what is the room assignment

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GTY Cabin Room Assignment

By Reigert2008 May 4, 2021 in Royal Caribbean Discussion

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Reigert2008

I know I've seen this on here before (or maybe not), but when does Royal "generally" assign the cabin numbers for GTY (guarantee) cabins?  This is our first time doing a GTY cabin, which was originally booked in 2019 so I cannot remember what I was told or find the information.  Really just curious since my in-laws have a GTY cabin as well and will need sure they have a good feel for things before we set sail.  Thanks.

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There is no set time when they get assigned, it varies for every cruise.

Royal can assign GTY cabins to optimize muster station capacity so they can open a cabin for booking that would otherwise need to stay closed.  Each lifeboat has a specific number of seats and the cabins that use that lifeboat can't exceed its capacity on an aggregate basis.   If a set of cabins have families of four that may fill a particular lifeboat "early" or maybe leave an odd number of seats so by mixing and matching GTY bookings it's like a tetris game where they can optimize muster stations.  

How this plays out for one muster station one week can be very different the next week so it all depends.  

It could assigned months before or literally the day of the cruise.  Friends in a GTY could get their assignment 3 months after you get yours.

• Audrey V. and RCIfan1912

16 minutes ago, twangster said: There is no set time when they get assigned, it varies for every cruise. Royal can assign GTY cabins to optimize muster station capacity so they can open a cabin for booking that would otherwise need to stay closed.  Each lifeboat has a specific number of seats and the cabins that use that lifeboat can't exceed its capacity on an aggregate basis.   If a set of cabins have families of four that may fill a particular lifeboat "early" or maybe leave an odd number of seats so by mixing and matching GTY bookings it's like a tetris game where they can optimize muster stations.   How this plays out for one muster station one week can be very different the next week so it all depends.   It could assigned months before or literally the day of the cruise.  Friends in a GTY could get their assignment then 3 months later you get yours.

Thanks so much!

AlmondFarmer

The drawback to a guarantee which is hopefully offset by the savings, is that one will often be assigned a less desirable location for a given category. This is due to the desirable locations being previously selected by guests not receiving guarantee discount. 

• Audrey V. , A and M , USCG Teacher and 10 others

10 minutes ago, AlmondFarmer said: The drawback to a guarantee which is hopefully offset by the savings, is that one will often be assigned a less desirable location for a given category. This is due to the desirable locations being previously selected by guests not receiving guarantee discount. 

We're also on an Oasis class ship, so I personally don't think there is a bad room location.  

Curt From Canada

1 hour ago, Reigert2008 said: I know I've seen this on here before (or maybe not), but when does Royal "generally" assign the cabin numbers for GTY (guarantee) cabins?  This is our first time doing a GTY cabin, which was originally booked in 2019 so I cannot remember what I was told or find the information.  Really just curious since my in-laws have a GTY cabin as well and will need sure they have a good feel for things before we set sail.  Thanks.   I fully expect things to be "different" due to the COVID situation, but looking for a general timeframe from the before times      

Before MAR 2020, I kept a database (with lots of input from this fantastic board).  Below is the data (a small sample, but with some trends if you look at it).  My plan is to start up again (as soon as the sailing begin ... I should have said that louder ... AS SOON AS THE SAILINGS BEGIN! ... and they will).  A few observations:

1).  A few get assigned very far in advance.  These appear to be outliners (and the frequency may come down over time with more data).

2). Just over a month before there is an inflection point where almost half have their assignment set.

3). Almost all have been set 10-19 days before sailing.

Stay Safe, Stay Apart, Stay Connected,

Curt from Canada

• Scoular , Audrey V. , bej and 8 others

Nerd alert! Seriously, thank you for sharing and your fourth observation is important.

• SemperMom , Curt From Canada and PaulRC

11 minutes ago, AlmondFarmer said: Nerd alert! Seriously, thank you for sharing and your fourth observation is important.

I'm still laughing.  Thanks, I don't get a chance to do that lately.

It took me over 60 years to really understand my chosen profession (Engineering).  With that much training, "nerd" is now genetically encoded.

24 minutes ago, Curt From Canada said: Before MAR 2020, I kept a database (with lots of input from this fantastic board).  Below is the data (a small sample, but with some trends if you look at it).  My plan is to start up again (as soon as the sailing begin ... I should have said that louder ... AS SOON AS THE SAILINGS BEGIN! ... and they will).  A few observations: 1).  A few get assigned very far in advance.  These appear to be outliners (and the frequency may come down over time with more data). 2). Just over a month before there is an inflection point where almost half have their assignment set. 3). Almost all have been set 10-19 days before sailing. 4). All have been assigned by the time you board.    Stay Safe, Stay Apart, Stay Connected, Curt from Canada

• Curt From Canada , Baked Alaska and SemperMom

13 minutes ago, Reigert2008 said: "So, I made a spreadsheet to...."

Pick the best jewelry for your Valentines gift.....she’ll come around. 

8 minutes ago, AlmondFarmer said: Pick the best jewelry for your Valentines gift.....she’ll come around. 

I'm guessing a spreadsheet will be made to compare jewelry prices.

• AlmondFarmer and Baked Alaska

56 minutes ago, Reigert2008 said: We're also on an Oasis class ship, so I personally don't think there is a bad room location.  

We have had an ocean view guarantee twice on Oasis-class ships. If I remember right we were allocated our cabins within a couple of days after making final payment. On both occasions we were allocated one of the forward-facing rooms at the very front of the ship. I really like the layout of those.

On the second occasion, SIL & BIL,  who were travelling with us, were allocated a room on deck 3, in the middle of the ship, so bear in mind that booking together doesn't mean you will necessarily get rooms together.

The concept of the Royal Up! upgrade program has inserted a new dynamic into GTY that I'm not sure we've fully seen the impact of yet.

I once booked an Ocean View GTY on Anthem.  There are very few OV cabins on this class but lots of balconies.  Sure enough I received an Ocean View Balcony assignment.  

• desert_Noelle

@twangster  i've been wondering if Royal Up would be offered.  We've never done it, but i bet that does help some GTY people get upgraded as other people move up to other categories.

8 minutes ago, Reigert2008 said: @twangster  i've been wondering if Royal Up would be offered.  We've never done it, but i bet that does help some GTY people get upgraded as other people move up to other categories.

Agreed but it could also shift the assignment date even closer to the sail date so they can optimize everything.

Yea I was going to mention two things, Royal Up which Twangster has covered here and also mention travel agent/other group blocks.

Basically Royal is overselling certain categories (ocean view/ocean view balcony GTY) the folks who purchased will be offered upgrade opportunities to bid for a Royal Up!  into a junior suite for example and the bids work themselves through Royal's algorithm until things even out and everyone has a room.  I remember this discussion from a few other threads, thanks for keeping track of our experiences @Curt From Canada !!

Seems that less and less often are these upgrades are just given to priority or status heavy members, but instead must be paid for/bid on.  For all we love about RC we all know the experience is more and more about the approach some call nickel and diming, Royal would call up selling additional revenue from you after you've booked the cruise.  If it wasn't working they wouldn't keep at it, must be fairly effective. 

So as mentioned, the other thing I've learned is that there are almost always blocks of rooms that we cannot see booking directly through Royal's website.  Travel agents (and maybe Casino Royale or other programs too?) have blocks on most sailings that are released back to Royal if they aren't sold by a certain date ? - that's probably in this same 2-3 week window when most assignments happen.  So that's a big +1 for using an established TA as well.  I have booked GTY before when traveling with just my wife, I probably won't again, the savings weren't that great on our cruise but like everything your mileage may vary. 

I had been doing the research for next year with a larger group of family - looking for 6 rooms close to each other (in a row, across the hall, etc) and there was nothing across any sailing I could find for Feb or March 2022 sailing out of FL, then called a TA we had used for this group in the past, she found several options for blocks we could choose from across different floors of different ships on the main cruise we had settled on and also on different cruises.  We were originally on floor 14 all six cabins together, but then moved down to 9 to be on central park and more mid ship etc etc.  We had options.  So the rooms are out there, it's just about which route you want to use to find them (and how much you do or don't want to be staying near the people you're traveling with haha)

I noticed something interesting to my on my Lift n Switch from last month.  We had a GTY balcony room booked for April 20, we lift and shifted to April 21 and when I received my email confirmation I noticed now that I had an assigned room.  Don't know if this was done accidentally or if its the norm for a L&S move?

Our experience with GTY rooms in the past has been positive.

44 minutes ago, Snowchaser said: I noticed something interesting to my on my Lift n Switch from last month.  We had a GTY balcony room booked for April 20, we lift and shifted to April 21 and when I received my email confirmation I noticed now that I had an assigned room.  Don't know if this was done accidentally or if its the norm for a L&S move? Our experience with GTY rooms in the past has been positive.  

We had that happen with our L&S from November 2020 to November 2021.  Our TA said it made her pick a room, so she did and then had Royal lower the price back to the GTY price since the L&S was price protected.

• 9 months later...

Just got assigned.  15 days out... and the barcode trick worked.

9 hours ago, Luis said: Just got assigned.  15 days out... and the barcode trick worked.

Spreadsheet updated thank you.  Actually, it was a big thrill to put in new data point in.  I checked and the last one I entered was on March 06, 2020 ... ugh.  Still, it was a thrill ... anyone and everyone send data.

And 100%, that bar code trick is brilliant.  Can't remember who suggested it first, but it is making the data gathering somewhat redundant.

What is the bar code trick and as soon as I'm assigned I will post it

Bar code trick?

44 minutes ago, Curt From Canada said: And 100%, that bar code trick is brilliant.  Can't remember who suggested it first, but it is making the data gathering somewhat redundant.

37 minutes ago, Marlena said: Bar code trick?

A quick search for "bar code trick" took me to this post from quite a while ago. I'm gonna have to remember this for our upcoming Alaskan cruise this summer!

• 2 weeks later...

Hello.  Can anyone help me understand category definitions.  For example, we are looking at and interior room.   There is a more expensive room option with an interior window view of the promenade or central park, but within the interior room category.  Would the guaranteed best room mean the best room in the broad interior category, incuding the more expensive rooms with a view.  Or, is it more specific to just the best room, interior, no view?  Hope that makes sense.  And, thanks!!

Atlantix2000

Guaranteed rooms are just a fancy term for saying that you didn't pick your own room.  They are usually cheaper but they are also the leftover rooms that no one else picked.  In general, that means they will not be best or most desirable rooms in the category.  That doesn't make them bad rooms, but they might be further from the stairs/elevator or they might be noisier because of their location and what is above or below them.

The only guarantee is that you have a room on the ship.  Also, in the event that they sell all the rooms in the category you booked, they promise to upgrade you to a higher category.  So if you booked an oceanview guarantee, you will get at least an oceanview room, maybe something better, but they will not downgrade you to an interior.  A guaranteed interior is already the lowest category so in theory you could get any room on the ship.  But you're almost certainly going to get a plain interior room.  There's a small chance of getting an interior with promenade or central park view.  There's almost no chance of anything higher than that.

• 4 months later...

I am often offered comp rooms from the casino.  And I often take advantage of them. 

It's always been a non-issue, I call up to book the room, and I've until recently, been assigned a room, even allowed to choose a room.

Last couple times, I was told I'd have to wait for my room assignment once I've boarded.  But I was offered to upgrade and get an instant room assignment.  Okay, done.  I wanted a better room anyway.

I called to book two more cruises yesterday, and in both cases they gave offered only GTY rooms, but I could pay an extra 200-bucks and get an assigned room. 

Another ploy to make a buck, for them?

2 hours ago, WAYNO said: This GTY thing...  It's never been an issue in the past, but now it's an issue every time. I am often offered comp rooms from the casino.  And I often take advantage of them.  It's always been a non-issue, I call up to book the room, and I've until recently, been assigned a room, even allowed to choose a room.   Last couple times, I was told I'd have to wait for my room assignment once I've boarded.  But I was offered to upgrade and get an instant room assignment.  Okay, done.  I wanted a better room anyway.   I called to book two more cruises yesterday, and in both cases they gave offered only GTY rooms, but I could pay an extra 200-bucks and get an assigned room.  Another ploy to make a buck, for them?

Casino bookings don't get the best rooms. They allot so many to push for guest to spend money, but they aren't going to give them "quality" locations, hence the GTY options. 

Interesting b/c I once tried to book a GTY category (granted, it wasn’t an inside GTY.  A suite GTYi think) and they wouldn’t let me.

On 3/11/2022 at 2:55 PM, TessaS said: Hello.  Can anyone help me understand category definitions.  For example, we are looking at and interior room.   There is a more expensive room option with an interior window view of the promenade or central park, but within the interior room category.  Would the guaranteed best room mean the best room in the broad interior category, incuding the more expensive rooms with a view.  Or, is it more specific to just the best room, interior, no view?  Hope that makes sense.  And, thanks!!

It could but you are best to assume you will get a plain interior cabin. 

44 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said: Interesting b/c I once tried to book a GTY category (granted, it wasn’t an inside GTY.  A suite GTYi think) and they wouldn’t let me.

I believe the GTY option would only be interiors because they are most often the "free" option. I would imagine if you were paying to upgrade, they have access to better inventory. Maybe in the case they didn't want to do a suite GTY because it was available in their inventory.

Not sure why this hasn’t been mentioned but you can usually find your cabin assignment as soon as you check in using the “bar code trick.”

Simply put your set sail pass in your Apple wallet (if you have an Apple device) or scan the bar code with another device. You will see numbers under the bar code. The numbers after the dash represent your cabin number. In rare cases it may change before it is officially assigned but not usually.

I knew my cabins for my current B2B 45 days out but they weren’t officially assigned until 16 days out. As soon as they were I was ready to have my TA move them but we won a small RoyalUp for one so she only moved the 2nd (we switched between halves).

Hope this helps.

1 hour ago, Ampurp85 said: I believe the GTY option would only be interiors because they are most often the "free" option. I would imagine if you were paying to upgrade, they have access to better inventory. Maybe in the case they didn't want to do a suite GTY because it was available in their inventory.  

No they do have GTY's for Suites as well but there is of course much less inventory at that level and once they've sold all their suite GTY's they will not offer or sale any more for the particular cruise.  When I first started booking suites some years ago I would alway used the suite GTY because it was a more affordable way to get into a suite.  I no longer do that now as we can now comfortably afford owners and crown loft suites but for those looking to get into a suite without having to do an upgrade the suite GTY is an option and can be a money saver but there are usually only a handful of suite GTYs offer per cruise.

2 hours ago, JasonOasis said: No they do have GTY's for Suites as well but there is of course much less inventory at that level and once they've sold all their suite GTY's they will not offer or sale any more for the particular cruise.  When I first started booking suites some years ago I would alway used the suite GTY because it was a more affordable way to get into a suite.  I no longer do that now as we can now comfortably afford owners and crown loft suites but for those looking to get into a suite without having to do an upgrade the suite GTY is an option and can be a money saver but there are usually only a handful of suite GTYs offer per cruise.

I was referring to Casino Royale inventory. I should have said that because they have mostly free interiors, they could be GTY. However, all the rooms can be upgraded so they probably won't have GTY rooms for things like balconies and suites. Royal will have GTY cabins until they sell enough at whatever price to fill the ship. 

6 hours ago, Ampurp85 said: Casino bookings don't get the best rooms. They allot so many to push for guest to spend money, but they aren't going to give them "quality" locations, hence the GTY options. 

My experience has been, I spend a lot of money in the casino, and I do in fact get premium room offers.  And I've never had to pony up to get a non-GTY room, until now.

This is a change from past practice, how it has applied to me. 

9 hours ago, WAYNO said: This GTY thing...  It's never been an issue in the past, but now it's an issue every time. I am often offered comp rooms from the casino.  And I often take advantage of them.  It's always been a non-issue, I call up to book the room, and I've until recently, been assigned a room, even allowed to choose a room.   Last couple times, I was told I'd have to wait for my room assignment once I've boarded.  But I was offered to upgrade and get an instant room assignment.  Okay, done.  I wanted a better room anyway.   I called to book two more cruises yesterday, and in both cases they gave offered only GTY rooms, but I could pay an extra 200-bucks and get an assigned room.  Another ploy to make a buck, for them?

I've booked @36+ cruises since October, 2021 with casino comps. I got one GTY balcony thus far. The others have been balconies/Suites wherever I wanted on the ship generally. I usually book 2 rooms (one under me, other under wife). It may change as the ships fill up. I have had 3-6 offers a month, for each of us, many that I can't use.

• KristiZ and WAYNO
• 1 month later...

CanuckTraveller

On 5/4/2021 at 9:46 AM, Curt From Canada said: Before MAR 2020, I kept a database (with lots of input from this fantastic board).  Below is the data (a small sample, but with some trends if you look at it).  My plan is to start up again (as soon as the sailing begin ... I should have said that louder ... AS SOON AS THE SAILINGS BEGIN! ... and they will).  A few observations: 1).  A few get assigned very far in advance.  These appear to be outliners (and the frequency may come down over time with more data). 2). Just over a month before there is an inflection point where almost half have their assignment set. 3). Almost all have been set 10-19 days before sailing. 4). All have been assigned by the time you board.    Stay Safe, Stay Apart, Stay Connected, Curt from Canada

Hi Curt from Canada,

Fellow Canadian here.  We booked our first GTY cabin back in March and your graph was very helpful.  When our cruise fell into the 10-19 days range, I began checking our booking daily to see if our cabin had been assigned.  Sure enough, 10 days out, we received our cabin assignment!  (I tried the "bar code" trick and it didn't work for me.)

BTW, I am a fellow "nerd" when it comes to spreadsheets as I actually created one to compare cruises to Hawaii from Vancouver, LOL.  

On 7/21/2022 at 3:15 PM, OCSC Mike said: Not sure why this hasn’t been mentioned but you can usually find your cabin assignment as soon as you check in using the “bar code trick.” Simply put your set sail pass in your Apple wallet (if you have an Apple device) or scan the bar code with another device. You will see numbers under the bar code. The numbers after the dash represent your cabin number. In rare cases it may change before it is officially assigned but not usually. I knew my cabins for my current B2B 45 days out but they weren’t officially assigned until 16 days out. As soon as they were I was ready to have my TA move them but we won a small RoyalUp for one so she only moved the 2nd (we switched between halves). Hope this helps.

Thanks for the hack information. I just got my room number from it 40 days out but I hope my room gets changed since it is right above the theater.

11 hours ago, chipnut said: Thanks for the hack information. I just got my room number from it 40 days out but I hope my room gets changed since it is right above the theater.

Once officially assigned, you can ask to switch to any available cabin in the SAME EXACT CATEGORY. If you used a TA, they have to do it. If you booked yourself, just call.

I switched my GTY cabin twice before my cruise last week.

NOTE: This applies to US bookings, other countries have different rules.

We booked our first ever cruise yesterday for a 7 night Norwegian Fjords cruise on Anthem of the Seas! We're travelling as a family of 5 (2 adults, 3 'children' - they're 21, 18 and 16) across two cabins. We booked balcony guarantee cabins and, strangely enough, they've already been allocated to us, even though we're not travelling for another 230ish days and we've only just paid our deposit. 

Suffice to say, we completely understandable the conditions and implications of booking guaranteed cabins. We've been allocated one obstructed view balcony cabin on deck 6 and one generic balcony cabin on deck 11. We don't mind that the cabins are separated by a few decks, as the children are old enough and capable enough to not need to be nearby, nor that one of them is an obstructed view, but our main query comes through the muster points that we've been given with our cabins. Our children's muster point is at La Patisserie, whilst my husband and I are at Jamie's Italian. Of course, I know that the likelihood of anything going wrong is low, but even so it's scary to think that, should something happen which causes us to need to gather there, we won't all be together. 

My main question, therefore, was whether RCL could reallocate our muster points so that we're at the same point. I'm not too sure how muster allocation works in the first place, and whether there's any reason as to why we're in different locations, but if it was possible then does anyone know whether we should contact our travel agent to arrange this or if we should talk to RCL directly?

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What Happened? Understanding Room Assignments

Please note: most of the content on this page is applicable for room assignments made during the summer for the upcoming fall semester., an explanation for students who don’t get their preferred room assignment..

With the annual summer release of room assignments, University Housing gets a number of phone calls from concerned students, family members, and sometimes even friends, who want to know: (a) why the student didn’t get their top-choice room assignment and (b) what can be done about it.

In an effort to answer some of these questions, we’ve created the following guide for students.

Why Didn’t I Get My Preferred Roommate?

Explanation: when two roommates do not have matching requests, it is possible that they will not be paired together.

Living Learning Community Preference The most frequent item that does not match will be Living Learning Communities. Since LLCs are University Housing’s top assignment priority, students may be assigned to their LLC, even if it means failing to grant a requested roommate. How can you tell if this happened to your request? Check the list of LLC locations below. If either student is placed in these areas, it means that they had an LLC request that broke the roommate pairing.

Roommate Preference At times, we see pairs of students who did not request each other, even though they think they did. In its most benign circumstance, this may happen if someone copied a UWM ID# wrong. However, every year we also see instances in which one roommate who backed out or failed to include the UWM ID#. You can tell if you and your roommate(s) requested each other by returning to your Contract Preference Page in MyHousing. If you see a “confirmed” note next to the UWM ID# of your roommate(s) it indicates that the numbers were properly entered by all parties. If you see “unconfirmed” than the numbers entered did not match up.

Returner Self-Assignment If one of the two roommates participated in Returner Self-Assignment (where the 2022-23 Housing Residents picked their rooms for 2023-24), they may have ended up in a suite that didn’t have space for a new student to be assigned, or a space where a first-year student may not be eligible to live (Sandburg East).

Explanation: this is a rare circumstance but happens every year as we reach the end of available spaces. Because students are assigned in an order determined by random lottery, we will reach a point where every double or triple room has one open spot, but not two. At this point, a roommate pairing will be broken. If this occurs, the assignment system will next try to assign two requested roommates relatively close to each other (often in the same suite, sometimes on the same floor or in the same building). However, because so many spaces are usually taken when we reach this point of assignments, it is not guaranteed.

Explanation: this occurs for a number of reasons. Your roommate may have never completed a University Housing contract, they may have completed a University Housing contract, but AFTER the priority deadline of May 1, or they may have canceled a previously submitted contract. In any of these cases, you would be assigned without them.

Why Didn’t I Get My Preferred Living Learning Community?

Explanation: most of our Living Learning Communities are reserved for students who are admitted to a particular school/college or have a particular major. The most confusing of these is Health Professions, which require students to be admitted to the College of Nursing or College of Health Sciences. Both of those are different than AOC-Nursing or AOC-Health Sciences.

Explanation: a few of our LLCs had more demand than there were available beds. In this case we continue to monitor vacancies and reassign from the waitlist when possible.

Why Didn’t I Get My Preferred Building/Room Type?

Explanation: Certain preferences take priority over others as we go through our lottery process. In order to maximize satisfaction on these priorities, other preferences may not be considered.

Living Learning Community Preference University Housing’s top priority is to assign a student to their preferred LLC. That means we would assign them to their LLC even if it meant not giving them the building or room type they requested.

Roommate Preference University Housing’s second priority is to assign a student with their preferred roommate. That means we would assign them to their preferred roommate even if it meant not giving them the building or room type they requested.

Explanation: Like all housing markets, there’s a balance between supply and demand. For instance: we have far more requests for singles and triples than for doubles. Of all the room types, triples are the smallest offering we have. If we didn’t have your top preference available, we considered second or third options. If none of those were available in the same building, then the student was likely assigned to a different building.

How Can I Tell If I’m In An LLC

The most reliable way to determine is based on your room assignment. General locations of LLCs are listed in the table below (though some suites in the identified floors may not be LLC suites).

So, what can I do now?

First, take a look and explore your newly assigned space. Every building (in fact, every home!) students will have for the rest of their life will have pros and cons. Learning about your new building, and how to maximize your satisfaction are important steps. We’ve got layouts of most buildings and room types available on the University Housing website at www.uwm.edu/housing . If you’re coming for New Student Orientation (or TASO), we offer tours of most buildings and would be happy to show you those spaces. We also offer tours throughout the week. Set up an individual tour by registering on our University Housing Tours site.

Second, if you would like to change part of your assignment in regards to an LLC, email [email protected] . This would allow you to change your LLC preference, which may in turn change your assignment.

Third, if you have a non-LLC room assignment concern and would like to request a room change of your assignment, you can complete a Summer Room Change Process Request Form at https://uwm.edu/housing/secure/assignment-change-request/ . All requests must be submitted by July 7, 2023. This is the form you use if you would like to re-request a roommate who you weren’t paired with, or if you’d like to move to a different building. University Housing cannot guarantee if your request will be granted, but historically, we’ve been able to accommodate more than 50% of requested changes.

Residents With Assignments Starting In January: University Housing does its best to accommodate the preferences you indicate when you sign your online contract, with room assignments made in a randomized order determined by lottery. (LLC requests are made by emailing [email protected], which are then added to the resident preferences before the lottery is run). Due to a very limited supply of available spaces, it is very difficult to match most preferences. Roommate and LLC requests are the most difficult to match, followed by room type. All residents who submit their Spring-only Housing Contract by December 1 have an equal chance in the lottery. If you would like to explore a room change, please discuss it with your RA after you’ve moved in.

• Carina Stegmayer
• Aug 30, 2023

New Approaches to Room Allocation or Which Room Gets Assigned to Which Guest?

Updated: Sep 14, 2023

Reservations are still primarily managed manually in most hotels. However, is this approach still appropriate given the current staffing levels and new employee profiles? Is manual room allocation truly the best method to optimize your room plan? What criteria influences these decisions? Or should we consider assigning rooms upon arrival and disregarding guest preferences?

Determining which room is assigned to each reservation has largely remained a completely manual process in the hotel industry. While there are Property Management Systems (PMS) that now automatically allocate reservations within categories, this is based on basic rules and often requires manual adjustments by staff due to changes in occupancy and demand. This can lead to reassigning previously allocated reservations to different rooms. The effort and time that hotels invest in room allocation and the regular shuffling (sometimes referred to as a "Tetris game") can take up several hours per day, especially for larger properties with high occupancy.

Effective room allocation that takes various criteria into account is not only labor-intensive but also results in accommodating guest preferences and profiles, allowing guests to check into the room that suits them upon arrival. For manual room allocation, there are numerous tutorials available, and hotel chains provide additional guidelines to be considered by the front desk team during the assignment process.

Some hotel employees, due to their long-term tenure at the same property, are not only highly skilled at performing this task but also find it fulfilling when they allocate reservations after hours of work, managing to create gaps for additional requests or fulfilling guest preferences.

However, reality presents a slightly different picture. On one hand, there's a shortage of skilled labor, and employees are expected to handle a wider range of tasks. On the other hand, there's a decreasing number of staff members who stay at the same property long enough to know every room and allocate reservations effectively. Manual room allocation and the need to make changes to a confirmed booking add extra (work) costs. These costs are often not accounted for in the hotel industry and are recorded as general front desk activities, which significantly reduce profits and guest-facing time. Reservations are sometimes assigned based on individual employee preferences, and under high pressure, reservations are shifted simply to fill gaps in the room plan as efficiently as possible, regardless of the room's value or category. Free upgrades become necessary in such cases. Optimizing the room plan is an ongoing process, especially during peak occupancy periods.

Why is it so difficult to implement room assignments correctly?

In addition to the multitude of criteria that an employee would need to consider when making assignments, the employee also needs a deep inventory knowledge to carry out a suitable allocation.

Among the additional criteria are, for example: guaranteed versus non-guaranteed bookings, direct bookings versus bookings through third-party channels or specific providers, bookings for families, seniors, guests requiring accessible rooms, adjoining rooms, specific bed configurations, and other guest preferences, repeat guests, check-in and check-out times, etc.

The complexity that comes with effective room allocation is undeniable. Additionally, gaps in the room plan must be minimized, especially since these gaps cannot be automatically sold and could lead to revenue losses, particularly during periods with minimum stay requirements if gaps cannot be sold – for example, over the phone.

While long-serving employees might still find this task meaningful, a closer examination of this workflow raises the question of how feasible and contemporary it is to carry this out with reduced staffing. It's worth considering whether younger generations of employees would value this task in the same way or simply view it as an additional burden to complete without taking into account the aforementioned points.

How can a room plan be optimally utilized?

One approach could be to only assign reservations upon arrival and disregard any preferences or requests. However, this contradicts the goals of any hotelier who aims to meet the needs of their guests and provide them with an unforgettable stay. Moreover, such a strategy is more likely to result in overbooking of room categories, an increased number of complimentary upgrades, and negative guest feedback. Effective demand management also involves considering stay restrictions to minimize gaps in occupancy, and last-minute room assignment is suboptimal in this context.

The fundamental issue lies not only in the lack of skilled personnel, lack of knowledge about the property, or time for allocation but mainly in the fact that room inventory isn't detailed enough in systems to be used as criteria for assignment.

However, who says that room inventory must continue to be managed solely within categories, and how can artificial intelligence be better employed in this case?

Room assignments using artificial intelligence every room assignment involves certain considerations: Should the guest's preference be taken into account to satisfy them, or should short-term revenue be optimized? With a detailed inventory structure and the use of artificial intelligence, an optimal room assignment solution can be created dynamically, adapting to the desired strategy with each new booking situation.

It's comparable to the invention of the washing machine: While you still need to put the laundry in the drum, set the wash program, and press start, from that moment on, you save an immense amount of time, and the result is much better than continuing to wash the laundry by hand.

The tasks and requirements for hotel employees are constantly changing, much like in many other industries. However, the hospitality sector is a service industry where the primary focus is on providing guests with a service and ensuring a positive stay experience.

The cloud-based technologies available in the hospitality industry not only allow many tasks to be carried out from different locations (remotely), but also enable employees to have more time available for guests. This is achieved by digitizing and ideally automating downstream operational processes.

An optimized room plan is just one of many operational tasks that can be automated using intelligent technology in the future. Such automation could significantly reduce the current workload while simultaneously efficiently accommodating guest preferences and room plans to maximize revenue for the establishment.

For those interested in learning more about this topic, further details about GauVendi's Inventi-Flow solution can be found directly on their website, along with the option to schedule a non-binding demo session.

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Room Assignments/Changes

It is the goal of Housing Services that most students select their own assignments. Priority for room assignment is determined by contract receipt order, with returning students selecting rooms in the spring term prior to new student assignments occurring over the summer.

There are some exceptions to student self-selection. Members of the Corps of Cadets, Oak Lane communities, and student athletes housed in CID will be assigned by their respective organizations; students who fall near the end of the contract receipt order, or those who fail to self-select by stated deadlines, may be placed by Housing Services staff. Additionally, students with housing accommodations that limit what buildings or room types will best support their accommodations are typically manually assigned by Housing Services staff. Although infrequent, Housing Services reserves the right to reassign any student if necessary.

"Swapping" Room Assignments before Occupancy

Occasionally two students want to "swap" room assignments. If we hear from the two students approving such an assignments change, we will attempt the move. We must hear directly from the students involved in the swap - we will not move someone out of a space because you "think they won't mind." Students must send written notice from their @vt.edu email address giving approval of such a switch, specifying what they are agreeing to do(including buildings and room numbers).

Administrative Reassingment before Occupancy

Assignments may be changed at the discretion of the housing office. While we attempt to minimize such changes, each year a small number of changes must be made in response to occupancy concerns.

Room Change Information

The Room Change Process can be engaged by students through the StarRez Portal . Once in the portal, select Online Forms and follow the on-screen instructions for Room Change Requests.

If a room change is being considered due to a conflict with roommate/suitemates, it is the expectation that the residents have started with direct communication to attempt to resolve the concern. This resolution can be supported by the student leader or house supervisor who are trained in communication and conflict mediation. These student staff members are also supported by RWB professionals who may either support or directly address the situation. A room change should not be seen as the default solution to a conflict, but rather a step in the resolution when lower-level solutions have been considered.

How to Complete Your Room Change

If your room change is approved, follow the steps below:

• Once the room change is processed, you will have access to both residences for 72 hours to complete your move.
• Your Hokie Passport PIN remains the same. It is registered to your account, not the room.
• Check out of your old room by submitting an express check-out form through the StarRez Portal. If you wish to schedule an in-person check-out, please email [email protected] to do so.
• Failure to complete the move by the deadline will result in improper checkout charges and loss of the right to contest damage assessments made by staff.
• Your mailing address will be updated in the University system. All mail addressed to your old University address will be forwarded. Please be sure to update your friends & family of your new mailing address .
• Log on to the StarRez Portal to complete your new room inspection. Inspections are found in the Room Inspections process.
• Housing Services seeks to provide housing for as many students as possible, and to maintain a residence hall environment that is conducive to student development. To affect these goals, Housing Services reserves the right to assign persons to all vacant spaces, to make room changes, and to approve/refuse room changes.
• Consistent with University policy, no room assignment will be made or changed on the basis of race, creed, color, or national origin.
• Room change requests that involve specialized communities such as Living-Learning Programs, the Corps of Cadets, and Oak Lane Communities have additional requirements and may require the approval of program leadership beyond the submission of this form.
• If a student has difficulty in making a change, the Housing Services staff may make an administrative reassignment to another space.
• A room change is officially approved when students receives an approval email from Housing to their @vt.edu email address.
• Moving students will receive access on their Hokie Passport at the time of approval, and will have access to the new and old room to complete their room change.
• The actual moving involved in the room change must be completed within 72 hours after Housing Services has approved the change. If not completed within the 72 hours, the change approval may be rescinded and improper check-out charges applied.
• The room change is complete when you submit an Express Check-Out on the StarRez Portal.
• Any student making a room change without approval from Housing Services may be subject to disciplinary action and/or may be reassigned to their original assignment.

Single Room Buy-Out

In times of low on-campus occupancy, Housing Services may offer students who currently do not have a roommate the option to convert to single occupancy for the remainder of the academic year. Housing Services reserves the right to approve or disapprove requests as necessary due to occupancy levels and/or occupancy management concerns.

Please note: we do not currently plan to offer a single room buy-out process for the 2024-2025 academic year.

End of Semester Room Changes

End of Semester Room Changes allow a person to express interest in moving to an open space with a preferred roommate before that space is assigned for the spring semester. This process allows students to consolidate themselves to live with preferred roommates. Requests to move to an unoccupied room will be denied.

The end of semester room change form will open on the StarRez Portal at 8:00 a.m, on Monday, December 2, 2024 . The form will close at 4:59 p.m. on Friday, December 13, 2024 .

Requirements:

• Both students must agree to the room change and complete the end of semester room change submission on the StarRez Portal. Requests that are not mutual will not be honored.
• Students approved for an end of semester room change must complete the move PRIOR to leaving campus for the Winter Break. This must be completed no later than 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 19, 2024 .
• Students who complete an end of semester room change must check out of their former assignment in person. Appointments to complete a check-out can be made through the StarRez Portal. Students will receive instructions for doing so in their room change approval email.

To Submit an End of Semester Room Change Request:

• Log onto the StarRez Portal
• Navigate to Online Forms
• Select End of Semester Room Change Request from the drop-down menu
• Complete the appropriate request form

Housing Services staff will review and respond to requests in the order in which they are received. Responses will be sent to students’ VT email addresses only.

Changing Your Housing Contract:

Room & Roommate Assignment

University Housing makes first-year room assignments starting in June and continuing through the summer. Students joining Living Learning Communities can expect to receive their housing assignments by the end of June. All other incoming students can expect to begin receiving housing assignments the week of July 15. Assignments are made based on the week the housing application is completed.

Ensure a smooth process for receiving your room assignment in university housing by completing these essential steps after submitting your housing application:

Submit Your Housing Application by June 4: Ensure your eligibility for a room assignment by submitting your housing application before the June 4 deadline.

Attend Bearcats Bound Orientation (BBO): Attend Bearcats Bound Orientation by July 12 to facilitate room assignments starting the week of July 15. Even if assigned to a Living Learning Community (LLC), attendance is mandatory for all students. 

Register for at Least 3 Credit Hours by August 1: Finalize your registration for a minimum of 3 credit hours by August 1 to avoid potential cancellation of your room assignment and/or application. It's a crucial step to secure your place in the vibrant UC community. 

Understanding the Roommate Process

Roommate requests are honored whenever possible. Roommates must each request the other person on their Housing Agreement. Each roommate's name and student ID number must be indicated on the Agreement.

Requests that are not mutual cannot be honored.

The sooner your application and your roommate(s)' applications are received, the better your chances of rooming together. Please remember it is not always possible to hold a space for a requested roommate whose application has not been received.

Roommate Assignment Timeline

The first large assignment mailing for fall term will be sent to your UC email account. Check our calendar  for the general timeline. Thereafter, assignment letters are mailed out as soon as assignments are made.

I f you think you should have received an assignment letter but haven't, please call the Univerity Housing office at 513-556-6461 or email us at  [email protected] .

Changing Roommates or Assignments

First, it’s important to note that most roommate relationships are successful (even if the immediate reaction to one another is anxiety). Going into the situation with an open mind and an optimistic attitude can make a big difference. Find more information about how we support building positive roommate relationships.

For more information about requesting a change, please visit our Change or Swap Rooms page . 

Room Assignment and Operations – Unlocking the Mystery

The relationship between room assignment and hotel operations is multi-pronged, complex, and in many respects a “black box” for hotel managers..

Hotel reservations are too varied, and inventory too complex, to determine how room assignment should function optimally in the broader workings of a hotel, but this much we do know: Many guests are unsatisfied with the rooms they receive, and that translates into lower guest satisfaction and less repeat business. Room assignment is a complex task that is easy to "mess up," and requires training of front desk personnel and integration into the broader operation of a hotel. This takes time, and resources. And without a doubt, most hotels are leaving "money on the table" by not optimally assigning guests the right room at check in.

In what follows, we aim to spark some thought and reflection on your own operation - and help you gain some perspective on this important subject.

Understanding the Impact of Room Assignment – Beginning at the Beginning In a previous article [add link], we established the booked room as the core product of a hotel, and suggested how important it is to reduce the number of room categories offered in the booking process.

But do you realize how exponentially difficult it is, under currently room assignment constraints, to fulfill each guest's request to the maximum extent possible, producing that elusive "happy customer?"

Take a quick look at the below room categories, picked at random from a brand's website. In both cases, and in almost all cases of base room categories, the bed type choice is unclear.

Continue in the booking process (on this particular site), and you can specify your preference

Notice that on this particular site, the brand gave itself the ability to more closely track a guest's preferences. On most booking sites, only a generic comment can be added, making tracking of room related requests even more difficult.

With a booking completed, the available inventory for 'Coral Rooms' is decremented by 1 for the date booked. There is however no guarantee that the hotel will be able to fulfill my request for a King bed. Had I picked a category with a distinct bed type, my chances of fulfillment would be significantly higher, but since no one can actually say how many KING beds are available in CORAL rooms and for the date(s), it is basically a gamble. It is even a bigger gamble of you add in the functions, combination CORAL + KING + HIGH, and ELEVATOR.

Adding to the complexity, the agent performing room assignment needs to also consider the impact of different overlapping stay lengths, number of adults, children, loyalty based upgrade requirements, impact of this and previous room assignment decisions on other reservations current and future, and not least, the 'style' of the individuals responsible for the process on that day.

At the moment of check-in, the front desk agent also needs to make sure the room is clean and inspected, may have to swap rooms with other reservations, sell the guest on not having the high floor or having to wait an undetermined amount of time… and ideally, to produce revenue, they should try to upsell the guest to the better, but less popular suites, ensure that all documents are in order, the reservation accurate, the deposit paid or a credit card swiped, guests understand the various fees charged, and on and on and on. All that becomes the responsibility of your front desk staff. Because they are the only ones that are certain to meet the guest, they are naturally asked all kinds of additional things, sell a table reservation, spa, and explain the resort… - not only from management, but also from the guests.

So when we unpack it, it's a very complicated picture, with lots of moving parts, at least the parts that are left to the desk agent.

Is it any wonder errors happen, revenue is left on the table, and check in is often a stressful time for guests and agents?

There are additional factors. Member services pushes check in personnel to ensure that loyalty members all get the upgrades they should be entitled to; marketing seeks to improve guest reviews; overall, Revenue management to increase ADR via upselling, reservations to reduce the fragmentation of the inventory, and the GM to reduce the unsightly wait lines to check in or out – sometimes, the GM criticizes supervisors because they failed to go through the full scripted welcome procedure and rooms control, or because they made assignment decisions "on the fly," which produced additional work for the next days.

As a result of all this complexity, a typical front desk operation today has often as much staff in the back of the house, as there are agents facing customers. It is only natural that the task of room assignment is gradually being moved to specialized staff in the back office. And it is increasingly clear, that the front desk has not kept up with the times. Some of it is due to antiquated systems, some due to the industry's characteristic attachment to legacy systems – particularly in all things having a direct impact on guests. Most commonly, the rooms division will ask for more staff to improve guest satisfaction, while management will ask to reduce cost.

How Do We Solve The Problem?

It is not easy.

A 100 room hotel with stay lengths typically between 1 and 4 nights and an occupancy slightly above 80% will produce a number of theoretical placement possibilities that a single processor core at 4 GHz would need longer to compute than the Cosmos is estimated to last.

Even if one presumes a strong correlation between booked and assigned room category, there are still tens of millions theoretical placement combinations. Nowadays, the task is often assigned to specialized employees with very detailed knowledge of the hotel and a high degree of intuition - exactly the staff that you would rather have available at the desk to deal with difficult situations.

Adding more staff will yield limited results, as each pair of eyes can really only consider a partial problem at a time. The more you distribute the work, the more incoherent the overall result.

So here are some moves to consider:

1. Start by measuring certain key indicators. Have your teams define what is the most important data to keep track of, and then identify the reports and data sources that will allow keeping track of these. Which are the most important feature requests to pursue? How many availability-based upgrade promises are kept? How many key feature requests could be fulfilled and how many early check in or late check out requests couldn't and why?

Add the number of total up and downgrades due to balancing and the movements by room type. This will provide you with an objective base line against which to improve.

2. Today's operations are much more complex than they were 20 or even just 10 years ago, and you need to effectively manage that complexity. You need to become more analytical and ruthless in identifying areas of concern and developing necessary changes to the operation. You need to become change agents and establish a culture where transformation is welcome, rather than viewed with suspicion. The operation of the future needs to be nimble, and systems must be able to adapt more easily and quickly.

Systems are more connected, but also more disjointed than ever - and functional improvements to hotel's core systems have been limited. Suggesting that Front Desk staff '…just have to do a better job…' is disingenuous and only reveals that the complexity of this task is not well understood.

The degree to which revenue is directly impacted by better fulfillment of the core contract depends on the individual operation, but I would like to invite you to track the following values:

Average incremental spend per day/adult and per day of week for:

- Guests assigned to a room not fulfilling requested key features (i.e. VIEW & BED) and up to the value of the booked category

- Guests assigned to a room fulfilling requested key features of at least the value of the booked category

Bringing it All Together

Today's hotel operations are being squeezed - on the one hand, between an increasingly demanding guest, and on the other, by technological limitations that hold back the potential for understanding the complexity of the new operating environment in order to fully satisfy that guest, and generate higher revenues.

We must embrace the complexity, not turn away from it. And continue to search for innovative solutions.

About hospitalityPulse

hospitalityPulse was designed by hotel technology and operations veterans tackling one of the most difficult problems hotels are facing: room assignment and its direct effect on guest satisfaction. Our patent-pending optimization algorithms, combined with an intuitive user interface enable hoteliers to assign the optimal room for every guest, every time, with consistent efficiency. Using the multi-dimensional FIRE engine, hoteliers can rely on providing the booker with the trueAvailability TM of room and feature combinations on the dates selected. roomPulse dynamically optimizes each room assignment in real-time, all the time. Visit us at  www.hospitalitypulse.com.

Pierre Boettner hospitalityPulse, Inc.

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• Departments & Offices
• Residence Life
• Housing Options

Room Assignment Process

We encourage you to familiarize yourself with your upcoming room assignment process. W&M separates room assignment processes based on specific groups, including:

• New Fall Undergraduate Students
• New Fall Graduate Students
• New Spring Students (All)
• Returning Students

Be sure also to review important information on the following topics found below:

• Disability & Religious Housing Accommodations
• Two-Year Live-On Requirement
• Housing Contract Release Requests

Housing Waitlist Process

Gender-inclusive housing.

Explore these additional community housing options:

• Living-Learning Communities
• Fraternity & Sorority Communities

Most W&M students can self-select into their specific room for the academic year and have the option to pre-select their roommate(s). Returning students make their room selections during the spring for the upcoming academic year, and new students make their academic year room selections in June. We look forward to having you live with us!

Quick Access

Housing accommodations.

Students approved for disability accommodation must also sign a housing contract before being assigned a space.

Disability accommodations in housing are not automatically renewed for each academic year and must be requested and approved each academic year. An approved housing accommodation does not guarantee that a student can secure on-campus housing, and all upper-level students are subject to the housing lottery unless specifically exempted.

Disability Housing Accommodation Approval for Returning Students

• All disability housing accommodation requests must be made to  Student Accessibility Services (SAS).

Students seeking or receiving a disability housing accommodation approval must sign the housing contract in the Housing Application on the housing portal by the due date to be eligible to participate in the room selection process. 

• Please note if you are a returning student in a residence hall with a window unit, you will not be added to the returning student's early room selection process, as all upper-level halls have cooling systems.

Disability  Housing Accommodation Approval for New Students

• If you require housing accommodations due to a disability, please contact  Student Accessibility Services  (SAS).
• AC Approvals - If you have a disability requiring air conditioning, please contact  Student Accessibility Services  in the Dean of Students Office.
• DO NOT WAIT  until after the New Student Room Selection process ends, hoping to select a space that accommodates your disability, including air-conditioned buildings. A delay in approvals for accommodations will prevent you from participating in the new student early room selection process, where students can select a space that meets their approved disability needs.

Students seeking or receiving a disability housing accommodation approval must sign the housing contract in the Housing Application area of the housing portal by the due date to be eligible to participate in the room selection process. 

There are no guarantees that students will be able to select space that meets their accommodation needs during the traditional new student room selection days at the end of the new student room selection week.

Due Dates For Disability Housing Accommodation Requests

• January 8, 2024 - The deadline for spring 2024 is for residents to submit new requests or adjustments with Student Accessibility Services .
• February 5, 2024 - Deadline for returning students to submit fall 2024 requests with Student Accessibility Services .
• May 13, 2024 - Deadline for new graduate students to submit fall 2024 requests with Student Accessibility Services .
• May 31, 2024 - Deadline for new undergraduate students for fall 2024 to submit requests with Student Accessibility Services .
• These deadlines mean that you must have submitted all documentation needed for an accommodation (this includes single occupancy room accommodations) by the stated due date.
• Requests will continue to be considered after these dates, but accommodations may be delayed based on space and availability.

Important Reminders

Students approved for religious accommodation must also sign a housing contract before being assigned a space.

Disability accommodations in housing are not automatically renewed for each academic year and must be requested and approved each academic year. An approved housing accommodation does not guarantee that a student will be able to secure on-campus housing, and all upper-level students are subject to the housing lottery unless specifically exempted.

• Requests for religious housing accommodations will be considered case-by-case basis according to documented need. Following a thorough review through the Planning, Strategy & Integrative Practices Office , they will make recommendations as appropriate to Residence Life.
• January 8, 2024 - spring 2024 residents only for spring 2024 requests
• February 5, 2024 - returning students for fall 2024 requests
• May 13, 2024 - new graduate students for fall 2024 requests
• May 31, 2024 - new undergraduate students for fall 2024 requests

For questions, please contact the  Planning, Strategy & Integrative Practices Office directly.

Live-On Requirement & Contract Release

• Failure to sign the contract will not release a student from this requirement, and Residence Life will still provide a housing assignment. Our office will follow up with students who are required to live on campus to confirm completion of the housing contract.
• A student is expected to occupy the assigned room unless Residence Life has issued a written notice of approval and/or contract release.
• Students are not considered exempt from the residency requirement if they do not complete a housing application and/or contract. Failure to take possession of the assigned space is not grounds for an exemption to the residency requirement and/or to have associated charges reversed. 

When do housing contracts go live?

• January 29, 2024 – Returning students online housing contract for fall 2024
• May 1, 2024 – New students online housing contract for fall 2024
• November 1, 2024 - New and returning students online housing contracts for spring 2025 only

Does the two-year live-on requirement include transfers?

• Traditional transfers - No, traditional transfer students are not included in this requirement.
• Pathways transfers - Yes, Pathways transfers are required to live on campus for their incoming spring semester and the following fall and spring semesters.

Study Away Programs

If you plan to study away in the fall of your sophomore year/3 rd semester, you will be required to live on campus the spring semester of your sophomore year/4 th semester. If you study away in the spring of your sophomore year/4 th semester, you will not be required to live on campus in the fall of your junior year/5 th semester. 

If you participate in the Semester in Washington D.C. Program and live in the Washington Program student housing in the fall or spring of your sophomore year, this will count toward your two-year live-on requirement.

Can first- or second-year students be released from the housing requirement?

Generally, the answer is no. However, there are limited circumstances under which a first- or second-year student might request release from the housing requirement.

Reasons for contract release eligibility are limited to the following:

• Students who are married
• Students with dependent children who reside with them
• This option is only considered if Residence Life is unable to provide housing that meets the approved accommodation.
• Students who reside full-time during the academic year at the primary residence of the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) within 60 driving miles from the W&M Williamsburg campus.

Can first-year and sophomore students have cars on campus?

• First-years and sophomores may only have cars on campus under special circumstances, requiring prior written approval from Parking Services .

Need to complete a housing contract and application? Head over to the housing portal .

What do I need to know about applying for a release?

Students enrolled full-time are required to live in on-campus housing during their first two years following their high school graduation unless they apply for and are granted a housing contract release.

Before you look at the requirements for each release, there are a few things to remember.

• The deadlines to request a contract release for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years are by add/drop each semester. 
• Meeting the criteria for eligibility for a residency waiver does not mean a student will automatically be granted an approved waiver. It means that their request will be advanced for final consideration.
• A limited number of students will be granted an exemption.
• Do not sign a lease in the community until you have received written approval for your exemption. Signing a lease will not be considered a valid request for a contract release. 

Commuter Release

• Students requesting this release must be living at the legal residence of a mother/father or legal guardian (who established guardianship before the student turning 18) AND
• The residence must be located within 60 driving miles of campus for spring 2024 and the 2024-25 academic year.
• The mother/father or legal guardian must live at this residence 5 out of seven days a week.
• The student may NOT live with another current W&M student unless the current student is a sibling and both live at the legal residence of the mother/father or guardian.

Financial Hardship Release

• When the student has a significant verified need for financial assistance as indicated by the Financial Aid Office that grants, scholarships, loans or other available funding identifiable by the university does not fully fund.
• After a residence hall contract is signed, "extenuating financial circumstances" are defined as situations over which the student has had no control (such as loss of parental support due to death, divorce, loss of employment, catastrophic health issues, bankruptcy), which create a financial hardship and which have occurred after the contract was signed.

Disability Release

• Students who are requesting a release based on a disability need that can be supported with documentation should submit the documentation and petition to Student Accessibility Services .

Other Release Types

• Marriage: The student gets married. A copy of the marriage certificate is required for verification.
• Dependent: The student has a dependent. A copy of the birth certificate is required for verification.
• Study Away: The student is accepted into a William & Mary-approved fall study away program. Verification must be received from the Reves Center or the Registrar. Spring study-away requests can be made during the fall semester.
• Withdrawing: The student is ending their enrollment at W&M, which may include withdrawing from the university, being academically dismissed or transferring to another institution. Verification is required from the Dean of Students Office or the student program.

Additional Information

• Failure to obtain an approved contract release from Residence Life will result in the posting of the semester housing charges to the student. Any first- or second-year student registered for the fall semester who fails to sign up for housing and has not been approved for contract release will automatically be assigned a room and meal plan and will be responsible for those charges unless a contract release request from the housing contract is completed and approved.
• Nonpayment of this charge may result in the cancellation of classes and/or restriction from registering for any additional classes.
• Any student found to have provided false information on the contract release request form or during this process may be subject to university disciplinary action.
• A student is expected to occupy the assigned room unless a written notice of approval and/or contract release is issued from Residence Life. A student is not considered exempt from the residency requirement or released from their housing contract until Residence Life approves a request in writing. Failure to take possession of the assigned space is not grounds for an exemption to the residency requirement and/or to have associated charges reversed.

Contract Release Submission, Evaluation & Decision Process

• Contract release requests must be submitted on the contract release page of the housing application.
• Any contract release request not completed within thirty (30) days of initiation will be discarded.
• Contract release requests will be reviewed based on current policies stipulated in the housing contract.
• Applicants will be notified of the decision in writing.
• Release request decisions are final. There is no appeal process.
• Residence Life generally will respond to initial requests within fifteen (15) business days.
• Contract release requests will not be reviewed after add/drop, both fall and spring semesters.

Where to Submit a Housing Contract Release Request

You will need to log into the housing portal  under the 2023-2024 housing application or 2024-25 housing application (as pertains to your situation) and select the Contract Release Request page to submit a request. 

• Students required to live on campus - High school graduation years 2023 and 2024
• Spring 2024 study away students
• Living-learning communities such as Africana House, Mosaic House and Language Houses
• St Andrews William & Mary Joint Degree Programme students currently at St Andrews who sign the housing contract in the 2024-25 housing application by the published due date
• 1693 Scholars
• Spring 2024 newly admitted Pathways transfer students
• Fraternity and sorority housing
• Roommates of approved early room selection students with a room selection time slot
• Some students will withdraw from the room selection process for various reasons, such as study abroad opportunities and other changes to circumstances. When this happens, reinstated students will be contacted with either a room selection time slot or assignment as these spaces open.
• If you plan to live with a not waitlisted roommate, they will not be able to hold a space for you or pull you into their room while you are on the waitlist. 
• When students are waitlisted, reinstatements are randomly issued as space becomes available, meaning there is no ongoing numbered waiting list. Our assignment system randomly identifies a waitlisted student each time a space is vacated. There is no specific order to the waitlist. 
• After completing the room selection process, reinstated students will be emailed a room assignment as space becomes available throughout the spring and summer. We will continue to assign newly available spaces to reinstated students through August 1, 2024. 
• Wait list students are housed before former students, transfer students (except for designated transfer spaces), and currently enrolled students who did not sign a 2024-25 housing contract by 5pm on February 13, 2024. 
• As a waitlisted student who is not required to live on campus, you are permitted to seek off-campus housing and request cancellation of your housing application without penalty through August 1, 2024, providing there is an active waitlist.
• If you want to begin an off-campus search, we recommend starting with the Williamsburg Off-Campus Housing site.
• To submit a request to cancel your contract, please return to the "Request to Cancel" page of your 2024-25 housing application on the  housing portal , read the information listed there, select that you wish to cancel, and click "Save & Continue" at the bottom of the page. After the Residence Life staff reviews your request, they will send a confirmation email.

Why is there a waiting list for housing?

A waiting list happens when the demand for on-campus housing exceeds our available space.

Housing contract cancellation deadline

The 2024-25 housing contract cancellation deadline is August 1, 2024, for those students who are not required to live on campus if a housing waitlist occurs in the spring of the upcoming year. No cancellation fee would be applied through August 1, 2024, provided no active waitlist exists.

How many people are on the housing waitlist?

It is anticipated that between 400 and 500 students will not be required to live on campus. We expect this number to change (and decrease) daily as students decide on their housing and academic plans.

How does the housing waitlist work?

When students are waitlisted, reinstatements are randomly issued as space becomes available, meaning there is no ongoing numbered waitlist. Our assignment system randomly identifies a waitlisted student each time a space is vacated. There is no specific order to the waitlist. Reinstated students will be emailed a room assignment as space becomes available throughout the spring and summer. We will continue to assign newly available spaces to reinstated students through August 1, 2024. It might be easier to think of the waiting list as a "pool" rather than a "list." 

When will I be placed in on-campus housing?

It is impossible to provide a specific answer to this question. Residence Life will continue to place waitlisted students into housing as space becomes available through August 1, 2024. 

How can I find off-campus housing?

• The Williamsburg Off-Campus Housing website is a good starting place.
• Join the College of William and Mary (W&M) Housing, Sublets and Roommates Facebook group.
• Talk with friends who live off campus — often, they pass leases/spaces on to other students from year to year.
• W&M is planning an Off-Campus Housing Fair. Watch for details on social media.

I thought housing was guaranteed for four years. Is this not true?

In the modern era, W&M has never guaranteed housing for four years.

I don't have a car. How am I supposed to get to and from campus?

WATA (Williamsburg Area Transport Authority) provides free bus transportation to all W&M students. We recommend that as you search for an off-campus location, you consider proximity to a bus stop if you need public transport.

What if I can't afford to live off campus?

There are a wide variety of properties and price points off-campus. We recommend you search for spaces that are suitable to your budget. 

Moving off-campus & financial aid

Want to know more about how moving off campus and financial aid works? Review Financial Aid information and contact the Financial Aid Office .

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How does a college dorm room work?

After letting the college know you want on-campus housing, the school assigns you a room in a dorm or residence hall. Along with your room assignment, the school lets you know the names of your roommate(s) and the official move-in date. Sometimes assigned roommates may communicate before classes start and coordinate what optional room items (such as a small refrigerator or a microwave) each person plans to bring. After arriving and meeting your roommate(s), you each decide which bed you want. On move-in day, you’ll meet the resident assistant or RA. This person (usually a junior or senior) is there to answer questions about the room, the dorm, and the campus.

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How to Block and Allocate Hotel Rooms to Guests

Many guests wonder  how do hotels assign rooms to guests or how a hotel guest reservation officer or a hotel front desk agent allocates different types of rooms to his guests. Today, we will learn room allocation procedures of a hotel in order to ensure guests needs are met concerning room requests on different room types and at the same time maximum flexibility is maintained. By reading this tutorial, you will get clear overview of hotel room arrangement procedure.

Hotel Room Allocation Procedure

• Reservations will hand over the next day’s correspondences to the Front Desk . This correspondence will be further checked to ensure all details have been put into Computerized Reservation System or property management software like Opera .
• It is good practice to print out next day’s arrival list in details like check in and check out date of each guests, room type and block status, gender of the guests, list of VIP guests and their status, special arrangements requested like surprise birthday cake and gift, special instruction from guests like wheelchair for disabled guests or smoking or non smoking room requested etc., guests’ arrival time, previous stay record, special feature or amenity requested etc.
• All details are checked in the system before the room is allocated.
• Room allocation should be done mostly based on status of room reservation. For example, a guaranteed or prepaid reservation will always get priority over non granted reservation or reservation for walk in guest .
• Special requests have to be adhered to when blocking rooms for the guests, by looking into the Guest Profile and History. Such as Non Smoking Rooms should be blocked for guests requesting Non Smoking Rooms. Repeat guests should have the same room as previous stays or to their specific preference if any has been mentioned on earlier visits. Persons travelling together from the same company should have rooms as close to each other as possible unless requested otherwise.
• Suite/Accessible and any special requests bookings should be blocked by Reservation prior to confirming.
• Guaranteed Late Check-out rooms would be monitored closely, and Housekeeping should be informed in advance.
• If any Special Request or Amenities (e.g. Flowers. Fruits, etc.) are to be placed in the room, this should be ordered a day in advance and the departments responsible for placing them in the room informed. An alert should also be set so that room moves are minimal and the respective departments informed to make the respective changes.
• All Guests who have been guaranteed early Check-ins or who have Pre-Registered bookings should have appropriate rooms blocked for them and should be checked into the system from the day of their reservation (a day before their physical Check-In).
• General aspects like blocking a King Room for a Honeymoon Couple, a Twin room for two men travelling together or a family (of 4), or room close to the Elevator for Senior Citizens, Single Lady Traveler etc., should be taken into account while blocking rooms. Have good understanding on different hotel room types .
• Floors or sections would be blocked for Groups, Tours and Conventions, as much as possible.
• Don’t forget about disabled guest . They don’t only need special care but special arrangement should be made prior to their arrivals like arranging special amenities, giving special care, supplying equipment like wheelchair or hearing aid if needed and available.
• Special requests like allocating a room near elevator or wish to stay in upstairs or desire to have hill view or sea view room, should always give priority when available.
• Must be very careful while handling VIP reservation. If there is any system in your software to block heavily so that other reservation or front desk agent cannot allocate the same room to anyone, then apply it. Also make sure you have provided enough time to other departments like housekeeping to place VIP amenities or security department to check security issues carefully.
• Upgrade and downgrade of room have to be done according to the room availability and policy. Sometimes hotel has to offer room upgrade because of their own fault like wrong check in or check out date record, fault of a room etc.
• There are some repeat guests who always prefer certain floor or rooms. Based on previous record and if requested then always try to allocate such rooms to them. Read this tutorial:  Hotel Guest Demands and Preference

So, if you consider above mentioned points then you should not find room allocation procedures very complicated. As a reservation officer or front desk agent you should be able to arrange rooms perfectly for your guests. For more amazing tutorials and our guides please click here:

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Residence Life

2024-2025 first-year students room selection, applying for on-campus housing.

Please review the information and resources below to assist you during our first-year room selection process.  The following process is for incoming first year students.  Transfer and Graduate students will be assigned their rooms and emailed the assignment information in mid-July.  Please be sure to read your NJIT email on a regular basis as this is how we will communicate with you.  

Should you have questions, please contact our office at (973) 596-3039 or via email to [email protected] . 

2024-2025 Room Selection Resources:

First-year Student Room Selection Guide

Watch the 'First Year Room Selection Information Session' recording here.

• Access step-by-step instructions to complete the application  HERE .

Looking for a Roommate?  Click here for Room Sync tutorial .  First Year applicants will receive an invitation to sign up for RoomSync directly to their NJIT Email upon submitting their housing application. The link is also made available via the confirmation message that appears on the screen immediately upon submitting the application. 

  2024-2025 First-year Student Room Selection Timeline 

JUNE 18, 2024 - JUNE 24, 2024 CHECK YOUR PRIORITY NUMBER (The date/time you will be able to select your room online.)

• Login to Self Service ( click here )
• On your Home page you will see Room Selection. You will see your Start time and your priority number. This is the date/time you will be selecting your own room online.
• Below your Priority Number you will see Selection Times. This is the time period that the entire process will occur. Your start time will fall somewhere in between one of the selection times listed.   

SELECTING ROOMMATE(S) AND/OR SUITEMATE(S)

• Login to Self Service ( click here ) 
• On your Home page, select Room Selection, Select Roommates (this includes suitemates)
• Select Fall 2024 term
• Select Search for Roommate
• Enter the last and/or first name of the student(s) you would like to live with.
• Select and add the student. Each student in your room/suitemate group will need to select and match with everyone in your group. The student with the best priority time will select the space for everyone in your group.
• Access step-by-step instructions HERE .

JULY 1, 2024 HONORS HALL ROOM ASSIGNMENTS

• Placement in the Honors Hall is based on the date you submitted your housing application. Residence Life staff will place you into your room assignment. You DO NOT participate in Open Room Selection.
• Honors students not able to be placed into the Honors Hall due to limited space will be assigned to a room in Cypress Hall.
• If you found a roommate online through RoomSync, you may update this information on your housing application online through the Self Service portal.  You have until June 14, 2024 to add this information.  

JULY 8, 2024 - JULY 12, 2024 OPEN ROOM SELECTION

• Based on the date you submitted your application you will be given a priority number. Your priority number will tell you the date/time you will log in to select a room in either Cypress or Redwood Halls.
• You will add your room/suitemate preferences as indicated above prior to selecting a room online. Remember that each member in your group must match in order to be placed together by the student with the best priority number.

Important Notes:

• Please make sure to review and read the  Terms and Conditions 2024-2025 , specifically the cancellation charges and guidelines.  
• Students are not asked to submit a Housing Deposit.  The only deposit collected is the one-time $250 university deposit.  Please allow up to 48 hours for the university to process your deposit before applying for housing.

Manage Your HFS Contract

Students living in University Housing will utilize  eLiving , your online resource for managing your Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contract. This includes Requesting Housing,  accepting the HFS Contract, updating housing preferences, Room Exchange eBoard, modifying your Campus Meal Plan, and so much more! For optimal performance of eLiving, it's recommended that you use an internet browser other than Chrome.  

Manage Your Contract

Roommate request process.

Penn State values diversity and feel strongly that living with others from different backgrounds, cultures, and ethnic groups serves to enhance the college and residential experience. We are committed to equal access and maintain an environment free of harassment and discrimination against any person.

The University does not utilize a roommate matching survey or ask questions regarding a student's personal preferences, and will randomly match students to reside together. First-year students will only be assigned with other first-year students.

If you're interested in rooming with a friend, both of you should indicate each other as roommate preferences on the HFS Contract using their Penn State Access Account (i.e. abc123). Verify that the correct student has been chosen before your preference modification deadline indicated on your HFS Contract. 

When room assignments are processed, only mutual roommate requests will be paired together and will be assigned based on the first student's housing preferences. If there is no space available to match the housing preferences, the second student's housing preferences will be reviewed. If neither of the indicated housing preferences are available, the students will be assigned to any available space.

Living with a Roommate

Living with a roommate is a great experience. It helps you learn more about yourself and about how to communicate and relate effectively to others. Knowing how to take responsibility for yourself and how to respect others are valuable skills in all relationships.

Whether you were friends before moving in or met for the first time when you became roommates, living together successfully takes compromise and cooperation. You should not expect that your roommate will be your best friend, but you should work together to build a healthy relationship with each other built on mutual respect. Building a positive relationship is a process; it does not happen overnight and takes effort.

Learn more Tips about Living with a Roommate .

You can also create a Roommate Agreement  to help facilitate a conversation between you and your roommate. A roommate agreement will walk you through several common issues roommates face and help provide you with solutions and compromise.

Gender Inclusive Housing

Penn State strives to provide a safe, inclusive, comfortable, and supportive living environment for all students residing on campus.

The University is proud to offer students who identify as a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and ally students community. In addition to the  Ally House Living Learning Community  which is available to any student, the University offers several Gender Inclusive Housing options across campus to meet the individual needs of a student and where a staff member will work with a student one-on-one to identify the most appropriate room assignment. Upper-class students may also utilize the Open Housing option, where students of any gender may live together in a space. 

Learn more about Gender Inclusive Housing , including FAQs and contact information.

Room Assignments

Room assignments are posted on eLiving , and students will be emailed when assignments are available to view. Room assignment posting dates will also be displayed on the Important Dates page.

• Summer Session : posted two weeks prior to arrival
• Fall Semester : posted mid-to-late late July
• Spring Semester : posted late December, before the University closes for the winter break.

Once room assignments are posted, students will have the opportunity to use the Room Exchange eBoard in eLiving to "swap" a room assignment with another eligible student.

Room Exchange eBoard

Visit Room Exchange eBoard to learn more

Open Room Change

The Open Room Change is available in eLiving through the eBoard for eligible students to change their room assignment for spring semester  (this option is not available for summer or fall semester). The Open Room Change will identify rooms that have a vacancy available. Some students may not be eligible to utilize the Open Room Change, such as students with a housing accommodation, sorority members, etc. Students who are eligible will receive an email from the Housing Assignment Office with instructions.

For 2025 spring semester, the following timeline will allow students to utilize the Open Room Change:

• 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET December 2 - 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET December 10: first-year students currently assigned to supplemental housing
• 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET December 5 - 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET December 10: all other eligible students 

Open Room Change Instructions

• Review  current room rates  and speak with the person(s) responsible for paying your student bill to ensure that the rate adjustment (if applicable) is permissible
• Select My Info >  My Room , then  UP - Spring 2025
• Select  Change Assignment
• Search for a room by selecting area, building, and/or room
• Select  Take This Room  to confirm your new assignment 
• You may continue to view available rooms and change your room assignment until the deadline of  12:00 p.m. (noon) ET  Tuesday December 10
• Your 2025 spring semester bill in  LionPATH  will be updated with any changes to your room cost
• Students completing a room change for spring will be expected to vacate their fall assignment when they leave for the winter break.  Instructions for checking out of your current assignment and into your new 2025 spring semester assignment will be emailed to you closer to the end of the semester. Your new spring room assignment may not be available for you to drop your items off; in these situations, Housing Operations may be able to provide limited storage. Additional information will be provided before the end of fall semester.

Break Housing / Holiday Housing

The University has three official academic year break periods: fall break, the break between the fall and spring semesters, and spring break. During these break periods, University Housing closes and all residents are required to leave for the entire period. Personal belongings may be left in the room during the break periods. View Important Dates for when housing closes and reopens .

To accommodate students who are unable to travel home during these time periods or who need to stay on campus during the break periods, Housing offers a Break Access/Holiday HFS Contract . Students assigned to Break Access/Holiday Housing will be charged an additional room fee per semester for this service. No refunds are processed if a student does not stay for all or any part of the closedown periods. The Break Access/Holiday Housing HFS Contract cannot be canceled.

Students with a Break Access/Holiday Housing HFS Contract will not be required to leave the residence hall during the closedown periods. During the break periods, staff will be available in the building to assist with emergencies. Although the dining halls are closed during closedown periods, there will be limited food service operations available on campus during specified hours. The Campus Meal Plan remains active during closedown periods, and students may use their meal plan for purchases.

How to Request Break Access/Holiday Housing

• Incoming first-year students can indicate "Break Access/Holiday Housing" as a preference on the HFS Contract; the deadline is noon May 15
• Current Penn State students can either select Break Access/Holiday Housing during the LiveOn Housing Process or indicate as a preference on the HFS Contract
• Contact the Housing Assignment Office to request that Break Access/Holiday Housing be added to your account

Students who select Break Access/Holiday housing will be assigned to a designated set of buildings, based on the type of housing option the student selected:

Incoming First-Year Students:

• East Halls :  Martin  and  McKean   
• Pollock Halls : Beaver
• South Halls :  Simmons
• West Halls :  Hamilton  and  Watts

Current Penn State Students:

• South Halls :  Chace * and  Simmons
• Eastview Terrace :  Brill  and  Curry
• West Halls :  Hamilton  or  Watts
• Nittany Apartments
• White Couse Apartments

*Students interested in Chace Hall should add their name to the "double room, renovated hall (South)"  Waitlist  in eLiving to be considered for reassignment.

Housing and Food Charges

Housing and food charges for each semester that a student has an accepted HFS Contract will be posted to the student's LionPATH account. If there is a change to a student's room assignment that has a different room rate, the charge/credit will be applied to the student's account based on a prorated amount. The housing deposit submitted during the acceptance process will be applied on the student's fall semester bill as a credit towards the room rate. If the student decides to not attend Penn State, the housing deposit will not be refunded.

Partial-Year Contracts

Housing and Food Service (HFS) Contracts are offered for a full academic year. Students who are planning to graduate early or who will be away from campus for study abroad, student teaching, an internship, a co-op, or a leave of absence, will accept a HFS Contract for the entire academic year.

Once a student files an intent to graduate , schedules  study abroad , or files a leave of absence  in LionPATH, the student can submit a HFS Contract Cancellation request in eLiving. Once the student's LionPATH account is confirmed, the HFS Contract will be cancelled for the semester the student will be away from campus.  No cancellation fee will be charged.

Spring Semester Only Housing

Students who need housing for spring semester will be able to add their name to the On-Campus Housing Waitlist in  eLiving  beginning at 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET, October 1. HFS Contracts will be offered throughout November and December on Monday afternoons; a student will be able to self-select a room assignment from available space. If the student accepts the HFS Contract after the Open Room process, the Housing Assignment Office will process a room assignment.

HFS Contract Cancelations

The HFS Contract is a legally binding contract that once accepted cannot be canceled, unless the student is no longer attending the University. A student acknowledges this condition when accepting the HFS Contract.

First-year students are required to reside on campus. Under certain circumstances, a student may submit a residency exemption request .

Upper-class students are not required to reside on campus, and accepting the HFS Contract indicates the student intends to live on campus. The HFS Contract cannot be canceled for a student to move off campus. 

A student may submit a HFS Contract Cancellation Request if extenuating circumstances exist:

• Failure to Enroll . The HFS Contract may be canceled if the student does not attend or enroll at Penn State during the term of this HFS Contract. If a student withdraws but then re-enrolls after the HFS Contract is canceled, the HFS Contract will be reinstated and the student will be obligated to fulfill the terms of the HFS Contract.
• Extreme Circumstances . A student may submit a Contract Release Request to indicate an extreme circumstance the student is dealing with. Each request is reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• Withdrawal or Academic Drop . If the student is no longer eligible for housing at Penn State due to voluntary withdrawal or academic drop, the HFS Contract may be canceled. The student must check out of their room within 24 hours of withdrawal.
• Transfer of Obligation . A student may be released from the HFS Contract if the student is able to successfully transfer the HFS Contract to another eligible student. The University is not required to offer the Transfer of Obligation option; if the option is available, there will be deadlines for completing Contract Transfer of Obligation. The student requesting the Transfer of Obligation will be charged an administrative fee, as outlined in the HFS Contract TCRs .
• University-Sanctioned Academic Activity.  A student may be released from the HFS Contract if the student submits a timely Contract Cancellation Request based on a University-sanctioned academic activity that will require the student to be away from campus (e. g., practicum, study abroad, internship). The HFS Contract will not be canceled until such activity is verified on the student's LionPATH account. If a student does not participate in the academic activity but re-enrolls after the HFS Contract is canceled, the HFS Contract will be reinstated and the student will be obligated to fulfill the terms of the HFS Contract.

Off-Campus Leases / Fraternity Housing

A student will NOT be released from the HFS Contract to move off campus. If a student accepts a lease for an off-campus apartment without receiving confirmation that the request to cancel the HFS Contract has been approved, the student will be liable for housing and food charges for the HFS Contract AND the fees associated with the lease. The University is not obligated to cancel the HFS Contract because a student accepted an off-campus housing lease and is making double payments for housing.

Requesting an HFS Contract Release

1. Non-enrollment, withdrawal, leave of absence, transfer to another PSU campus, transfer to another university, study abroad, internship, graduation:

Login to eLiving , select Contracts >  Request Contract Cancellation . Follow prompts to submit request. The request will be sent to the Housing Assignment Office; staff will review the request and will respond by email within 1-2 business days with confirmation or denial of request. Action to cancel the HFS Contract may not occur until the student's LionPATH account is updated to reflect the reason (such as intent to graduate, study aboard credits, classes cancelled, etc.). If the HFS Contract is canceled for any of these reasons and then the student proceeds to schedule classes during the contract period, the HFS Contract cancellation will be revoked, the HFS Contract will be reinstated, and the student will be assigned to a room. The student will then be obligated to fulfill the HFS Contract and pay housing and food for the original term.

2. Extenuating circumstances - financial, marriage, medical/psychological:

Submit the completed HFS Contract Release Request Form (PDF file) to the Housing Assignment Office , include supporting documentation to substantiate request. Contract Release Requests are reviewed by a University committee, who meets on a regular basis. The Committee will review the request and a representative will respond to the student via email within 7-10* business days with confirmation or denial of request. If a request is granted, the response will indicate the penalty fee associated with the cancellation.

For requests related to medical conditions, the Request for Reasonable Accommodation in Housing form also needs to be completed.  *The 7-10 business days is an estimate; during certain times of the year, the response time may be longer due to the volume of requests. The Committee has a set meeting scheduled, and requests to expedite a review will not be honored. The student has the right to submit an appeal to a determination for a HFS Contract Release. The appeal should be submitted to the Housing Assignment Office, and include additional and specific documentation to substantiate request. The appeal will be reviewed by the Director, Ancillary Services, and a response will be sent to the student via email within 7-10 business days.

HFS Contract Exemptions

First-year students are required to reside on campus at University Park. Students who are eligible for certain exemptions (such as local status or over age 21), selecting on-campus housing will be listed as optional during the admission acceptance process. 

A student may submit an exemption request from the residency requirement if one of these conditions is met:

The student is 21 years or older at the time of their initial registration with the University;

The student is married and their spouse will be at the University;

The student has actively served in the military prior to their admission to the University; or

The student graduated from a high school in Centre County (this applies to only these high schools: State College, Bellefonte, Grace Prep, Centre County Christian Academy, Penns Valley, Bald Eagle, Philipsburg-Osceola, and Saint Joseph) and will be living with their parent or legal guardian in Centre County in a permanent residence (parent or guardian is a permanent Centre County resident and paying Centre County taxes).

An exemption request may only be submitted for the entire academic year; exemptions will not be processed in the fall to release a student for the spring semester.

Unless a student meets one of these conditions, the expectation is for the student to reside on campus for the full HFS Contract period.

EXEMPTION REQUEST PROCESS

The student must submit the Housing Exemption Form (pdf file) . prior to the deadline indicated below, which is based on the student's semester of admittance. If a student accepts the offer of admission to Penn State after the corresponding deadline, the Housing Exemption Form (pdf file) must be submitted within ten (10) days of the acceptance date. A  Housing Exemption Form (pdf file) received after the deadline will not be processed. The student will be obligated financially for housing and food charges for the full contract period. Contract Release Requests to move home with the parent or legal guardian for the spring semester will not be honored.

SPONSORED INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

First-year sponsored international students who are interested in an exemption from the residency requirement will need to accept the HFS Contract when accepting the offer of admission, and then can submit the following documents at the same time by the deadlines indicated below:

Housing Exemption form (PDF file) .

Letter of support from their parent or guardian

Letter of support from the sponsoring entity. The sponsoring entity must be a recognized University partner, and cannot be a relative or family friend.

If a student accepts the offer of admission after the deadline date, all three (3) completed items must be received within ten (10) days of the acceptance date. Exemption requests approved after the deadline are subject to a $100 administrative processing fee.

Exemption requests will not be honored after the late add/drop deadline for the appropriate semester.

FUTURE HFS CONTRACTS

A student who has been exempted from the residency requirement will be ineligible to participate in the Housing Contract Process for the following academic year. However, the student may add his or her name to the Supplemental Housing Waitlist when it opens, as identified on the LiveOn Housing Process Timeline . There is no guarantee that a HFS Contract offer will be made to the student.

REQUESTING A HOUSING EXEMPTION

Submit the completed Housing Exemption Form (pdf file) to the Housing Assignment Office . Exemption Requests are reviewed by a University committee, who meets on a regular basis. The Committee will review the request and a representative will respond to the student via email within 7-10* business days with confirmation or denial of request.

*The 7-10 business days is an estimate; during certain times of the year, the response time may be longer due to the volume of requests. The Committee has a set meeting scheduled, and requests to expediate a review will not be honored.

HFS Contract Transfer of Obligation

The HFS Contract is a legally-binding contract that obligates a student to live on campus. However, the University does offer an option for the student to transfer the obligation to another eligible student during the identified timeline. The University is not obligated to offer this option, but provides this process to support students as they finalize their semester plans.

If a student of third (3rd) semester standing or higher who is enrolled and attending the University Park campus has accepted a HFS Contract and is interested in cancelling the HFS Contract, they may transfer the obligation of the HFS Contract to another eligible student by processing an HFS Contract Transfer of Obligation through the  Housing Assignment Office  within the identified timeframe and according to the following conditions. The student who transfers the obligation of the HFS Contract will have a $100 administrative fee applied to the student's LionPATH account once the Transfer of Obligation has been processed. 

CONDITIONS OF AN HFS CONTRACT TRANSFER OF OBLIGATION

The Housing Assignment Office will provide the time period for when HFS Contract Transfer of Obligations can be performed. Once the deadline has passed, requests may not be submitted. In the case where there are limited vacancies, the option of the HFS Contract Transfer of Obligation may be suspended prior to the deadline without advance notice.

The student wishing to cancel the HFS Contract is responsible for locating an eligible replacement student.

The replacement student accepting the HFS Contract Transfer of Obligation must be an upper-class under-graduate student (third semester or higher) and be in good standing with the University. First-year students may not perform an HFS Contract Transfer of Obligation. 

The replacement student cannot have already signed an HFS Contract for the same contract period. 

The replacement student must acknowledge that they understand that the HFS Contract offer will be for supplemental housing space. The replacement student will not receive the transferring student's HFS Contract type or room assignment. The replacement student will have the ability to add their name to a Waitlist for other housing options.

The replacement student must accept the HFS Contract through eLiving. If the semester has already begun when the transfer is completed, housing and food charges will be prorated for both students as necessary.

If the replacement student does not take occupancy or withdraws from the University before taking occupancy, the student initiating the HFS Contract Transfer of Obligation remains liable for the financial obligation of the HFS Contract.

It is a violation of University policy to sell or attempt to sell an HFS Contract. The replacement student cannot offer, and the transferring student cannot accept, any form of compensation for the HFS Contract Transfer of Obligation. Any student who is found to have sold or purchased an HFS Contract will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response (OSACR) .

The Housing Assignment Office may deny an HFS Contract Transfer of Obligation request if is determined that the transaction is not in the best interest of the University or the students requesting the transfer.

The Housing Assignment Office will determine the time period that HFS Contract Transfer of Obligation requests may be processed and may elect to not accept requests after the identified submit deadline.

Roommate Success

Living with a roommate can be one of the most rewarding and memorable experiences of your college career. But without proper communication and respect it can sometimes be challenging. Learn the essentials for establishing and maintaining a healthy relationship with your roommate.

Steps for Success

The first step for many students in ensuring a healthy relationship with their roommate comes before Mooov-In: the room and roommate assignment process.

Selecting a Roommate

Students are able to select a preferred roommate, or they can opt to be matched to a roommate by University Housing and Dining.

Roughly half of the students living on campus select a preferred roommate.

• Select a preferred roommate in your  housing portal  after you have a completed housing contract. Create a roommate group and invite your preferred roommate to the group. You will need your preferred roommate's UT EID. Your preferred roommate must have a completed housing contract to be able to accept your request. You and your preferred roommate must be in the same roommate group to ensure that the assignment system works properly.

Students who do not select a preferred roommate will be matched by UHD.

• UHD will match roommates together by looking at age, classification and major.
• Lifestyle, culture, or other personal information is neither requested nor used to make roommate assignments.
• UHD cannot access any information from the Roommate Profiler, and it is not used by UHD when matching roommates. The Roommate Profiler can only be used by students.

After the Assignment

Official room and roommate assignments begin going out to incoming freshmen in mid-July. Once you receive your assignment, you will have your new roommate's contact info.

Start talking now. Find out what items you are planning on bringing to the room, what your new schedule looks like, etc. The more you can talk before you move in, the more prepared you will be once you start unpacking all of your belongings and setting up the room.

Some helpful things to talk about before Mooov-In are:

• Who is bringing the TV or other large items for the room?
• When are you planning to check-in?
• What is your class schedule going to be like?
• Are you a night owl? Morning person?

Living away from home, sharing a room (often for the first time), and immersing oneself in a diverse student community can be a rewarding as well as a challenging experience. As part of our mission, Residence Life is committed to providing a positive living environment in which all students are welcome, productive, and feel safe. However we recognize roommate conflicts do occur and resolving them is a shared responsibility between students, parents, and housing staff. In order to help facilitate communication and honesty among roommates, as well as to minimize the severity of potential conflicts that can arise, Residence Life provides students a Roommate Agreement.

Students are required to work with their roommates to fill out a detailed Roommate Agreement during the first few days after Mooov-in. These forms will ask roommates to have conversations in order to reach agreements on a variety of topics in order to meet each person's needs. Topics include:

• When the room should be quiet.
• When guests are welcome.
• Expectations for tidiness.

Each student also has a Resident Assistant living on the floor available to assist with conversations necessary to successfully complete the Roommate Agreement.

Handling Roommate Conflicts

Living with a new person for the first time is not always easy, and disagreements are bound to happen. Some conflicts can be resolved with a simple conversation, while others may need help from an RA. Resolving a roommate conflict is a process, and Residence Life is here to help and support you through it.

If you and your roommate are having a conflict, here are some things you can do to help the situation.

• Talk to your roommate to discuss your concern directly and respectfully. If the issue concerns items already agreed upon in the roommate agreement, be sure to address what was agreed upon. Remember, your roommate may not know that they are doing something that bothers you unless you talk with them openly and honestly.
• Seek help from your Resident Assistant if the conflict persists. Your RA is trained and available to assist in the mediation process, and conflicts can often be resolved at this point. All students need to bring the spirit of communication and compromise during the mediation process.
• If additional assistance is still needed, seek out help from your Complex Coordinator. Each community has a Complex Coordinator who is a professional staff member. Complex Coordinators are fully trained and available to assist with these types of issues.

As part of our mission, Residence Life is committed to providing a positive living environment in which all students are welcome, productive, and feel safe. However we recognize roommate conflicts do occur and resolving them is a shared responsibility between students, parents, and housing staff. When working with students on a roommate conflict, we will:

• Take a proactive approach to roommate relationship building by providing the Roommate Agreement as well as programs that incorporate useful life skills designed to encourage students to communicate in an open and respectful way.
• Provide trained Resident Assistants and professional staff to assist with the mediation.
• Assess if any policies have been violated and if so, hold students accountable via the conduct system.
• Advise about room transfer process so that students are fully aware of their options.

Residence Life understands that a stressful living environment can affect a student's college performance, and we are proactive in our approach to roommate conflicts. The student's RA or CC are always available to help work through a conflict.

Parents/guardians are instrumental in providing support and assistance to the student.

Tips for Helping Your Student Through a Roommate Conflict

Helping your student evaluate the situation.

• As you have in the past, it is important that you listen to your student. You can serve as a sounding board for them, providing both support and perspective.
• Remind your student that any conflict has two sides. Encourage your student to consider why their roommate might see the situation from a different point of view.
• Encourage your student to remember that roommate conflicts take time and effort to work through. Living with someone requires ongoing communication. Realistically speaking, a one-time meeting cannot solve all past and future problems.
• Assure your student that having a roommate conflict is not a rare occurrence. Many students go through hard times with their roommates, and most are able to resolve their differences in a way that meets everyone's needs.

Helping Your Student Address the Problem

• Encourage your student to talk directly, but respectfully, to their roommate about their concerns.
• Encourage your student to seek out the assistance of their RA or a Complex Coordinator.
• Be supportive of your student. Your encouragement is especially appreciated during stressful times.
• Allow your student to resolve their own roommate problems. Doing so will leave them better prepared to resolve problems on their own in the future.
• Encourage your student to whole-heartedly pursue other means of conflict resolution before requesting a new room. Often, students can successfully work through roommate problems. Additionally, the process of working through a roommate conflict provides them the opportunity to build valuable life long skills. An immediate room change would result in your student losing out on the benefits the opportunity offers. However, if the conflict cannot be resolved after working through mediation steps, a room change is a very good option. It's far better to live in a more positive environment than to refuse to leave a negative environment in order to prove a moot point.

Contacting Residence Life Yourself

• Consider Residence Life staff to be allies. We also want students to have the best possible experience.
• Talk to your student first before you call Residence Life yourself. Your student may not appreciate you calling Residence Life without their knowledge.
• Before calling Residence Life, familiarize yourself with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) . Simply put, in context of a roommate conflict, FERPA does not allow Residence Life Staff to discuss specific details of a student's conflict with their parent/guardian. However, the Residence Life staff will be happy to review with you the overall process in which we help residents work through conflicts. Your student is your information source if you want conflict specifics, so talk to them. Just keep in mind, they only have one side of the story. If a student wishes to sign a waiver so that Residence Life staff can speak to you directly regarding specific conflict details, they can obtain a waiver from their Complex Coordinator.
• By all means, contact your student's Complex Coordinator yourself if you feel a situation exists that has overwhelmed your student's ability to work through it. We are happy to talk with you about your concerns and will arrange for your student to access necessary resources and support.

While we do not release students from their contracts based on roommate conflicts, we do have a room transfer process in place. If a student decides they want to switch rooms, they need to take the following steps:

• Fill out a room change request . Students are able to indicate hall and roommate preferences for their room change.
• Once the request is received, a Complex Coordinator may contact the student to talk over the reasons behind their request. The CC will then either approve or deny the request. The CC will also indicate to the Housing Reservations staff if the room change is an urgent need.
• If the request is approved, it will be forwarded to Occupancy Management where it will be handled based on housing application date order. If the request has been labeled as an urgent need, Occupancy Management will attempt to make the room change as soon as possible.
• When a vacancy is available, the student is notified. Some room changes are able to happen within the week of them being requested. Others may take all semester. It depends on the availability of the hall and room type that the student is requesting.
• If two students want to do a mutual room swap (where they trade places with each other), they still go through the first two steps above.

The Ultimate Guide to Exam Room Management

• QGenda Staff
• April 17, 2024

Table of Contents

Exam room management: a foundational overview, why is exam room management important, what is the current state of exam room management, what are the risks of sticking with the status quo, who should use an exam room management solution, the key benefits of purpose-built exam room management software, must-have capabilities for an effective exam room management solution, what questions can a purpose-built exam room management solution help answer, best practices for implementing a system-wide exam room management solution.

Clinic and exam room utilization plays a crucial role in patient access and care, as well as in overall hospital operations. Optimizing your clinical capacity not only provides a more cost-effective alternative to expanding your physical footprint, but also allows your organization to increase patient throughput for increased revenue generation. At the same time, more effective exam room utilization reduces wait times for appointments for improved care and a better overall patient experience.

Let’s take a closer look at exam room management so that you can evaluate your healthcare organization’s current approach, identify areas for improvement, and understand what it takes to align patient appointments, provider schedules, and exam rooms for optimized clinical capacity.

How do you define exam rooms, exam room management, and exam room utilization?

An understanding of exam room management starts with defining what constitutes an exam room in a healthcare setting. An exam room is a clinical space or designated office area where patients are seen by healthcare providers for an outpatient appointment. In this context, “outpatient” means that the patient receives medical attention in the clinic or exam room and then leaves without being admitted to the hospital or emergency department.

Exam room management in a hospital, health system, or large medical practice refers to the coordination and scheduling of clinical spaces where patients are examined, diagnosed, and treated on an outpatient basis. Exam room utilization, however, may be defined somewhat differently across health systems and clinical organizations. QGenda defines this metric as the amount of space being used by a provider as calculated by a simple ratio: total patient time over total room time.

To truly optimize clinical capacity , it’s not enough to know that all exam rooms are assigned to providers. You need to know that providers are actually using those exam rooms to see patients during the time allocated to them. Otherwise, although exam rooms may be fully assigned on paper, in reality, they may be sitting idle – resulting in longer wait times for patients and missed revenue opportunities for your healthcare organization.

It’s no secret that healthcare organizations are facing significant financial pressures. High labor and operating costs, slow cash recovery, and low payer reimbursements continue to compress margins. While volumes and overall liquidity are showing some signs of improvement, 1 health systems continue to face an uphill battle as the rate of growth for expenses outpaces that for revenue. 2 Sustained profitability will require that healthcare organizations control costs , optimize resources, and improve patient throughput, while keeping providers satisfied.

A few key factors are converging to make effective exam room management a priority for healthcare organizations today:

When it comes to patient access and throughout, there’s ample room for improvement. According to a 2022 Merritt Hawkins survey, the average wait for an appointment with a physician for new patients is 26 days. 3 The average appointment wait time for a doctor’s visit has increased 8% since the 2017 survey and 24% since the survey was first conducted in 2004 . 4

As an aging and sicker population drives patient demand, there’s a strong likelihood that wait times will continue to increase. By taking action now to optimize exam room utilization, organizations will be better prepared to meet this growing need for patient care in a prompt and efficient manner.

Many organizations are considering growth initiatives to increase ambulatory and clinical capacity — often by expanding their physical footprint. However, construction costs continue to rise, with the national average cost per square foot for commercial new construction of hospitals more than 15% higher today than in 2019 . 5

Construction expenses, along with economic uncertainties, high leasing rates, and substantial build-out costs, are causing hospitals to re-evaluate their approach to growth and expansion. Optimizing exam room utilization is a good place to start — and may prove to be a highly effective way to grow without expanding your physical space.

Because patient appointments are the “front door” to the health system, extended wait times can delay referral visits to specialists, follow-us appointments, and recommended procedures —  all of which generate additional By optimizing exam room utilization, providers at hospitals and health systems can see more patients sooner, and higher patient throughput means more revenue for the organization. 

To increase operating efficiency, improve patient access, and support growth, hospitals and health systems need to optimize their physical space while being able to readily adapt to fluctuations in patient demand. The goal is to minimize “dark rooms” — unoccupied, “lights off” exam rooms that could be allocated elsewhere for additional patient appointments. The problem is that current approaches are not getting the job done, and as a result, most hospitals and health systems are a long way from achieving their clinical capacity goals.

According to research, 72% of health system leaders report operating below the optimal exam room utilization of 80-89%. 6 Instead, most are operating at 60-69% of clinical capacity. Closing this 20% gap is critical for reducing patient wait times and avoiding lost revenue from patients choosing to go elsewhere for care. Given what’s at stake, it’s not surprising that 70% of executives surveyed expressed a sincere interest in solutions that close the clinic and exam room utilization gap. 7

Let’s examine some of the challenges associated with traditional approaches to exam room management.

Reliance on Manual, Siloed Exam Room Management Systems

Clinic and exam room schedules have traditionally been managed in silos across departments and specialties — separate from real-time provider schedules and patient appointment information in the EHR. To make matters worse, these siloed groups are often trying to manage their exam rooms using static templates and manual tools, such as Excel spreadsheets, whiteboards, paper schedules, or other homegrown systems, which are not natively connected to the larger enterprise IT ecosystem.

Unless someone is dedicated 24/7 to manually updating exam room assignments to account for provider schedule changes, approved provider time-off, and fluctuations in patient demand, the static template quickly becomes out of date, and rooms end up sitting idle.

Lack of Visibility into Exam Room Usage and Availability Enterprise-Wide

Because static room templates are not connected to provider schedules in real-time, they don’t show accurate exam room usage and availability when provider schedules inevitably change, often leading to a perceived “lack of space” or room shortage. When rooms appear fully assigned on paper, physicians may insist that they need more space to meet their patient demand. However, when clinic managers walk the floor, they see that many “assigned” rooms are actually not in use.

How can you solve this disconnect between perception and reality? Accurate, real-time visibility into exam room assignments and vacancies across the system requires standardized exam room management processes — backed by purpose-built technology — and a centralized source of truth. 

Additionally, with access to a central room inventory and standardized exam room management policies system-wide, healthcare enterprises can more effectively share space across units, departments, or specialties — a practice that can significantly increase clinical capacity.

Inability to Track and Measure Utilization Trends

Managing clinic and exam room information in static templates and disconnected systems makes it difficult to accurately measure utilization and track trends. After all, room utilization isn’t just about assignments. Even if a room is “assigned” on the template, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s actually being used by a provider seeing a patient during the allotted time.

To try to determine exam room utilization in this setting, an administrator would need to manually cross reference data across separate systems, including the exam room template, the provider schedule, patient appointments in the EHR, emails, and more — a task that’s simply not feasible in organizations at scale. Even if a health system had the resources to manually assess exam room utilization, it would simply be a “point in time” measurement. The real value comes from continuously tracking exam room utilization metrics over time to monitor trends and uncover opportunities for improvement.

Difficulty Making Proactive Adjustments to Improve Utilization and Capacity

Even when an underutilized room or clinical space is discovered through tedious cross-referencing, it’s often difficult to communicate the required changes to the right people — schedulers, providers, and others — with enough advance notice to actually improve utilization. To truly optimize a previously unused clinic room, the team needs time to be able to re-assign the room to another provider, reschedule patients or schedule new patients, and ensure there are enough nurses and staff available to support the change.

Continuing with the status quo for exam room management could cost your organization more than you realize. Without taking steps to optimize clinical capacity, your organization may experience:

Limited Patient Access

When your hospital or health system is unknowingly leaving clinic and exam rooms idle, patients experience long times, which can cause them to seek care elsewhere. If patients choose to wait for an appointment, the delay in care could lead to less effective treatment plans and poorer prognoses.

Healthcare organizations need centralized visibility into a single source of truth for both real-time exam room usage and availability and provider schedules to optimize clinical capacity and deliver prompt, quality patient care.

Increased Provider Burnout

Patients aren’t the only people negatively impacted by lack of clinical capacity optimization. When your organization is not making the best possible use of exam rooms, providers and staff may sit idle or become overworked. In either case, clinical productivity suffers.

  Scheduling too many providers when room availability or patient demand is low wastes clinical resources and labor spend while contributing to provider frustration. Scheduling too few providers when room availability is low or patient demand is high causes chaos and stress, contributing to burnout and attrition.

Increased Margin Pressure

With gaps in room utilization come gaps in patient care. When administrators lack real-time visibility into which exam rooms are currently in use, clinical space can easily sit vacant. This means providers see fewer patients, and your organization generates less revenue.

On the flip side, when health systems overstaff their departments beyond available room capacity, productivity rates remain low and cost per unit allocations don’t accurately reflect patient demand. Both scenarios have a negative impact on the bottom line, putting additional financial strain on your hospital or health systems.

Furthermore, there’s a heavy cost associated with keeping unused rooms operable, too. Having more clinical real estate than you need means unnecessary equipment, utilities, and maintenance costs that also cut into margins. 

Unnecessary Real Estate Investments

Without visibility into real-time exam room and provider schedules — and intelligent automation to align the two — your organization may perceive a need to expand your physical footprint when you really have underutilized clinical space across your existing facilities. This lack of insight may be leading some hospitals and health systems to take on new construction, leasing, and build-out costs that could be avoided or delayed through more effective exam room utilization.

Certain healthcare organizations benefit most from using an exam room management solution. As far as organization type, large clinic or ambulatory organizations with multiple locations and a large number of exam rooms to manage are the best fit. This is especially true for hospitals, health systems, and academic medical centers, where providers have additional responsibilities that often pull them away from regularly scheduled clinic time, such as being on-call, teaching time, etc. Additionally, in the health system environment, clinical space may be shared – or at least have the potential to be shared – across departments and specialties, furthering the positive impact of centralized room management on utilization and capacity optimization organization-wide.    

At a more general level, if your clinical organization experiences any of the following, then now may be a good time to consider a purpose-built room management solution:

• Your organization does not know current room utilization, nor have visibility into variations or trends by seasonality, location, specialty, provider, etc. 
• Your organization is consistently hearing from providers that they do not have enough space to see more patients. 
• Your organization is experiencing long and/or worsening patient wait times for appointments. 
• Your organization has growth goals that may include upcoming real estate investments.

On that note, in today’s healthcare environment, children’s hospitals across the U.S. are especially tending to see a marked increase in patient demand and long wait times for outpatient appointments. As a result, many children’s hospitals are considering new growth initiatives to increase ambulatory and clinical capacity – leading them to explore if better utilization of existing clinic and exam rooms could be the solution to increase patient access and throughput.

Purpose-built clinic and exam room management software provides centralized visibility into provider, room, and patient appointment information, so you can make more informed, data-driven decisions that make better use of resources and capacity. When you optimize exam room utilization, your organization can see more patients with the resources you already have, allowing you to increase patient access and drive revenue without building or leasing additional space.

Gain Visibility and Plan in Advance

Intuitive reports and dashboards within clinical capacity software provide insight into utilization rates, anomalies, and opportunities for improvement, enabling you to make proactive adjustments to optimize resources and capacity. Plus, standardized, system-wide visibility simplifies trend analysis and informs evidence-based decisions about resource allocation and future real-estate investments to facilitate strategic growth planning.

Enable Space Sharing across Departments

Standardizing exam room management software and processes helps drive consistency and facilitate capacity coordination across departments and locations. When everyone is using the same exam room management platform, rooms can be shared system-wide to further optimize allocation based on patient demand.

Improve Patient Access and Throughput

By understanding exam room availability within the context of provider schedules, your hospital can make better use of existing clinical space, reducing wait times and increasing throughput so that more patients can get the care they need — faster.

Increase Provider and Staff Satisfaction

With exam room management software, providers can easily request clinic rooms based on location, equipment, and other attributes, enabling them to better meet patient demand and deliver quality care for increased efficacy, reduced burnout, and higher satisfaction.

Reduce Administrative Work

Intelligent automation and streamlined workflows help save time and simplify clinic scheduling, cancellation, and add-on requests, eliminating manual updates and tedious cross-referencing for reduced administrative burden. 

Ensure Scalability to Meet Evolving Needs

Standardized software systems can be easily scaled up or down to accommodate growth or change. This adaptability ensures that all hospitals in the system can respond to evolving needs and organizational requirements, such as increased patient demand, consolidation, or growth initiatives.

Today’s healthcare organizations should look for a clinic and exam room management solution that provides:

• Direct connection to real-time provider schedules within the same platform
• EHR integration for automatic population of patient appointment information (Check out QGenda’s listings in Epic Showroom .)  
• Centralized visibility into room utilization, reusable space, and open time in advance
• Automatic release of rooms to make them available when provider schedules change
• Proactive reallocation of clinic and exam rooms directly in the platform
• Advanced room search and other intuitive tools for requesting additional rooms based on location, equipment, and other care attributes
• Actionable reports and dashboards to track utilization and density
• Historical and predictive analytics that look back to uncover systemic issues and look forward to proactively identify potential issues and recommend changes

With a purpose-built exam room management solution that provides these critical features and capabilities , your organization will get the powerful tools and data-driven insights needed to optimize clinical resources and capacity, improve patient access and throughput, and control costs on future real-estate investments.

Why else do health systems need accurate visibility into exam room utilization ? With a purpose-built software platform that provides comprehensive and accurate insight into exam room utilization, your organization can address critical questions such as: 

1. Are we fully utilizing our existing resources, including providers and exam rooms?

The answer helps inform decisions about future resource allocation. For example, if one department is consistently unable to fill their assigned rooms with patients, that space can be reallocated to another department experiencing higher demand to get patients through the door more efficiently.

2. Do we really need to invest in more space, or can we increase patient throughput by optimizing utilization of our existing clinic and exam rooms?

Insights help your organization forecast future space needs and strategically plan growth initiatives, so you can save on unnecessary overhead costs. This proactive approach minimizes risk of over-investment, while ensuring the organization can accommodate growing patient demand.

3. What is overall exam room utilization at each location and within each department — and how does it trend by day, month, season, and more?

The answer provides critical insight into where you can schedule new providers, while also helping to identify opportunities to reallocate rooms more optimally in the future for improved clinic and exam room utilization.

4. What is the historical and upcoming room utilization rate by provider?

The answer shines light on which providers have too many rooms allocated to them and which have too few, helping you address inequities and misalignments that can impact patient access. 

5. What rooms are available for makeup clinic sessions or for permanent assignment for new providers?

The answer helps ensure you’re minimizing unused room time and able to get more patients through the door sooner.

Implementing any system-wide software solution in the healthcare setting , including an exam room management system, is inherently complex. New technology needs to fit seamlessly within the complicated healthcare IT ecosystems, and target users need to embrace the solution and use it consistently — a big ask in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment where people are already stretched thin. The good news is there are proven steps you can take to help ensure a smooth and seamless implementation and widespread user adoption.

Start with System-Wide Provider Scheduling

Effective exam room management requires centralized visibility into real-time provider schedules, room assignments, and patient appointment information. With a system-wide platform that unifies provider scheduling and exam room management — and integrates with the EHR — your organization can centrally coordinate and optimize the use of clinic space based on the most up-to-date data.

A schedule-first platform enables the following workflow:

• Providers submit schedule changes, including PTO requests, shift changes, and meeting or teaching time that will take them out of clinic
• Room inventory is automatically updated when provider schedule changes are approved, releasing available rooms for reallocation
• Providers can request open clinic space based on location, equipment, and other care attributes to see more patients

This unified approach makes it simple to identify reusable space in advance and make proactive adjustments to improve clinic and exam room utilization.

Establish a Governance Model

When implementing a system-wide provider scheduling and exam room management platform, it’s important to have a proper governance model in place to oversee the process and sustain the system post-go-live. A governance model, which can be thought of as an organization chart for your solution, establishes a chain of command so that everyone is clear about roles and responsibilities both for implementation and ongoing system management. That way, providers and staff know exactly who they should go to with questions, issues, or input.

Putting an effective governance model in place involves the following steps:

• Assemble a cross-functional governance team with representatives and decision makers from HR, IT, Finance, and Clinical Operations, including medical leaders, to ensure buy-in and drive effective decision making.
• Organize a governance sub-committee that meets more frequently and has more frequent involvement to oversee the implementation and post-launch system management.
• Establish a cadence for monitoring and reporting on implementation progress.
• Define clear policies for ongoing system management to better ensure sustained success.

Make Change Management a Priority

Every system implementation process, including deployment of schedule-first exam room management software, should incorporate change management initiatives to address employee resistance and foster widespread buy-in through proactive communications and comprehensive training. Change management should start before implementation and continue after go-live to maximize adoption rates and accelerate return on investment.

Here are some actions your organization can take to optimize the effectiveness of your change management program: 

• Solicit provider and administrator feedback and answer questions early and often through surveys, open forums, video conferences, and internal blogs.
• Communicate the vision for the system and how it will benefit providers, patients, and the overall organization.
• Continue to build awareness and enthusiasm via emails, intranet, collaboration tools, mobile messaging, and other channels to report progress, highlight system benefits, and celebrate achievement of key milestones.
• Conduct personalized, role-based training via interactive workshops, online tutorials, hands-on sessions, and live help desk support.
• Request feedback post-go-live to address usability concerns, foster creative problem-solving, and facilitate collaboration with vendors to optimize system performance.

Summary of Assets

• Blog | Five Reasons to Standardize and Centralize Exam Room Management across Your Health System
• Blog | Three Reasons to Stop Using Static Templates for Exam Room Assignments
• Case Study | Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston
• Case Study | University of Alabama at Birmingham
• eBook | Five Proven Strategies to Improve Operating Margins
• eBook | Exam Room Management Strategies for Children’s Hospitals
• eBook | The Anatomy of Capacity Optimization for Health Systems
• eBook | Implementing a Healthcare Workforce Management System
• Whitepaper | Improving Capacity and Revenue through Effective Room Management
• Webinar | Perception vs. Reality: The Real Story Behind Exam Room Utilization
• Webinar | Optimizing Clinical Space: 4 Critical Components for Effective Exam Room Management

1 https://www.fitchratings.com/research/us-public-finance/us-not-for-profit-hospitals-health-systems-outlook-2024-05-12-2023

2 https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/hospitals-with-revenues-under-500m-likely-to-struggle-this-year.html?utm_medium=email&utm_

3 https://www.businessinsider.com/americans-everywhere-are-waiting-longer-to-see-a-doctor-2022-10

5 https://www.bdcnetwork.com/healthcare-construction-costs-2023

6 https://porterresearch.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/QGenda-_-White-Paper-Improving-Capacity-and-Revenue-through-Effective-Room-Management.pdf

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University Housing is committed to providing as many students as possible with the out-of-the-classroom learning and life-enriching experiences that come from living in student housing. As more students choose to attend FSU, the demand for student housing continues to increase. Due to the continued popularity of living on campus with both returning students and the incoming class, not every student can be assigned to a standard residence hall space immediately.

To house as many students as possible, University Housing has arranged for alternative spaces referred to as overflow housing spaces. Based on the number of standard spaces available and the date of receipt of your signed housing contract, you may be assigned to a space in overflow housing for the start of the semester.

University Housing has extensive experience with overflow housing, and steps have been taken to ensure that you will experience the same benefits of living in a residence hall as those who have been assigned to standard spaces.

What type of room will I be assigned to?

University Housing has converted study rooms/lounges and other common areas to provide additional space to house students. These spaces have been equipped with furnishings similar to those in regular residential rooms; each resident will have a bunk bed and a hanging rack for clothes. In addition, a refrigerator/freezer and internet access will be provided. Most important, the residential life activities and support will be available to students in these spaces, just as they are to students in regular spaces.

When will I be reassigned to a permanent space?

As soon as a standard residential space becomes available, you will be assigned to a permanent living space on campus based on your priority number and contract submission date. We aim to reassign all students in overflow housing within the first few weeks of the semester, as cancellations are received. However, if we are unable to move all students out of these spaces, some may be converted to permanent spaces for the remainder of the semester. The occupancy of these converted rooms is similar to standard rooms of the same size. If an overflow room is converted to a permanent space, the hanging rack is replaced with an armoire, a desk and desk chair for each resident is placed in the room, and the bed may be replaced.

What is the cost for overflow housing?

Rent for overflow housing is originally billed at the rental rate for a suite double. This allows students assigned to overflow to have a better sense of what their rental rate may be, especially since most students assigned to overflow housing will be reassigned before hall opening.

Students that are still assigned to overflow housing at hall opening will have their rent reduced to $15/day for each day they were assigned to overflow housing. Their rent for the remainder of the semester will be prorated based on the daily rate for their new room. This may result in a small refund after the student is reassigned if student's rent is paid in full before being reassigned.

When room assignments are made, residents are assigned to the room assignment that is as close to their preferences as possible based on their housing priority number. After students are assigned, they may request a reassignment.

The reassignment request website will open approximately one week after room assignments are released. Students that are assigned to permanent (not overflow) spaces may submit a reassignment request. As vacancies occur, our University Housing Assignments staff will review submitted reassignment requests in priority number order to find request that matches the building and room type of the vacancy.

General Information

• Reassignments cannot be guaranteed.
• Reassignment requests will remain on file for the entire term and will be processed as openings occur.
• Students that are reassigned will be responsible for any difference in rent between the old and new space. Click here for rental rates chart .
• Students that are reassigned to a mandatory meal plan residence hall will be required to purchase a meal plan with Seminole Dining .
• Requests submitted in order to request reassignment for accommodation for a medical/physical condition must provide documentation.   Click here to learn about accommodations and required documentation .
• Residents may not move to a new room or hall without written permission from the University Housing office or their building's hall coordinator or assistant coordinator.
• Reassignments will not be processed during the first two weeks after the halls open.

Reassignment Request Types

Prior to Hall Opening

• Mutual Swap - students requesting to change rooms with another student (i.e. friend's roommate) within the same hall and same room type
• Click for instructions about how to submit all other requests
• Within Building Moves After Move–In — students requesting to change rooms with another student within the same hall and room type (excluding single rooms) need to speak with their hall coordinator or assistant coordinator

Prior to hall opening, students requesting to change rooms with another student within the same hall , if they are assigned to the same room type , can submit their request via email to [email protected]. Both students agreeing to change rooms will need to submit the request before any reassignment can be processed. Room change requests within the same hall and room type will be processed once the two students agreeing to change rooms have submitted their request as outlined below. Requests will remain on file until both students requesting to change rooms have submitted their request, or until approximately one week prior to the official hall opening date for the requested term.

Limitations : Requests to swap may be denied if any of the following are true:

How to Submit a Mutual Swap Request

• Send an email from your FSU email account to [email protected]. This email should include the following information:
• Your full name
• Your current assignment: hall and room number
• The full name of the person you want to switch places with
• That student’s hall and room number

What's Next

• If two matching requests are submitted and approved, both students will be reassigned to each other's rooms.
• Students will be notified via email that they have been moved.

What a Mutual Request is Not

A mutual swap is not the way that two students that want to be roommates indicate their request to room together. If two students want to be roommates and neither of their roommates are interested in moving, the students must submit a regular reassignment request. In this case, University Housing will only be able to assist if 2 vacancies occur in a room together and both students that want to be roommates: 1) have the best/lowest contract numbers for that vacancy, and 2) both students requested the building and room type that match the vacancies.

Please follow the instructions below to submit a reassignment request unless you are trying to swap rooms with another student in a specific room or, after halls open, if you would like to change to a different room (excluding single rooms) in the same building.

How to Submit a Request

• Click here to access the myHousing portal.
• Click on Reassignment Request link.
• Complete request.

What's Next?

• If a vacancy occurs, University Housing staff will review reassignment requests on file in priority number order. The student with the best priority number that has a matching hall and room type preference is determined.
• Student will be reassigned to new room.
• Student will be notified via FSU email that they have been moved.
• Within 1–2 weeks, student's rent will be adjusted.

Since reassignments are completed before the halls open without students accepting the room transfer, students must cancel their request before a reassignment is made. Students can cancel their request by logging into their myHousing portal, and making their Reassignment Request "Inactive".

After Halls Open

• Student will be offered vacancy via their FSU email. Student has 1 full business day to accept reassignment.
• If student accepts reassignment, student will be reassigned to new room.
• Student will be notified via email that they have been moved. Student then has 48 hours to complete the move to the new space.

The information below is only for students that are eligible to participate in the Fall 2024/Spring 2025 Returner Contract process .

• Students that do not meet the Returner Contract process criteria are not eligible to participate in this process or have their rooms selected by those that are eligible.
• All students that want to live together must mutually request each other no later than January 12, 2024.
• Students will be able to select up to ONE roommate request after submitting their housing contract.
• By mutually requesting another student, you are authorizing that individual to select a room for you.
• Returning residents with vacancies in their rooms will consolidated to a different room with the same room type in the same building to allow as many incoming Summer/Fall 2024 admitted students to be assigned together as possible.This consolidation process may occur several times between March 9th and hall opening. Consequently, returning residents are strongly encouraged to select rooms with other returning residents during Room Selection.

Before Room Selection

You must first submit your Fall/Spring housing contract before selecting a roommate. (You are not required to make your prepayment to select a roommate request; however, you are required to pay within 7 calendar days to avoid having your contract cancelled.) You will not be able to select a room until the prepayment has been paid.

After completing your contract, complete the following to request a roommate by January 12, 2024:

• Login to the myHousing portal , if not already logged in
• Click "My Home"
• Click "Select Roommate Request"
• Follow the prompts on the page. (You will need the last name and date of birth of the student that you would like to request.)
• Check to see if your requested roommate is "Confirmed". If not, have your requested roommate follow these steps to request you.

Due to limited space availability, we strongly encourage mutually requested roommate pairs to discuss their priorities and come up with the list of buildings and room types that they are interested in before Room Selection begins.

During Room Selection

For the best chance to get the building and room type that you and your mutually requested roommate would like, the individual with the earliest Room Selection start time in your roommate pair should select a room/suite/apartment for your pair.

NOTE: You should check your assignment as soon as your Room Selection window opens, to ensure you were assigned as expected by any requested roommate. If you were not assigned by another student, you should select a room as soon as your Room Selection window opens.

As soon as your Room Selection window opens, complete the following to select a room:

• Login to the  myHousing portal , if not already logged in
• Click "Room Selection"
• Follow the prompts on the page.

Returner Room Selection Instructions

Special Note for Roommate Requests during Room Selection : Mutually requested roommates can be assigned as a pair by the first person in the pair with a room selection window. However, once a student has been assigned to a space, whether the student assigned him/herself or was assigned by a mutually requested roommate, the student cannot later be moved by a requested roommate. If roommates wish to relocate to a different space after the group has been assigned, each student will need to move themselves to the new space .

Strategies, If Desired Space is Not Available

If there is not space available for you and your roommate(s) in the building and/or room type you want when it is time to select a room:

Do 1 or more of the following:

• Select a space in a different building.  Example: if your group of 2 wanted a Traditions apartment, try a Ragans apartment instead.
• Select a different room type.  Example: if your roommate pair wanted an apartment, but none are available, try selecting a suite together instead.
• Drop your requested roommate since individuals will have better chances of finding space than pairs.
• Look for a better match by checking back on myHousing as often as you would like through March 8th   - THIS IS YOUR BEST CHANCE!
• Submit a reassignment request over the summer once it is available (typically in July) — ONLY DO THIS IF ALL ELSE FAILS

Other Roommate Related Information

What if I want to live with someone who is an incoming freshmen/off-campus/transfer student?

Unfortunately, returning residents are not able to select non-returning housing residents as roommates.  This includes incoming freshmen/transfer students and current off-campus students.

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First-Year Housing Information

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Undergraduate Housing

First-year residential experience.

Greetings from MIT Housing & Residential Services (HRS) — we hope you’re as excited as we are for the start of your journey at MIT!

HRS oversees on-campus housing assignments, repair and maintenance, residential security, and more.  Our team is responsible for ensuring that residences are welcoming, safe, and effectively supporting MIT’s distinctive residential experience. 

We encourage you to connect with members of our team regarding any housing-related inquiries that you may have.   We're available to assist through a variety of channels, including virtual and in-person services, as well as by phone and email.  Visit our contact page linked below to learn more.   

Students and teams from Housing & Residential Services and Residential Education participated in a First-Year Housing Experience program as part of virtual Campus Previous Weekend (CPW) activities for families of admitted students.  Click the link below to watch the program, which aired live on Thursday, March 30, 2023.   

Living on Campus

Each of our residence halls have their own unique community, and choosing where to live is one of the most exciting decisions you will make during your time on campus!

MIT’s residential experience encourages students to make connections with their peers outside of the classroom.  At MIT, we know that  fostering healthy relationships , including with your roommates and others in your residential community, will help you thrive.  All first-year students are required to live on campus in one of MIT’s available residence halls.

This webpage includes some helpful details as you think through your on-campus housing options for the coming academic year.  Already thinking about what to pack?  Take a peek at some suggestions .

Housing Eligibility & First-Year Residency Requirement

Housing Eligibility

All fully-registered undergraduate MIT students are guaranteed four years of consecutive on-campus housing.  Students who, after their freshman year, decide to live off campus, take a leave of absence , or who study abroad , may request to return to on-campus housing through the Waitlist Process , which is subject to housing availability.     

First-Year Residency Requirement 

First-year students are required to live in one of the on-campus  undergraduate residence halls  for the duration of their first year at MIT.  Close proximity to classes, as well as access to on-campus facilities and resources, are especially important during the transition to college life. 

Rare exceptions are made in cases where first-year students are married or will live full-time with parents or guardians who reside in the Boston area.  Students who are seeking an exception may write a letter of petition to HRS requesting permission to live off campus during their first year at MIT. In addition to a letter, first-year students must supply documentation of off-campus residency with parents or family, or documentation of marriage. The petition will be reviewed by HRS in conjunction with the Office of the First Year .  

Residence Hall Options & FSILGs  

Residence Halls

Incoming first-year residents may preference any of the available undergraduate residence halls within their housing application.  As a starting point, please visit the Guide to Residences website to explore each residential community.  Make sure to check out the Interactive Introductions to the Institute “i3” videos posted to each house page, which are created by current residents to showcase their community.

While first-year students must live in an on-campus MIT residence hall, students may socially affiliate with Fraternities, Sororities, and Independent Living Groups, known as “FSILGs”.  After their first year, students may choose to move into FSILG housing or remain in an on-campus residence hall.

About 35 percent of all MIT undergraduates are affiliated with an FSILG.  Formal recruitment to join an IFC Fraternity or Panhel Sorority occurs in the fall semester after Orientation.  Recruitment for Independent Living Groups & Multicultural Organizations occur on an individual basis.  Some IFC Fraternities & Panhel Sororities will hold informal recruitment in the spring semester.  Visit the FSILG website to learn more.

Incoming First-Year Housing Selection Process

Housing selection, like a lot of things at MIT, is very unique.  Teams at HRS,  Residential Education , and across the Division of Student Life, are committed to ensuring your housing assignment and move-in experiences are easy and welcoming!

Housing Application

Access to the first-year housing application typically opens in May.  Incoming first-year students will receive an email from HRS with details regarding the housing application process, as well as the application submission deadline.  Important housing dates will also be posted to the housing  Dates & Deadlines webpage .  

All applicants are given equal weight; it does not matter when you submit your housing application, as long as it’s received by the posted deadline.  Building placements are made according to a lottery process, so don’t feel rushed to complete the online form  –  take your time when evaluating the housing options and be honest when sharing your living preferences.  You can also amend your submitted preferences at any time before the deadline –  just make sure your changes are saved within the housing portal. 

The application captures students' housing preferences, including which living community students prefer to join.  Through the application, students may also choose to form a group of up to four total students who are interested in the same building placement.  While HRS will make every effort to assign students to one of their top three residence hall preferences, there is a possibility that a student may receive an assignment in any of the available residences based upon space availability.  But don't worry!  There are multiple opportunities to change your housing assignment at MIT (see below).   

Room Assignments

Careful attention is paid to students’ room assignments to help ensure a positive living experience. A unique feature of MIT’s residential system is that student Room Assignment Chairs or "RACs" coordinate individual room assignments in each building along with members of their House Team.  While a key set of principles guides the room assignment process, each house approaches room assignments a bit differently and information about each house’s room assignment process is linked below. 

Key Room Assignment Principles  New student preferences will be used to make room assignments. Upper-level students will not preference or select students to live on their floors/entry/community. First-year students may opt out of exploration and required moves.

After receiving living preference information from students, HRS shares these details with student Room Assignment Chairs (RACs) to facilitate individual room assignments for each residence hall in coordination with the House Team. Confirmed room assignments will be shared with incoming students according to the posted date .

HRS has worked collaboratively with Residential Education, RACs and House Teams in each house to develop a process for first-year room assignments . Below, please find house-created Action Plans ( see example ) outlining each residence hall's unique approach to assigning residents to specific rooms:

• Baker House
• Burton-Conner House
• East Campus
• Maseeh Hall
• McCormick Hall
• McGregor House
• Chocolate City
• French House
• German House
• Numbered Houses
• Random Hall
• Simmons Hall

Changing Housing Assignments

When students arrive to campus for the start of the academic year, they have the opportunity to participate in Residence Exploration or "REX" which allows for exploration of each house, and to participate in special programming organized by existing residents.  After seeing each of the living communities during REX, students who would like to change their housing assignment are welcome to participate in the First Year Residence Exchange or "FYRE" process.  

FYRE, which is dependent upon housing availability, allows students to change their housing assignment.  Students who are unsuccessful at changing their housing assignment are also welcome to apply through the Building Switch Process, which enables successful residents to change their housing assignment beginning the next semester.  

A Supportive Housing Community

Mentorship is a big part of MIT residential life.  All residence halls have a live-in House Team that cultivates community among their residents.

• ​ ADs are full-time professional staff members who are the student-outreach and support experts. As live-in staff, they assist with the transition to college and general navigation through MIT.  
• GRAs provide academic support to students on many residential floors/wings as live-in staff.  
• PMs are trained undergraduate students who serve as community-builders, leaders, and resources. They are a direct support person for a small cohort of first-year students.  
• ​ HOMs are assigned to each residence and are full-time staff members responsible for the operations and facilities of a residence.

View Important Housing Dates

Houses >

View Undergraduate Houses

Housing Rate Information

FY Info >

The go-to resource for incoming first-year students.

Finance >

Financial Aid Information

Dining >

Learn more about dining on campus & meal plans.

Wellbeing >

Click here to start your wellbeing journey.

Welcome to the MIT Community!

Office of the First Year

The Office of the First Year offers services and programs that catalyze student exploration and support undergraduate education at the Institute.

Take time to care for yourself.

At MIT, focusing on your wellbeing by caring for your mind and body, fostering meaningful relationships, and finding purpose will help you to thrive not only in the classroom but in all aspects of your life.

A supportive living community

Residential Education partners with students, faculty, staff, and alumni to promote engaged housing communities and individual development. 

Housing & Residential Services

Whether you’re just curious about living on campus, experiencing a room lockout or have a question about billing— we’ve got you covered!  Connect with a member of the Housing & Residential Services team. 

Everything you need to start your journey at MIT.

Your Wellbeing Matters. Let's explore more

Our Residential Community

We're here to help with navigating on-campus housing.

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The Assignment Process

Living on campus at UNC Charlotte is very popular and demand is high. This means we are likely to have more students interested in living on campus than we have space to accommodate them. To support the success of incoming students, we will prioritize applications from entering first time in college (FTIC) students, new transfer and international students, and then continuing students as available space allows.

In addition, assignments are made according to a combination of factors including space availability, date of completed application, roommate requests and building/room preferences. Please keep in mind that preferences are NOT guarantees but are used for placement when requested space is available. Please read the details and the terms and conditions of the  Housing Contract to further understand what to expect from the assignments process.

If you have any questions that aren't answered here, please feel free to  contact us .

Housing assignments are made and communicated:

• for Spring-Only Housing: continuously, starting in November
• for Fall-Spring Housing (for new students/applicants): continuously, starting in February
• for Fall-Spring Housing (for returning residents): during the Return to Campus Living campaign , starting in January
• for Summer Housing: starting in April

As students cancel housing or are moved to other buildings on campus, we make additional assignments. Students who have not yet received their assignment can check with the  Assignments Office . Students are always welcome to use our Online Housing System to check the status of their application, view assignments that have been made and get information about their roommate(s), if any.

Housing assignments are made according to the date that the Contract for Residential Services (or Online Housing Application) and $100 non-refundable housing application processing fee were received (the later of the two is used in the assignments process, as an application is not complete until both parts are received in our offices), using the spaces available after returning student placements are made.

Returning residents go through a re-application period called Return to Campus Living .

If you have already been assigned and are interested in an assignment change, please monitor your email for late-spring updates about that possibility.

During the first two weeks of each semester, we verify the assignment status and occupancy of each student in our residence halls. This process allows us to verify that each student in a room, has been assigned there and that our records are correct and current, in case of emergency or other need. During this process, we "freeze" the room change process. No room changes may occur during this period.

Residents who do not like their room assignment may use the room change period to move to another space on campus, if one is available. The room change period takes place once every semester. 

Please note: once you complete a room change, you will be charged the rate based on your new assignment. You can find the room rates  here .

Students are encouraged to monitor their UNC Charlotte email account for more information and to periodically visit the home page for details about the room change period.

ROOM ASSIGNMENTS: February 2022 Psychometrician Licensure Exam

Room Assignment Psychometrician Board Exam February 2022

MANILA, Philippines – The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) released the list of room assignments for the February 2022 Psychometrician licensure exams few days before the exams.

The Psychometrician licensure exams will be conducted on February 8-9, 2022 at PRC testing centers located at NCR (Metro Manila), Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Koronadal, Legaspi, Lucena, Pampanga, Rosales, Tacloban, Tuguegarao and Zamboanga. The Board of Psychology is headed by its Chairman, Ms. Miriam P. Cue and its members, Ms. Alexa P. Abrenica (inhibited) and Ms. Imelda Virginia G. Villar.

Examinees are advised to verify the room assignments to the links below or through the notices and announcements to be posted at the PRC official website. Here is the room assignments for the February 2022 Psychometrician licensure exams.

• Manila (PWD)
• Manila (Added to the list)
• Cagayan de Oro
• Tuguegarao (PWD)

Examinees shall report before 6:30 in the morning on the said date because late comers will not be admitted.

Other Story

• How to Pass Licensure Exam? Tips from Board Passers

What to bring on the day of exams?

Here are the things to bring during the examination proper:

• Notice of Admission
• Official Receipt
• One (1) piece of metered-stamped window mailing envelope
• Two (2) or more pencils (NO. 2)
• Ball pens (black ink only)
• One (1) piece long brown envelope
• One (1) piece long transparent/plastic envelope (for keeping your valuables and other allowed items)
• Health Forms (Pursuant to Joint Administrative Order No. 01, series of 2020)
• Negative RT-PCR Test Results (if applicable), or Certificate of Quarantine or copy of the Complete Vaccination Card for fully vaccinated examinees to be submitted to the proctor on the examination day.

What to wear on examination day?

Here are the specified dress codes from PRC:

• Male examinees: Any scrub suit/ white polo shirt or T-shirt with collar without any logo mark or seal, tucked-in pants/slacks
• Female examinees: Any scrub suit/ white blouse or T-shirt with collar without any logo mark or seal, tucked-in pants/slacks

What are not allowed during board exams?

• Books, notes, review materials, and other printed materials containing coded information or formulas
• Programmable calculators
• Apple, Samsung and other smart watches, cellular phones, ear plugs, transmitters, portable computers, Bluetooth and other electronic devices which may be used for communication purposes;
• Bags of any kind

Board exams during the COVID-19 pandemic

The following precautionary health and safety guidelines shall be observed at all times during the conduct of the PRC licensure exams:

• Wearing of face mask and face shield. Examinees are also required to bring alcohol-based sanitizers.
• Examination personnel shall be provided with face mask, face shield and latex gloves.
• Observe physical distancing by maintaining 1-meter distance from one another.
• Body temperature will be checked using thermal scanner prior to entry at examination premises. Those with fever, colds or cough are not allowed to take the exams. Their payment will not be forfeited and can be used in the next licensure exam.
• Examinees are advised to bring their food as they will not be allowed to exit the examination room during break time and lunch time.
• Examinees shall sanitize before entering the examination room, after using the rest room and before distribution of test questionnaires.

PRC added that they will not be responsible of any lost personal belongings.

2022 Psychometrician Licensure Exam Schedule

Shown below is the schedule of the 2022 Psychometrician licensure exams:

Reference(s)

• Program for Psychometrician licensure exams for February 2022 from PRC.

For those who want to clarify something, PRC advised to email them through the Licensure Exam Division at below contacts:

• [email protected]

To receive regular updates about February 2022 Psychometrician board exam as well as other related announcements, we advise our visitors to bookmark this page, visit PRC official website, follow us at our social media pages via  Facebook  and  Twitter  or join the members discussions at our  Facebook Group .

If you have comments/reactions about this article, feel free to share it at the comment section below.

Room assignment for Psychometrian examination

Partially and unvaccinated not allowed on to take the exam at PRC Lucena. Thanks to help us on that.

Hay, po nakapag file po ako for PSYCHOMETRICIAN board exam, at may NOA na po ako, ang problema ko wala ako sa listing ng mga mag eexam dito sa Davao City. Ano pong gagawin ko? Plsss. Help po, yong oras po ang sayang kung hindi ako maka exam this Coming February 8 and 9. Plss.

saan po kaya naka post ung announcement na dapat may dalang antigen test sa lucena? kasi ung pamangkin ko hindi aware sa rule na yon so hindi po sya pinayagan mag-exam ????

is it required to enroll in a review center for an applicant to be considered to take the exams? I am planning for self-review since I do not have the money to pay for review center and secondary reason is I am more comfortable to review -study in my set program phase without worrying about trying to catch up with the learning progress of co-reviewee ( if in case I enroll in a review center).

Is it lawful for my university to deny me of my rights to take the Licensure examinations for Psychometrician if I will not enrol in a review center?

(College admin declared that they will not issue a TOR with FOR BOARD EXAMINATION remarks if the applicant did not enrol in a review center).

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