Recipients: All sophomore, junior, and senior students

Subject: Housing Lottery Information from the Office of Residence Life

From: Res-Life@Scranton.edu

The Office of Residence Life is preparing for the Housing Lottery. The Housing Lottery is the online process used by Residence Life to enable students to select housing for the next academic year.

Included below are important details for current “upper-class” students related to University of Scranton housing. This provides relevant information for students interested in securing University housing next year.

Please review all of the information provided below. It is very important to note that current sophomores, juniors, and seniors must pay a $200 non-refundable housing deposit by 4:00pm on December 12, 2008. This payment can be made by cash or check to The Bursars Office, 800 Linden St. Scranton, PA 18510. Please indicate that the payment is for the 2009-2010 Housing Deposit. This housing deposit will be applied to students’ bills at the July 2009 billing if students select and confirm the housing contract. Paying the housing deposit after the deadline will significantly limit available housing options. Students should enter the “Personal Lottery Information Site” on the Residence Life Menu on The University Information System (UIS) after their deposit is sent and prior to the deposit deadline. This will verify that the deposit was received by the Bursars Office and the student is eligible for the Pool A Housing Lottery. If financial conditions exist inhibiting a student from being able to make this deposit, the student must contact Residence Life before the deadline stated above.

Please keep in mind that The University of Scranton guarantees on campus housing for four consecutive years. Consequently, if a student has never lived off campus, he or she retains that guarantee. If a student has moved off campus, he or she has lost the guarantee and can only be housed on a space available basis during a secondary phase of the housing lottery (please see below for details). This guarantee applies to all housing offered through the Housing Lottery or through Post Lottery Housing processes. Students who do not participate in the housing lottery but wish to live on campus must notify the Residence Life office of their intent and pay their housing deposit by May 1, 2009. Those students will be assigned housing on a space available basis.

All students are strongly encouraged to review the housing lottery information below.

The Office of Residence Life

2009-2010 “Upperclass” Housing Lottery Process

The Residence Life Online Lottery System is designed to provide housing options for all upper-class students, with priority given to students currently in University of Scranton owned and operated housing and then addressing student social class status. Please read this document carefully so that you completely understand the process and its critical dates.

Deposit:

All upper-class students (current sophomore, junior, and senior students), who want to live on campus next year must pay a $200 non-refundable deposit by December 12, 2008. All payments should be received by the Bursars Office, 800 Linden St. Scranton, PA 18510 by the above deadline.

All students must make this deadline in order to be eligible for the Pool A Lottery. If there are valid financial conditions why this deposit cannot be met in time please see Residence Life before the deadline. Residence Life will be flexible prior to the deadline but not after.

The Office of Residence Life will accept housing deposits after the set deadline but these students will need to participate in a secondary process. All deposits should be received by May 1, 2009 to receive full consideration.

Paying the $200 deposit by Dec. 12, 2008 enables student to be placed in Pool A. Pool A receives the most favorable lottery times.

Paying after Dec. 12, 2008 but before Feb. 23, 2009 places student in Pool B, which receives the next most favorable lottery times.

Paying Feb. 24, 2009 and thereafter places student in Pool C. Everyone in Pool C receives the same lottery time.

A Pool D exists for students that moved off campus but paid a deposit and are interested in University of Scranton housing.

It is each student’s responsibility to visit the “Personal Lottery Information Site” on the Residence Life Menu on UIS. At this site, students can verify that the deposits have been received before the deposit deadline. They can also verify the appropriate social classes before the lottery times are assigned.

Process:

Lottery Times

Students will receive a lottery date and time based on their deposit date, current housing status, and current social class status.

Any student that is not currently in University of Scranton Housing that has paid a deposit will participate in the Pool D Lottery. This lottery will commence following Pool A, B, and C.

Note: University of Scranton Housing Policy guarantees housing for four “consecutive” years. Students that are guaranteed housing will have the opportunity to choose from the available housing before any upper-class students that decided to move off campus and waived their housing guarantee.

Students currently in University of Scranton housing that have paid a deposit will be assigned to a Pool based on their deposit date.

Lottery times for Pool A and Pool B students will be randomly assigned with the exception being “rising seniors” will receive lottery times before “rising juniors”.

Students will be able to select rooms together even if they are in different pools; however, the group will have to use the lottery time from the student in the lowest pool so that all of the students will be eligible for housing at that time.

During the selection process, students in Pool B, C, or D cannot be pulled into Pool A. Students in Pool C and D cannot be pulled into Pool A and B. Students in Pool D cannot be pulled into Pool A, B, and C.

Students from Pool B and C can pull in students from Pool A and B. Students from Pool D can pull-in students from Pool A, B, and C.

Selection:

During the Housing Lottery, students will be able to enter the system on UIS once their lottery time arrives.

Students will be able to select from the available housing and must pull in enough eligible students by entering their lottery identification numbers to fill in the type of room/apartment they are selecting.

On Campus Houses and Residence Halls: Students must pull-in enough students to fill the room (i.e. in choosing a triple, students must enter the LIN, lottery identification number, of two other students).

Apartments: Students must pull-in enough students to fill the apartment (i.e. in choosing a five person apartment students must enter the LIN, lottery identification number, of four other students).

The student making the selection and pulling in their roommates will receive a confirmation when they complete the process. No confirmation page means that the process was not completed and the student must select again.

Every person in the group, including the student that made the selection, must electronically sign the 2009-2010 housing contract and choose a meal plan within 24 hours. This must be done through the Residence Life Menu of UIS. Failure to confirm housing will result in every student in the room or apartment losing rights to the assignment. Once everyone confirms, the group is done with lottery. The apartment or room is no longer available to others and all students will be under contract for 2009-2010 academic year.

If a student does not have potential roommates and is seeking housing by him/herself, he or she can fill out an upper-class roommate questionnaire. This form is located in the Office of Residence Life and will be shared with residents seeking roommates. Please consider that there are a limited amount of single assignments in the residential areas.

It is very important to note that students will be held to the terms of this housing contract. Students should read this contract in its entirety and understand all of the terms. One key component to the contract is: “A RESIDENT agrees to reside in the residence halls for the entire academic year, or the remaining portion of the academic year. If a student is enrolled in intersession classes, this contract also covers that period although additional fees apply. A RESIDENT may terminate this Agreement only if the RESIDENT has graduated, withdrawn from the UNIVERSITY, becomes a Resident Assistant, or has entered a study program away from the campus. Students who withdraw from the UNIVERSITY but are readmitted without missing one full fall or spring semester before being readmitted are not considered withdrawn for the purposes of the Agreement and will be held to any obligations made herein.”

After students have confirmed their housing assignments and agreed to the terms of the housing contracts, individuals may submit a room change request on UIS. It should be noted that room changes are processed based on availability and at the sole discretion of the Office of Residence Life. All room change requests will be reviewed closely. Room assignment swaps within the same apartment may be processed. However, it is unlikely that other requests to swap room assignments will be approved. Under no circumstances are students permitted to use another student’s name and lottery identification number to select housing with the intention of later swapping into that assignment. Unfortunately, this technique has been identified as a way students have attempted to misuse the lottery system. Students may be subject to judicial action if they are determined to have intentionally manipulated the housing lottery system.

If there is not enough housing available during the housing lottery, students should complete a waitlist form available on the Residence Life Menu on UIS. Note: University of Scranton housing is guaranteed for four consecutive years. Students will be contacted as housing becomes available.

References for the Housing Lottery:

Residence Life Menu on the University Information System (UIS) has many useful sites

Go to http://my.scranton.edu, Log into UIS using your User ID and PIN, Choose “Student Services and Financial Aid”, and Choose “Residence Life Menu”

“Personal Lottery Information Site”— This provides LIN needed for Pull-in and lists applicable Pool. Also, this displays social class that determines what housing that you are eligible and the date the Bursar received your deposit if applicable (available 11/10).

“Display Your Housing Lottery Day/Time”– This displays your randomly assigned Lottery Time (available 2/27).

“Display Available Housing”— This displays the available housing that you are eligible to select during the housing lottery (available 2/27 note genders subject to change up until lottery).

Residence Life website: www.scranton.edu/reslife - This site will be updated with floor plans, frequently asked questions, lottery updates, screen displays of the on-line process, housing fees and provides other useful lottery information.

Additionally, information will be available during information sessions, RA floor meetings, emails, mailings, posters, and Royal News.

Housing Options:

Upperclass students will be able to choose from the following buildings:

Residence Halls and Houses: Redington Hall, Blair House, Cambria House, Fayette House, Gonzaga House, Liva House, Luzerne House, McGowan House, Wayne House and Tioga House

Apartments: Elizabeth Ann Seton, Katharine Drexel, McKenna House, Mulberry Plaza, and Madison Square

Due to the addition of Condron Hall (sophomore quad style residence hall) sophomores will not be permitted to choose university houses in the housing lottery process. Juniors and seniors will only be permitted to live in Redington Hall, university houses and apartments. This change will increase the availability of housing for juniors and seniors.

2009-10 Important Upperclass Lottery Dates

Date: Item:

November 10 “Display Student LIN, Deposit Date, Student Social Class, and Student Pool Code” – on UIS

November 10 “Rising Sophomore” Lottery Information Session (6:30pm, 7:30pm and 8:30pm/Condron Hall)

November 11 Upper-class Lottery Information Session (6:30pm and 7:30pm/Condron Hall)

December 12 $200 deposit due for the Upper-class Lottery Process

February 9 “Rising Sophomore” Lottery Information Session (6:30pm and 7:30pm/Condron Hall)

February 10 Upper-class Lottery Information Session (6:30pm and 7:30pm/Condron Hall)

February 23 Deadline for Pool B Upperclass Lottery Deposit

February 27 “Display Your Housing Lottery Day/Time”– on UIS

February 27 “Display Available Housing” - on UIS

March 3* Pool A Upper-class Housing Lottery

March 4* Pool B Upper-class Housing Lottery

March 5* Pool C Upper-class Housing Lottery

April 1* “Rising Sophomore” Housing Lottery

April 21* Pool D Housing Lottery

Upperclass Housing Options by the numbers:

The housing will fill up quickly based on student selections during the lottery. The lottery process is designed to give students the most options related to roommates, buildings and location. However, based on availability and randomly assigned lottery times, students may not receive their first, second, or even third choice and should have several alternatives planned for the night of the Online Housing Lottery.

Housing Breakdown:

Mulberry and Madison Capacity: 258

Elizabeth Ann Seton and Katharine Drexel Capacity: 62

2007-08 Upperclass students in Housing: 466

Percent of Upperclass Students in Mulberry and Madison: 55%

Percent of Upperclass Students in Elizabeth Ann Seton and Katharine Drexel: 13%

Percent of Upperclass Students in Mulberry, Madison, Elizabeth Ann Seton, and Katharine Drexel: 69%

31% of Upperclass students in University of Scranton housing are living somewhere other than the Mulberry, Madison, Elizabeth Ann Seton, and Katharine Drexel apartments.