As a returning student, how do I apply for campus housing for 2010/2011?

If you currently live on campus and wish to return to campus housing for 2010/2011, you must take part in the recontracting process.  The online housing application will be available beginning October 1, 2009 on mybama on the Home tab, in the Currently On myBama section, or on myBama in the Banner Self-Service section, under the Student Services, Student Life section. The deadline to apply for housing was February 2nd at 8 am. At this time, students who received an email to continue to the second step will go online between 8 am February 3rd and 5 pm February 10th to sign the contract and pay the $250 deposit ($25 application fee and $225 prepayment).

How can I find out more information about recontracting?

HRC staff members will be holding informational meetings in the residence halls on the days listed below. If your are not able to attend the meeting in your area, you may attend one of the other meetings.

Monday, January 11
7:00 p.m. RDG South-RDG South 2nd floor atrium
7:00 Tutwiler
8:00 Bluff, in RVR community building
8:00 p.m. Ridgecrest East/West-RDG East 4th floor meeting space
9:00 p.m. Rose Towers-1st floor activity room
9:00 Riverside, in community building

Tuesday, January 12
7:00 Bryant-first floor living room
7:00 Paty
8:00 Lakeside-in LKS W 1st floor lobby
8 :00 PA/Byrd/New-in Parker-Adams living room
9:00 Harris-Harris living room
9:00 Bryce Lawn/Highlands, in Highlands activity room

Tuesday, January 19
7:00 p.m. Hackberry-BW living room

Wednesday, January 20
8:00 the Bluff, in Bluff office

How do I recontract if I will be away from campus for an internship, coop or study abroad?

You will not be able to recontract or select a room online if you do not have campus housing for the spring. Therefore, you must recontract before you leave campus in December. You will not be able to complete the contract and payment portion since you will not be a campus resident in the spring. Therefore, you must complete a paper application and contract in order to recontract. You may do this by coming into the Housing office in Burke East. You will not be able to select your own room, so please provide as much information as possible regarding your residence hall and room choice, and we will try to meet your request, space permitting. You may indicate these preferences on your paper application. If you do not complete the application, contract and deposit before you leave for your internship or study abroad, we will not be able to make your housing assignment.

Am I guaranteed housing after my freshman year?

No. Space for returning students is limited. Housing and Residential Communities will not accept your deposit until we are certain that you will have a space in campus housing for you. If you are permitted to complete the final two steps of recontracting, and pay the $250.00 deposit, then you will have a space on campus.

How will I be assigned a room on campus?

If you are able to complete your housing application and deposit, you will be able to select a room online.  Online room selection takes place in February and early March. Your initial time to enter room selection is determined by where you want to live, e.g., if you want to return to your same room, and your academic status, e.g., rising senior, rising junior, etc.

If I sign the housing contract and change my mind, can I cancel it?

The housing contract is a legally binding contract, just like a lease you might sign for an apartment. It is always up to HRC’s discretion whether you may cancel your contract. If you apply to cancel your contract before the cancellation deadline of July 1, and it is cancelled, you will receive a refund of your $225.00 prepayment. After the July 1 deadline, you will lose the $225.00 prepayment and will be assessed an additional $250.00 fee, if HRC cancels your contract. If you apply to cancel your contract for the spring semester, and it is approved and cancelled, you will lose the $225.00 prepayment and be assessed an additional $500.00 fee. We recommend that you never sign a lease on an off-campus house or apartment until you are certain that your housing contract will be cancelled.

How will I know when to sign the housing contract and pay my deposit?

If you may complete those steps, you will receive an e-mail. Please check your crimson e-mail regularly so that you do not miss important recontracting e-mails.

How will I know when to pick my room?

In order to be eligible for online room selection and for housing for 2010/2011, current students must apply for housing by 5:00 p.m. on February 1. All students who apply will be notified by e-mail on February 2 regarding their next step in the process. Because the demand for housing may exceed available space, students are not guaranteed housing. Some students may be waitlisted for housing, depending on demand. Students who are not waitlisted must go back online from February 3-10 to complete the housing contract and pay the $250.00 deposit. Students who fail to pay the deposit by the deadline will not be eligible for room selection or housing. If you have questions or concerns about paying the deposit, please contact Housing and Residential Communities. Students who complete the housing application, contract and deposit will select their room based on the following schedule (if you have any question about your classification e.g., rising senior, rising junior, etc, please contact HRC):

Same room selection: 8:00 a.m. February 15-8:00 a.m. February 16

Same room selection and roommate pull in (select your space first, during same room selection, then you can pull in a roommate if there is space in your room/suite): 8:00 a.m. February 17-8:00 a.m. February 18

Same residence hall, different room selection: 8:00 a.m. February 19 -8:00 a.m. February 20

Different residence hall/different room selection:
Rising Seniors (current juniors): 8:00 a.m. February 23-5:00 p.m. March 3

Rising Juniors (current sophomores): 8:00 a.m. February 24-5:00 p.m. March 3

Rising Sophomores (current freshmen): 8:00 a.m. February 25-5:00 p.m. March 3

Graduate Students: 8:00 a.m. February 26-5:00 p.m. March 3

Please note, we recommend that you complete all steps of the recontracting process during business hours, if possible, so that you can contact our office in the event that you need assistance.

Can I pull in a roommate of my choice?

You will be able to pull in a roommate of your choice, as long as s/he is eligible to live in the same residence hall as you are.  You must have your preferred roommate’s proxy code in order to pull him/her in.

Can I live anywhere I want next year?

The residence halls that you can select for next year are many, but they are limited to some extent by gender and by living-learning community participation.  In addition, because of demand from incoming freshmen in the honors college, students who do not live in honors housing or in Lakeside, Bryant, Ridgecrest East, West, or South, or Riverside at the time of room selection will not be able to select a room there.  The residence halls for which you are eligible will show up for you during room selection.  Please take these restrictions into consideration during recontracting.

If I complete a housing application but never submit the contract or deposit, will I be able to pick a room?

No, only students who have completed the application, contract, and deposit will be able to select a room or receive an assignment in campus housing.

If I complete the application, contract and deposit and do not pick a room, will my contract be cancelled and my prepayment refunded?

No.  If you fail to pick a room during the assigned time, HRC will assign you to some available space on campus.  You will not be reassigned to your same space or your same building unless you select it yourself.

Where can I find information about off-campus housing?

Great resources to learn about off-campus housing include www.crimsonchoice.ua.edu, www.ttownliving.ua.edu, and http://housing.ua.edu/offcampus.  There will also be off-campus housing fairs in the Ferguson Center during the early spring.

What should I do if I have a medical need that affects my housing?

In order for HRC to accommodate your special request, please submit documentation from your physician by February 1, 2010. This should be faxed to 205-348-7135, along with your specific housing need.

Are all housing contracts 9 months long?

No, the housing contract for the Bluff, which is an off-campus apartment facility leased by HRC, is 11.5 months long. It goes from the day the residence halls open in August until July 31.  This contract is similar to other apartment facilities in Tuscaloosa and allows students to remain engaged with the campus throughout the summer, without having to find summer housing.  Bluff residents who are graduating or leaving for an internship, coop or student abroad during the summer can apply for contract cancellation with no penalty. Other residents must follow the full-year Bluff contract.