Room Selection Process
Students with Medical or Disability Housing Accommodation Needs

Fall 2008 Room Selection Information For:
On-Campus Students with a Current Disability Housing Accommodation
On-Campus Students with a Current Medical Housing Accommodation
On-Campus Students Who Need a Housing Accommodation

Welcome

Housing and Residence Life works with students and their providers to offer reasonable accommodations for students who have documented and specific accommodation needs. Disability and medical accommodations are granted based on level of necessity and space availability. Not every student who requests an accommodation such as a private room will be granted an accommodation. Priority of assignment is given to students who are referred from agencies covered by the American with Disabilities Act (Disability and Psychological Disability Services). Some students may find that Housing and Residence Life cannot adequately meet their housing needs and may pursue appropriate accommodations through the housing exemption process.

Both new and continuing students with disabilities and medical conditions can apply for an accommodation to their housing assignment using the processes outlined below. Students who are interested in a Legacy Community, Special Housing Option, or First Year Experience Residence Hall and require an accommodation due to mobility or other disabilities should contact Disability Services at 413-545-0892 for assistance and additional information, as all such students must first register with Disability Services in order to qualify for services. Disability Services and the Housing Assignment Office will work with otherwise qualified students to accommodate their needs. The University has a practice of relocating programs and activities when necessary to make the programs and activities accessible to persons with disabilities.

Current On-Campus Students Already Registered with Disability Services or Psychological Disability Services for a Housing Accommodation

How do I select a room?
How do I know which process to pick?
IMPORTANT: Select at the start of your appointment
What if I miss my appointed selection time or don't get the room I need?
What if I have a specific accomodation need?
Campus-wide information sessions schedule

As a student with a documented disability who is registered for an accommodation through the Disability Services or Psychological Disability Services Office, you have SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS for choosing a room that will meet your accommodation needs for the fall.

How Do I Select a Room?

1. Read the Room Selection Bulletin in your mailbox or online at www.housing.umass.edu for specific dates and times for each room selection process.

2. Decide the kind of room you want and which room selection process you will participate in.

3. Check the dates and times for the process you want to participate in.

4. Go to SPIRE at the appointed time and request your appointment.

5. Go to Spire to check your appointment date and time.

6. If you are planning to live with a specific apartment-mate, roommate, or suitemate group, designate a group leader and form your group during the appointed time in your process.

7. During your appointed time, select your room or, if you are part of a group, make sure the group leader selects a room during the best appointment time in the group.

8. Check to make sure you have an email that confirms your new room assignment for fall 2008.

How Do I Know Which Process to Pick?

You have FIVE options for the kind of room you can select:

1. North Apartments: Any student can try for a North Apartment. Students with disabilities have no priority in this process - the regular room selection priority is in effect. The cost of a North Apartment for students with disabilities is the same as the cost for the general populations of students. Begin the process by requesting an appointment Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008 to Wednesday, Feb.27, 2008.

2. Special Housing Options: These include wellness floors, 24 hour quiet floors, and alcohol free buildings. You can select a single or shared room during this process. Students with disabilities will have a higher priority to select these rooms if it is a part of their specific accommodation. Begin the process by requesting an appointment Thursday, March 20, 2008 to Tuesday, March 25, 2008.

3. Sylvan Suites: Students who want to live with a group of friends and can fill an entire Sylvan Suite can choose this process. You can select either a single or shared room, but will need to be able to fill the entire suite. Begin the process by requesting an appointment Wednesday, April 2, 2008.

4. Single Rooms: Students with disabilities who require a single room accommodation should select during this period and will be given a higher priority if the need for a single room is a required accommodation. Begin the process by requesting an appointment Friday, April 4, 2008 to Wednesday, April 9, 2008.

5. Shared Rooms: Students with disabilities who are required to have a specific roommate and all remaining students with disabilities who do not have an on-campus housing assignment by Wed., April 16 should select their room during this period. Begin the process by requesting an appointment Wed., April, 16, 2008 to Tuesday, April 22, 2008.

6. Required Double Room as a Single: Students with disabilities who are required to reside in a double room as a single should contact Heather King immediately. You may call 413-545-4555 or email hking@gw.housing.umass.edu. Only students who are required by the Director of Disability Services are eligible for a double room as a single.

IMPORTANT: Select at the Start of Your Appointment!!
Once you decide which process to choose, you should request an appointment on SPIRE. You MUST request an appointment in order to select a room. When you are given an appointment time, in order to use your priority as a student with a disability, you MUST select your room within your appointment time. If you do not select a room at the beginning of your appointment time, you will miss your opportunity to secure the accommodation you need. In order to avoid this, log onto SPIRE and select your room at the beginning of your appointment time.

What if I Miss My Appointed Selection Time or Don't Get the Room I Need?

Students who miss their appointed selection time or who are unable to select a room that meets their accommodation requirements should select any room in the next room selection process and contact Heather King for more information about how to secure an accommodation for the fall. All students should select a room by May 11, 2008.

What if I Have a Specific Accommodation Need?

If you have a specific accommodation need such as a room with no carpet, a building with an elevator, a room that is modified for the hearing impaired, a room close to a bathroom, a low floor, or near a dining common, you will need to select one of those rooms when you go on line during your appointed time. A list of buildings with specific accommodations can be found in the letter sent to your campus mailbox or you may contact Heather King for more information.

Attend a Campus Wide Information Session

*Heather King will be available to speak with you personally about your housing questions at these information sessions.

For more information, please contact Heather King.
Email: hking@gw.housing.umass.edu
Phone: 413-545-4555
Office hours are: Tuesday 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Wednesday 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Thursday 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. at the Housing Assignment Office, 235 Whitmore.

If you need a question answered outside of these hours, please contact the Housing Assignment Office at 413-545-2100 Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Current On-Campus Students Already Registered with University Health Services or Mental Health Services

Room Selection is all new
Campus-Wide Information Sessions
How do I select a room?
How do I know which process to pick?
What if I don't get the room I want?

As a student with documentation for a housing accommodation through University Health Services (UHS) or Mental Health Services (MHS), you will need information about the upcoming process to select your room for fall 2008. As you may remember if you participated in last year's process, students with accommodation requests from UHS or MHS participate in regular room selection as all other students participate. Your "medical" priority will be a factor during the summer process if you are not able to secure the assignment you want this spring. Please review the following information carefully and contact the Housing Assignment Office immediately if you have any questions.

Room Selection is ALL NEW

This year you will actually pick your specific room on line. To do this, you must:

1. Decide what kind of room or living situation you want.

2. Request an appointment to pick your room.

3. Check your appointment time on SPIRE

4. Log onto SPIRE and select your room during that time. If you have not already read the Room Selection Bulletin that was placed in your campus mailbox, go to www.housing.umass.edu and click on "HAO Room Selection Bulletin" under News and Announcements. This bulletin contains all the instructions you need to learn how to pick your room for the fall. In addition, I urge you to attend a campus wide information session to learn more about how to select your room for the fall. Here is the schedule of information sessions:

Campus-Wide Room Selection Information Sessions

*Heather King will be available to speak with you personally about your housing questions at these information sessions.

How Do I Select a Room?

1. Read the Room Selection Bulletin in your mailbox or on line at www.housing.umass.edu for specific dates and times for each room selection process.

2. Decide the kind of room you want and which room selection process you will participate in.

3. Check the dates and times for the process you want to participate in.

4. Go to SPIRE at the appointed time and request your appointment.

5. Go to Spire to check your appointment date and time.

6. If you are planning to live with a specific apartment-mate, roommate, or suitemate group, designate a group leader and form your group during the appointed time in your process.

7. During your appointed time, select your room or, if you are part of a group, make sure the group leader selects a room during the best appointment time in the group.

8. Check to make sure you have an email that confirms your new room assignment for fall 2008.

How Do I Know Which Process to Pick?

You have FIVE options for the kind of room you can select:

1. North Apartments: Any student can try for a North Apartment. Check www.housing.umass.edu for current cost of a North Apartment. Begin the process by requesting an appointment Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008 to Wednesday, Feb.27, 2008.

2. Special Housing Options: These include wellness floors, 24 hour quiet floors, alcohol free buildings, and 9-Month buildings. You can select a single or shared room during this process. Begin the process by requesting an appointment Thursday, March 20, 2008 to Tuesday, March 25, 2008.

3. Sylvan Suites: Students who want to live with a group of friends and can fill an entire Sylvan Suite can choose this process. You can select either a single or shared room, but will need to be able to fill the entire suite. Begin the process by requesting an appointment Wednesday, April 2, 2008.

4. Single Rooms: Any student can try for a single room. Begin the process by requesting an appointment Friday, April 4, 2008 to Wednesday, April 9, 2008.

5. Shared Rooms: Students with specific roommate requests and all remaining students who do not have an on-campus housing assignment by Wed., April 16 should select their room during this period. Begin the process by requesting an appointment Wed., April, 16, 2008 to Tuesday, April 22, 2008.

What if I Don't Get the Room I Want?

Students who try to select a certain kind of room (North Apartment, Wellness Floor, or Single Room, for example) but are not able to get an assignment should make sure to participate in another assignment process. All students who want housing for the fall should select a room, even if it's not the room they want, by May 11, 2008.

For example: Let's say you want a single on a wellness floor. You should request an appointment 3/20-3/25 on SPIRE. After you receive your appointment, let's say you go onto SPIRE and there are no singles on a wellness floor left. You decide you will try for a single in the regular room selection process so you log off without selecting a room. You request an appointment 4/4-4/9 on SPIRE for the single room process. After you receive your assignment, let's say there are no single rooms left across campus, or there are only singles left in buildings where you don't want to live. You log off without taking an assignment. Now you MUST request an appointment for the shared room process - even though you don't want to live in a double for the fall. Once you get your appointment, go on and select the best room you can.

You MUST select a room for the fall if you want to participate in the summer process which will let you upgrade your assignment. Students who do NOT select a room during the spring process which ends on May 11, 2008 will be late. Juniors and seniors will not be guaranteed housing and will not be able to try to select a room until August. Students who will be freshmen and sophomores will be allowed to participate in June but will be behind all other on-time applicants.

For medical students who participate on time, the summer room selection process will be the time when your medical documentation will give you some priority in the room selection process. Please email me before you leave for the summer and let me know you will be trying for a medical accommodation over the summer process. I will give you more information at that time.

For more information, please contact Heather King.
Email: hking@gw.housing.umass.edu
Phone: 413-545-4555
Office hours are: Tuesday 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Wednesday 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Thursday 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. at the Housing Assignment Office, 235 Whitmore.

If you need a question answered outside of these hours, please contact the Housing Assignment Office at 413-545-2100 Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Current On-Campus Students NOT Registered with an On-Campus Agency for a Housing Accommodation, but seeking an Accommodation for Fall 2008

1. Contact one of the three on-campus agencies that makes housing accommodation requests to the Housing Assignment Office:

• Students with a disability such as mobility impairment, learning disability, or other condition covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact Disability Services at 545-0892. You will meet with a consumer manager to discuss the nature of your accommodation needs and will submit medical documentation directly to Disability Services.
• Students with a psychological disability should contact Psychological Disability Services: 545-0333. You will meet with a staff member to discuss the nature of your accommodation needs and will submit medical documentation directly to Psychological Disability Services.
• Students with a medical accommodation need such as those recovering from surgery or with medical conditions should first contact the Housing Assignment Office at 545-2100 and request a Health Services Recommendation Form. The student should complete the first part of the form, then send it to the health care provider. Once your provider completes the form, s/he should send or fax it to Health Services where it will be evaluated. A recommendation will be made or the request may be denied.
• If you are not sure which agency to begin with, contact the Housing Assignment Office for more information.

2. After completing the above process, call the Housing Assignment Office at 413-545-2100 to verify that the on-campus agency forwarded a housing recommendation on your behalf.

3. Send an email to Heather King for specific information on how to become part of the medical assignment process. Email: hking@gw.housing.umass.edu

4. Make sure that you participate in one of the room selection processes - even if you don't yet have your medical forms complete.

For more information, please contact Heather King.
Email: hking@gw.housing.umass.edu
Phone: 413-545-4555
Office hours are: Tuesday 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Wednesday 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Thursday 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. at the Housing Assignment Office, 235 Whitmore.

If you need a question answered outside of these hours, please contact the Housing Assignment Office at 413-545-2100 Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.