Purpose of the Housing Lottery Process
The Office of Residence Life has designed the housing lottery process to allow students the opportunity to select their housing assignment for the following academic year. Students are strongly encouraged to read and familiarize themselves with the processes, policies, and housing options outlined in this brochure. The Office of Residence Life places the responsibility for selecting a housing assignment with the individual student.
The Residence Life Staff is more than willing to assist students by answering questions and offering suggestions. We urge students to attend information sessions relevant to their housing preferences, ask questions at the Housing Lottery Information Session on April 14th, or email reslife@mcdaniel.edu with questions.
Residency Requirement
All full-time undergraduate students are guaranteed college housing for four years. Students in their fifth year who wish to live on campus are assigned on a space-available basis after other returning and new students have been housed. Note that for transfer students that deposit on time, housing is guaranteed for a comparable amount of time based on class year status. For example, if a transfer student start McDaniel with sufficient credits that Admissions considers her/him a sophomore, they will be guaranteed housing for that year and two more beyond that.
Students are required to live on campus for their first three years at the College. Exceptions are made for those who live nearby with their parents, are married, or are over age 24.
Release from Residency Requests
Students wishing to be released from the residency requirement must complete the Release from Residency Request Form (available in the Office of Residence Life) by Monday, March 31.
The academic and disciplinary standing of students will be taken into consideration when requesting to move off campus and live independently in the Westminster community. Students may be denied release from residency if the College determines they may not positively represent the College while living in the Westminster community.
If students are interested in living off campus for the 2008-09 academic year and have questions, they should contact the Director of Residence Life at ext. 2240.
Housing Lottery Process Eligibility
Any current McDaniel College student who has paid the $200 housing deposit by Friday, March 7, has no outstanding student account balance, and registered for at least 12 credit hours for the fall 2008 semester can select a housing assignment for the 2008-09 academic year.
The room selection process includes the following: Affinity Housing, Greek Housing, Honors Housing, Language Houses, North Village Apartments, Substance Free Housing, Single Room Selection, and the General Room Selection Process.
Graduate students and Fall 2008 study abroad students are not eligible to participate in any room selection process. Students who wish to live on campus beyond their fourth year as a student are assigned on a space-available basis in August.
Housing Deposits
To participate in any housing selection process, all students must pay a $200 non-refundable housing deposit to the Bursar’s Office by Friday, March 7, 2008. To apply a credit on the student account balance toward the housing deposit, please see the Bursar’s Office directly. Students who pay their deposit after Friday, March 7, 2008 will not select a room or be included on any housing roster, but will be placed on a housing waiting list and assigned to available spaces during August.
Housing Priority
Some housing processes are based on graduation date and then lottery number, i.e. the North Village apartment process, substance free room selection, single room selection, and the general room selection process. The Office of Residence Life will determine priority based on a student’s date of graduation. All those students graduating in May 2009 will have the highest priority in the above mentioned room selection processes, followed by those students graduating in May 2010, May 2011, etc. Students graduating in December will be grouped with those students graduating the following May. Students are encouraged to contact the Office of Residence Life if they have questions.
Special Housing Requests
By March 31, any student requesting special room accommodations due to specific medical concerns must submit their specific housing request in writing to the Director of Residence Life. Requests will then be evaluated by Special Medical Housing Review Committee and the determination communicated to the student. Along with their written request, students must include any supporting documentation as needed from the appropriate professional regarding the need, and why it is critical to the student's ability to succeed academically. All information will be kept confidential. Please note that timeliness on this issue is especially critical for students making special housing requests involving a single room. If a request is received late, and all single rooms have already been assigned for the Fall semester, the office will be unable to grant such a late request.
Air Conditioner Requests
By March 31, any student requesting to install an air conditioner in his/her room due to specific medical concerns should complete the Special Housing Considerations Request Form (available in the Office of Residence Life) and include all supporting documentation from the appropriate clinician regarding the need to the Office of Residence Life.
Only students with asthma will be approved for air conditioning for the 2008-09 year. Students who provide medical documentation of allergies but no asthma will be denied air conditioning for the next year. Any student previously approved for air conditioning who does not need to reapply from year to year will continue to be approved for air conditioning. Any student who must reapply from year to year who does not have asthma will be denied air conditioning.
Students who receive approval to install an air conditioner in their residence hall room must select a room with two windows or a room in a building with a sprinkler system. McDaniel College prohibits an air conditioner from blocking a window in a residence hall room unless the room has more than one window or the building is equipped with a sprinkler system. McDaniel, Daniel McLea, and Blanche Ward Halls are sprinkled buildings.
Students with permission to have an air conditioner will be assessed a $150 per year fee to offset the cost of additional electrical usage.
Students needing to live in an air-conditioned environment for medical reasons are encouraged to apply for housing in an air-conditioned facility (North Village or Garden Apartments).
Please Note: If air conditioner requests exceed the number of available rooms with two windows, the Office of Residence Life reserves the right to pair residents together in a room if both require an air conditioner and no other space is available.
Need a Roommate?
There will be an opportunity for students looking for roommates to attend a social event in the hopes of finding a roommate. Remember that you will not be permitted to select a double room without a roommate. The Roommate Social will be held on April 22nd in the rear of Decker Auditorium, 5PM-6PM.
Substance Free Housing
Since 1996, substance free housing has been offered as an option for upperclass students. Students, who select this healthy lifestyle, pledge to keep their area smoke-free as well as abide by restrictions regarding drugs and alcohol.
Students interested in living in substance free housing should complete and return a substance free housing application (available on February 15th in the Office of Residence Life) on Friday, April 11 between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm at the Office of Residence Life in Decker College Center and select a lottery number. Substance free room selection will begin at 1:00pm and conclude by 3:00pm on Friday, April 11. All participating students should be present at 1:00pm! Students should bring their ID card. Students will be called in order based on class standing and then lottery number to select their room assignment. If a student is not able to select a room through the substance free process, he/she must still go through the general room selection process to secure a housing assignment.
Substance free housing will most likely be available in Pennsylvania Avenue houses, Albert Norman Ward Hall suites, Daniel McLea Hall suites, and McDaniel Hall.
Blanche Ward Hall
Blanche Hall will undergo renovations starting in late May of 2008. Renovations will not be completely done until January 2009. Only one wing of the building will be available when school starts in August 2008. Residents of Blanche Ward Hall in 2008-09 you will receive a $100 discount on their housing.
North Village Selection Process
The North Village residences contain 4 person apartments (located on the first and second floors of NV203 with two singles and one double room), 5 person apartments (located on the first floors with three single rooms and one double room), and 6 person apartments (located on the second floors with two single rooms and two double rooms). All North Village Apartments are smoke-free. Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the apartments or individual rooms.
Please Note: There are two dates for North Village selection process, depending on the class status of the group members.
GROUPS CONSISTING OF ALL MAY 2009 GRADUATES:
On Monday, April 7 from 12pm-2pm, at Kriel Lounge, EACH student (or their proxy) needs to select a lottery number. These May 2009 graduates (or their proxy) will then attend the North Village/Garden Apartments selection process at 6pm at the Decker Auditorium. That night students will be called up in lottery number order and will be able to select an apartment type and pull-in the relevant number of fellow apartment mates. Note: all students participating this night MUST have selected a lottery number earlier that day during the 12pm-2pm time.
GROUPS CONSISTING OF MIXED CLASS STUDENTS:
Students wishing to live in the North Village Apartments should complete and return the North Village Apartment Application (available in the Office of Residence Life on March 11th) to the Office of Residence Life/Ensor Lounge between 12:00noon – 2:00pm on Tuesday, April 8.
Completed applications should include four, five and/or six eligible student names, ID numbers, and roommate preferences. As applications are submitted, one member representing the application group will pick the group’s lottery number. Apartments are assigned based on the highest total points determined by current academic classification, lottery number, and gender balance:
Expected May 2009 Graduate = 3 points
Expected May 2010 Graduate = 2 points
Expected May 2011 Graduate = 1 point
All applications are sorted by point total and then placed in assignment order by lottery number. Six person apartments will be filled first, then five person apartments, and then four person apartments. Applications will include an area to delete a person from a 6 person apartment group so that a 6 person group may be considered for a 5 person apartment if desired. Similar space will be included for 6 or 5 person groups to indicate individuals to remove in order to be considered for a four person apartment.
Results will be emailed by 4:30pm on Wednesday, April 9. Students not receiving an apartment must participate in another room selection process to obtain a housing assignment. If an apartment loses a resident after assignments are issued, the remaining residents will have 48 hours to fill the vacancy with someone who has paid the $200 housing deposit on time and is in the same class year or higher than the person who caused the vacancy. If unable to fill the vacancy, the group forfeits their North Village Apartment and will be placed on the housing waiting list and assigned to available spaces in August.
During the summer, two North Village buildings are used to house the Baltimore Ravens personnel until only a few days prior to the halls opening for upperclass students. For this reason, it is imperative that the group member completing the North Village application know if any of her/his members will need to return to campus early in August. If so, the application should be completed to reflect the need for a student to return early. If a group applies and is awarded a North Village apartment and does not indicate that a member needs to return early and an early return is not possible because the group was assigned to a building housing the Ravens personnel, it is the student’s responsibility to find alternate housing until their apartment is ready for occupancy.
For more information about the North Village selection process, please attend the Apartment Information Session on Tuesday, March 11 at 7pm in Gold Room A.
Garden Apartments
Garden Apartments will be re-opening for the 2008-09 academic year. There are now both four bedroom and five bedroom apartments available. Kitchens are only available in four bedroom apartments. Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the apartments or individual rooms.
Please Note: There are two dates for Garden Apartments selection process, depending on the class status of the group members.
GROUPS CONSISTING OF ALL MAY 2009 GRADUATES:
On Monday, April 7 from 12pm-2pm, at Kriel Lounge, EACH student (or their proxy) needs to select a lottery number. These May 2009 graduates (or their proxy) will then attend the Garden Apartments/North Village selection process at 6pm at the Decker Auditorium. That night students will be called up in lottery number order and will be able to select an apartment type and pull-in the relevant number of fellow apartment mates. Note: all students participating this night MUST have selected a lottery number earlier that day during the 12pm-2pm time.
GROUPS CONSISTING OF MIXED CLASS STUDENTS:
Students wishing to live in the Garden Apartments should complete and return the Garden Apartment Application (available in the Office of Residence Life on March 11th) to the Office of Residence Life/Ensor Lounge between 12:00noon – 2:00pm on Thursday, April 10.
Completed applications should include four or five eligible student names, ID numbers, and roommate preferences. As applications are submitted, one member representing the application group will pick the group’s lottery number. Apartments are assigned based on the highest total points determined by current academic classification, lottery number, and gender balance:
Expected May 2009 Graduate = 3 points
Expected May 2010 Graduate = 2 points
Expected May 2011 Graduate = 1 point
All applications are sorted by point total and then placed in assignment order by lottery number. Four person apartments will be filled first, then five person apartments. Applications will include an area to add a person to a group of 4 so the group may be considered for a 5 person apartment if desired.
Results will be emailed by 4:30pm on Friday, April 11. Students not receiving an apartment must participate in another room selection process to obtain a housing assignment. If an apartment loses a resident after assignments are issued, the remaining residents will have 48 hours to fill the vacancy with someone who has paid the $200 housing deposit on time and is in the same class year or higher than the person who caused the vacancy. If unable to fill the vacancy, the group forfeits their Garden Apartment and will be placed on the housing waiting list and assigned to available spaces in August.
For more information about the Garden Village selection process, please attend the Apartment Information Sessions on Tuesday, March 11, at 7pm in Gold Room A.
Single Room Selection
Students wishing to live in a single room should select a lottery number during the general lottery selection process from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm in Kriel Lounge on Tuesday, April 22. Single room selection will take place beginning at 6pm on Tuesday, April 22 in the rear of Decker Auditorium. Students should bring their ID card. Lottery numbers will be called in order beginning at 6pm. If a student is unable to be present at 6pm, he/she should send a proxy with his/her student ID and lottery number. If a student does not have a low enough lottery number to select a single room, she/he must participate in the general room selection process on Thursday, April 24th. A waiting list for students wanting single rooms will be started in lottery number order. If single rooms become available, students on the waiting list will be contacted. Being on the waiting list does not guarantee a single room assignment.
Single rooms will most likely be available in Elderdice Hall and Albert Norman Ward Hall.
Note to current first year students and sophomores interested in selecting a single room:
Due to the limited number of single rooms available on the campus, it is almost impossible for a student to be able to select a single room for his/her sophomore and unlikely sometimes for her/his junior year. Rising first year students and sophomores may participate in the single room selection process, but they are strongly encourage to have alternative housing plans in mind and be ready to choose a double room on Thursday, April 22, 2008.
General Room Selection Process
Students wanting to select a housing assignment through the general room selection process should do the following:
* Select a lottery number on Tuesday, April 22nd, in Kriel Lounge between 11:00 am – 3:00pm. In order to select a lottery number, a student must have paid the $200 non-refundable housing deposit, all outstanding student account balances, and be registered for at least 12 credits for the Fall 2008 semester.
*Select a housing assignment on Thursday, April 24th in the rear of the Decker Auditorium when her/his lottery number is called. See the General Room Selection Schedule for the designated selection times based on class and lottery number.
In order to select a specific housing assignment, a group of students must fill the desired room to capacity. For example, to select a double room, the roommate group must be two students who are eligible to participate in the room selection process. When the lowest lottery number in the roommate group is called, the entire group reports to the check in table and chooses a room.
During the general room selection, spaces will be available in McDaniel, Albert Norman Ward and possibly in Pennsylvania Avenue Houses, Blanche, and Rouzer Halls.
Double rooms will most likely be available in Albert Norman Ward Hall, McDaniel Hall, Blanche Ward Hall, and possibly a Pennsylvania Avenue house.
There are two quads available in McDaniel Hall for women. There is one triple room available for men located in McDaniel Hall.
General Room Selection Schedule
The general room selection will take place in the rear of the Decker Auditorium on Thursday, April 24th for all students not already assigned housing in another room selection process. If a student is unable to attend the general room selection at the designated time, he/she should send a proxy with her/his student ID card, completed proxy form (available online) and lottery number form to select a housing assignment for him/her.
Class of 2009 (Current juniors and seniors with less than 8 semesters as a McDaniel student)
4:30 pm Lottery #s 1 - 350
Class of 2010 (Current sophomores)
5:00 pm Lottery #s 351 - 500
Class of 2011 (Current freshmen)
5:45 pm Lottery #s 501 - 800
Each year during the General Room Selection Process, there will be a few roommate pairs who are unable to select a room when their lottery number is called because there are no more rooms available at that time. When this happens, a housing waiting list is compiled and as spaces and rooms become available on the campus through housing cancellations, the roommate pairs are assigned to rooms. The roommate pairs are asked for building and floor preferences and the Office of Residence Life does everything possible to assign the pairs to rooms that meet their housing preferences. Students on the housing waiting list are very often assigned to a room prior to leaving campus for the summer. If not assigned by May, the Residence Life Staff houses these students first during the summer as spaces become available.
It is important for students to know that the lottery number cut off point after which students are placed on the waiting list varies from year to year. All students regardless of lottery number should attend the April 24th General Room Selection Process even if there is a chance he/she may not be able to select a room.
The Office of Residence Life recognizes that being placed on the housing waiting list can be very upsetting to students and want to assure those affected that rooms do become available and roommate pairs are given the opportunity to live together.
Room Consolidation Policy
All residence hall rooms must be filled to capacity during the Housing Selection Process. If a vacancy occurs in a residence hall room after the Housing Selection Process concludes, the remaining resident has 48 hours to identify a new roommate who would have been eligible to participate in the Housing Selection process. It is the responsibility of the remaining roommate to communicate the name of the new roommate within 48 hours to the Office of Residence Life. If a new roommate is not identified within 48 hours, the Office of Residence Life will assign a new resident to the vacancy or consolidate the remaining resident into another room with a vacancy. Roommate pairs are responsible for maintaining communication among themselves regarding changes to their room occupancy. An email will be sent to the remaining resident informing him/her of the new roommate or the new housing assignment.
Study Abroad
If you are studying abroad for fall 2008 be sure to reserve a space on campus for spring 2009 by stopping in the Office of Residence Life and completing a housing preference form for the spring 2009 semester. Preference forms will be available on March 31st!
Room Selection Process Timeline
Friday, March 7th
* Paid Housing Deposit Deadline
Tuesday, March 11
Apartment Selection Information Session at 7pm in Gold Room A
North Village and Garden Apartment applications available in Residence Life starting at 12pm
Monday, March 31
Release From Residency Request Forms and Special Medical Requests forms due in the Office of Residence Life
Study Abroad Housing Preference Forms available
Monday, April 7
North Village and Garden Apartment applicant groups consisting of all seniors select a lottery number between 12:00 noon – 2:00pm in Kriel Lounge.
All Senior North Village/Garden Apartment selection process will begin at 6PM at the Decker Auditorium. All seniors participating must have gotten a lottery number during the 12pm-2pm time.
Tuesday, April 8
North Village Applications due between 12:00 noon – 2:00pm in Residence Life Office/Ensor Lounge for groups of mixed class students.
Wednesday, April 9
North Village results sent via email by 4:30pm
Thursday, April 10
Garden Apartments Applications due between 12:00 noon – 2:00pm in Residence Life Office/Ensor Lounge for groups of mixed class students.
Friday, April 11
Garden Apartments results sent via email by 4:30pm
Substance Free Housing Applications due and lottery numbers to be chosen between 11am-1pm at the Office of Residence Life. Substance Free Room selection process will begin at 1PM, also at the Office of Residence Life.
Monday, April 14
Housing Lottery Information Session 7PM, at Big Baker Memorial Chapel.
Tuesday, April 22
Single Lottery and General Number Selection in Kriel Lounge from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Roommate Social 5PM, Decker Auditorium for students looking for a Fall roommate
Single Room Selection will start at 6pm in Decker Auditorium
Bring Student ID
Thursday, April 24
General Room Selection will start at 4:30pm in Decker Auditorium
See General Room Selection Schedule for time
Room Rates for the 2008-09 Academic Year
Residence Hall Single Room $4190
Residence Hall Double Room $3300
Residence Hall Triple/Quad Room $3190
Suite Single Room $4400
Suite Double Room $3710
Suite Triple Room $3550
(The Suite rate applies to Daniel McLea Hall and Forlines.)
House Single Room $4610
House Double Room $4030
House Triple/Quad Room $3660
Garden Apartment Double with Kitchen $4510
Garden Apartment Single with Kitchen $5090
Garden Apartment Double without Kitchen $4030
Garden Apartment Single without Kitchen $4610
North Village Single Room $5570
North Village Double Room $4980
Blanche Ward Hall Discount Deduct $100 from Residence Hall Single or Double Rate
Air Conditioner Fee per Year $150
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