbers have been exhausted, whichever comes first. All students must be present at Housing Selection Night in order to make a room selection unless a proxy has been arranged (see Proxy).

Only one set of lottery numbers will be sent out. Bring your lottery number with you to selection.

Example: John has lottery #23. His first choice is a four person suite in Founders Hall. He then selects a four person suite, pulling in his suitemates: Jose #58, Jenny #300, and Mallory #127. The lottery numbers of the roommates are then deleted from the list.

Students who desire a double in a residence hall other than Founders Hall but have no roommate may be assigned to an available room. Another student requesting a space in that building may be assigned as this person's new roommate. If any spaces remain in rooms after Housing Selection Night, they will be filled with another student who is on the "wait list" or a freshman.

Housing Contracts will be collected when the student has selected a room. Contracts must be completed or the student will forfeit his/her assignment.

Apartment and Residence Hall floor plans will be displayed and kept updated throughout the night of selection so students may be kept informed regarding the rooms that remain available.

Housing Selection Information

The professional staff from Residential Services will present an overview of the housing selection process on the following dates:

Jan. 23rd ~ 12:00 - 1:00 in the Mid -Century Room

Jan. 31st ~ 4:00 - 5:00 in the Chairman's Room

Apartment & Suite Tours

There will be an opportunity for WPI students to tour the Ellsworth/Fuller apartments and Founders Hall Suites. A variety of apartments and suites will be shown during tours on the following nights:

Students will meet in Founders lobby for suite tours and in front of the Office of Residential Services for apartment tours.

Type of HousingTotal Number Available

7 Person Apartment

11

5 Person Apartment

15

3 Person Studio Apartment

5

2 Person Studio Apartment

6

6 Person Suites

22

4 Person Suites

22

2 Person Suites

3

On-Campus Apartments

The Office of Residential Services offers on-campus apartments in the Ellsworth and Fuller complexes. These units range in size from 2-person to 7-person apartments. Living in Ellsworth or Fuller offers students the opportunity to learn more about living on their own. While students in these apartments are not required to be on a meal plan there are increased responsibilities other than cooking meals. Cleaning of the units is also the responsibility of the residents including the kitchen, living room and bathroom. If you are ready to take on additional responsibilities in your living environment, the Ellsworth/Fuller apartments may be an option for you.

Co-Ed Housing

In response to student requests, the Office of Residential Services is offering co-ed housing. Apartments and suites have the option to be co-ed by room. All bedrooms must be single gender, however, both men and women may live in an apartment or suite together.

Learning Communities (Themed Housing)

In an effort to provide a variety of housing alternatives to undergraduate students at WPI, the following special interest housing options are available.

WORLD HOUSE

World House is a smoke-free, co-ed residential facility located at 25 Trowbridge Road which houses 18 undergraduates (in 9 double rooms) and 1 resident advisor.  World House will be comprised of both upperclass student and first year students. The students who choose to live here have an interest in cultural and international issues.  Both American and International students live in World House, sharing information about their homes, their cultures, and learning about the other residents.  Many discussions result from students expressing and sharing ideas on a variety of global and multicultural topics.

The students who choose to live in World House also contribute to the campus community in providing programs with a global focus.  Past programs have included discussions on time management from a cultural perspective, music appreciation, dances, A Celebration/African Culture and Foods, foreign film series, international coffee and desserts.

LEADERSHIP HOUSE

The Leadership House is a smoke-free, co-ed residential facility located at 16 Elbridge St which houses 16 undergraduates (in 8 double rooms) and 1 Resident Advisor. Students electing to live in the Leadership House will participate in activities that will enhance their leadership skills. Specific programming will be offered in order to achieve this outcome. Residents are highly encouraged to get involved in the house community as well as the WPI community as a whole.  Other leadership opportunities may be available to residents as well.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN THEME LEARNING COMMUNITY

There is one house that are being offered to students who wish to choose their own theme for their community this year. This house is 22 Schussler Road and can accommodate 8 students (living in 3 double rooms and 2 single rooms) and 1 Resident Advisor.  This house is a co-ed environment.  

 

To learn more about and apply for housing in the above listed Special Interest Housing, download a Special Interest Housing Application here

**PLEASE NOTE: Students interested in living in Learning Communities must also submit the standard housing application with the $100 deposit to the Business Affairs Office by 4 p.m. on February 7th, 2008.

What to Bring to Housing Selection Night

Proxy

You may have another student be your proxy for the night of selection should you be unable to attend. Simply write or email a note to the person who will act as your proxy stating your full name, ID#, date, and your wish for them to be your proxy. Your proxy must bring your housing selection materials (signed contract, lottery card, and housing application) and the proxy note to housing selection.

 

Download your Housing Selection Proxy Form

 

Roommate Matching Opportunity

The Office of Residential Services will have a bulletin board for those interested to post a "roommate wanted" advertisement. If you should need a 7th person for a 7-person apartment or a 4th for a 4-person suite, etc. you can place an "ad" on our bulletin board. Students interested in finding persons to connect with before housing selection can utilize these listings in order to contact interested persons. The bulletin board will be available beginning January 21.

The office will provide a form for listing either a request for those looking for a roommate or for those who want to find a group to move in with. All listings will remain within the office of Residential Services.

Students on ROTC Housing Scholarships

Students who are receiving a ROTC scholarship for housing are not required to continue to live on-campus. If you would like to participate in housing selection you must submit the $100 Housing deposit and application to the Business Affairs Office no later than 4 p.m. February 7, 2008. If you choose not to participate in housing selection, please speak to the Office of Financial Aid regarding your scholarship.

Smoke-Free Housing

Smoking is not permitted in any of the residence halls, houses, and apartments on-campus. This includes individual student bedrooms.

Away for a Term?

Students living on-campus at WPI sign a contract for a full academic year. Any student who leaves WPI to participate in a project center, IQP, MQP or other WPI sponsored program are responsible for the cost of their room while they are away.

Work Together!

Students will be able to work together in groups or pairs to chose housing. Once lottery numbers are distributed you and your friends will know which of you has the best lottery number of the group. If you are seeking to sign up for a suite then all of you would come forward when the lowest number in the group is called at housing selection. Everyone in the group must have a lottery number but you will be signing into the suite under the lowest number. In this way you may pull in your friend(s) with you to an Apartment, suite or double room.

Commonly Asked Questions About the Process

Q: Can I select who will be my roommates in an apartment/suite?
A: Yes. When signing up for an apartment or suite, you will be expected to fill the entire space. So if you sign up for a 7 person apartment, you will have previously arranged with six students to sign up as your roommates. All of you will sign up when the person with the lowest lottery number in your group is called.

Q: Can men and women share an apartment or suite?
Founders Hall suites and the Ellsworth/Fuller apartments are permitted to be co-ed for 2005-2006. The bedrooms of these units must be single-sex.

Q: What if three friends and I want to sign up for a 4 person suite but when our number is called there are no 4 person suites left?
A: You must be prepared with a second choice. Example: Three of you (one with the number that was called) sign up for a triple in Riley and the fourth person waits for his number to be called to try to select a single.

Q: What if I lose my lottery number prior to Housing Selection Night?
A: Come to Residential Services where we will have a copy of the assigned lottery numbers. We will create a new card for you with your previously assigned lottery number.

Q: How do I know what other students have as a lottery number?
A: Work with your friends and roommates to discuss what numbers they have and try to figure out your best options.

Q: What if I can't come to Apartment or Housing Selection Night but I still want to try to live on-campus?
A: Ask a close friend to be your proxy.

Q: Can I swap lottery numbers with another student?
A: No. Residential Services has created this housing selection process so that each person who pays a housing deposit has as equal an opportunity as the next to obtain on-campus housing. "Swapping" lottery numbers would undermine this opportunity.

Q: What do I need to bring to Housing Selection Night?
A: Your copy of a completed Housing Contract form, your lottery number card, student ID, the Housing Application stamped "paid" and a proxy note if necessary.

Q: How will my financial aid be impacted if I don't get housing on-campus?
A: This varies from student to student. You should contact the Financial Aid Office for information specific to your situation.

Q: Spaces are being reserved for first year students. So how do I know what rooms will be available to me for Housing Selection Night?
A:Founders Suites and the Ellsworth/Fuller apartments are reserved for upperclassmen. Floor plans will be posted at Residential Services so that you may review them at your leisure. On the night of Housing Selection, floor plans will be posted in the Odeum so that you may see what specifically is available and will be updated throughout the night of selection as rooms are taken.

Q: How many students will be participating in Apartment and Housing Selection?
A: This will be posted at the Residential Services Web site after the lottery numbers are assigned.

Myths

Don't believe everything you hear about housing selection...

Myth: I don't need to be on a meal plan if I live in the residence halls or houses on-campus.

Truth: Only students who reside in the Fuller/Ellsworth apartments may be off a meal plan. All other students residing on campus must have a residential meal plan.


Myth: My housing contract gets automatically renewed because I have a housing scholarship from ROTC.

Truth: All students must submit a $100 housing deposit and application and participate in the housing selection lottery in order to be considered for housing. No one is "automatically" granted a housing assignment.

Myth: If I get a lottery number greater than 150, all the rooms will be gone before they call my number.

Truth: Last year, lottery numbers into the 600's were called to select spaces on-campus. In fact space remained available after all numbers were called. Although there is no way to predict how many numbers will be called, students who submitted a housing application should remain at housing selection until the last number is called or all spaces have been assigned.

Learn first-hand about the housing selection process - attend an information session.

Housing Rates

Rates Include the Following

Board Rates

(Note: Board rates listed are for the entire year. Students are required to be on a meal plan for the entire academic year)

19 meals plus $75 in Bonus Points

$

14 meals plus $175 in Bonus Points

$

"The 190", plus $100 in Bonus Points

$

"The VIP", plus $100 in Bonus Points

$

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Last modified: April 25, 2008 11:37:39