Moving In:   Frequently Asked Questions

1. When can I move into my room?
2. Will my bed be standard twin size?
3. Will the beds be bunked?
4. What about lofts?
5. Will I need curtains?
6. Can I paint and decorate my room?
7. When is the first meal served?
8. Where will I get my mail?
9. Where will I do my laundry?
10. What can I expect during my first week in the residence hall?
11. What happens if I lose my key or lock myself out of my room?
12. What if I am unhappy about my room assignment?
13. What should I bring?
14. How do I insure that my roommate and I don't bring duplicate items?
15. Is there anything I shouldn't bring?
16. Computers
17. What if I need to ship some items before my arrival?

Q1. When can I move into my room?

For first-year students, move-in begins on Thursday, September 4th , starting at 12:00 noon, Friday, September 5th , starting at 9:00 a.m., and Saturday September 6th , starting at 9:00 a.m. With these dates, parents will have more scheduling options, crowd and traffic congestion will be reduced, and students will be able to get settled prior to the special activities.

Upperclass students will be authorized to begin returning to campus on Saturday, September 6th starting at 9:00 am.

Dining Services will be available to you and your student on a cash basis at $6.00 per meal, buffet style, on Thursday and Friday. Freshman special meals are scheduled to begin with dinner on Thursday, September 4th. Convenience stores will not honor super meal plans until Sunday, September 7.

Because of the number of people moving in at the beginning of each quarter and limited parking, we ask that you park in front of a hall only to unload your belongings.

Q2. Will my bed be standard twin size?

Beds are equipped with an 80-inch, extra-long mattress. Bring either flat or fitted sheets for an 80-inch mattress. Room dimensions may be obtained here.

Q3. Will the beds be bunked?

For many of the rooms, the beds can be bunked or debunked; Zone Maintenance and Residential Custodial Services (RCS) will do this for you. Contact your RCS green office during the first two weeks of each quarter (East: Jefferson at 7-9925; West: Treudley at 7-5914; South: Pickering at 7-7686). If no one is available at the RCS Green offices, you may call the main office at 593-2929 to place your request. Requests are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. At the beginning of the academic year, it may take a few days to complete your request because of the volume of new students arriving.

Q4. What about lofts?

If you are considering a loft, please click here for more information. Finding out ahead of time whether your assigned room will accommodate a loft will save you time and money. Most triples do not accommodate lofts.  For safety reasons, lofts not meeting the requirements must be dismantled. Because university-issued furnishings cannot be removed from the room, lofts must be designed so existing springs fit into them. A loft that provides only slats may not accommodate our existing mattress with proper support. Rented lofts must be returned the last week of class spring quarter.

Q5. Will I need curtains?

Most rooms have pull shades and pocket curtain rods at each window. The Convocation Center rooms have mini-blinds instead of the pull shades. If you would like more than a shade, you and your roommate(s) may bring curtains or a valance. For the Convocation Center, a "spring rod" will also be needed.

Q6. Can I paint and decorate my room?

Yes, if you want to paint your room, you need to go to the Residence Custodial Services office on your green after you arrive on campus. There you will receive a voucher for one gallon of a university-approved water-based pastel color paint. The university also will lend painting equipment to individual students. Decorating and painting should be discussed and agreed upon by all roommate(s).

You also need to remember that no nails, tape, or tacks are to be used on the walls. You will be held financially responsible for any damage to your assigned room. Many rooms are equipped with a strip of wood molding at the top of interior walls. Pictures and bulletin boards can be hung from the molding with the use of "S" hooks and wire. Removable adhesives are the best option for hanging room decorations.

Q7. When is the first meal served?

You can begin using your meal plan for dinner on Monday, September 8th, 2008, for fall quarter; breakfast on Monday, January 5th, 2009, for winter quarter; breakfast on Monday, March 30th, 2009, for spring quarter.

Q8. Where will I get my mail?

Mailboxes are located in the lobby of each residence hall, except for those on New South Green. New South Green residents pick up their mail in the Nelson Dining Hall mailroom.

You and your roommate(s) will be assigned a mailbox for your room. Mail is delivered Monday through Saturday and is placed in your mailbox by 5 p.m. If you receive a package through the U.S. Mail, you will receive a slip in your mailbox. On the New South Green, packages should be picked up at the New South Green Mail room in Nelson. In other buildings, packages may be picked up by bringing the package slip and your ID to the staff office during nightly office hours (8:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.). UPS and Fed-Ex delivers packages directly to student rooms.

Q9. Where will I do my laundry?

There are laundry facilities in all South Green residence halls and some individual residence halls, including: Voigt, Bryan, Lincoln and the Convocation Center. Central laundry facilities are located under Gamertsfelder Hall on the East Green, Bromley, and Treudley Hall on the West Green, and under Dougan House on the New South Green. Click here for more information on laundry facilities.

Q10. What can I expect during my first week in the residence hall?

When you move in you can expect to meet a lot of new people. You'll be meeting other students like yourself as well as becoming acquainted with various staff members.

You will meet the Zone Maintenance staff member responsible for handling maintenance issues in your building. You will also meet the Residential Custodial Services staff (RCS), which is responsible for keeping public areas such as the bathrooms and lounges of your building clean. Bromley and Adams Hall residents are responsible for cleaning their own shared bathrooms and should bring cleaning supplies needed for this. You are responsible for the cleanliness of your own room and for your own trash removal. A vacuum cleaner is available for use during staff office hours.

You will meet the Residence Life staff, who are responsible for creating a positive living environment and helping you adjust to college life. Most important will be your resident assistant, or RA. He or she is a student like you. Each RA is assigned to a floor section--a group of rooms--for which he or she is responsible. Your RA is trained to answer your questions and to foster community living.

During the first few days, your floor section will meet with your RA to discuss the house rules. Some of these are university policies, but many are decisions that will be made by your floor section. The emphasis is on creating a safe and healthy living environment. As a member of a new community, you have input and a responsibility to create your community.

Q11. What happens if I lose my key or lock myself out of my room?

You are responsible for your keys. Be careful and never lend or give your keys to anyone.

Your safety is a priority, so make it a habit to lock your room when you're not in it and be sure to take your keys with you. If you do lock yourself out, find your RA or another RA in the building to let you into your room. If no RA is available, then contact your green office for assistance. The green offices are located in Jefferson Hall (740.597.9968) on the East Green, O'Bleness (740.597.7468) on the South Green and Boyd Hall (740.597.5956) on the West Green.

Propping open exterior doors, lending your keys to someone else, or letting a stranger into the building are all risks to your security and the security of all the residents of the building. Residents who engage in such behavior may be subject to disciplinary action.

Lost keys will have to be replaced, and a lock change will be necessary. Your account will be charged for any keys you lose and any associated lock changes.

Q12. What if I am unhappy about my room assignment?

We know everyone isn't always satisfied with his or her initial room assignment. If you are unhappy about your room assignment, you will have an opportunity to change rooms two weeks into the quarter. It's important to note that no changes will be done during the first two weeks of any quarter. After that, if you want to change rooms or are in a living situation that's causing you concern, talk to your RA. He or she will advise you on handling your situation and, if necessary, explain how to go through the room change procedure.

Q13. What should I bring?

We can't specify exactly what each of you should bring, but we do have the following suggestions based on years of experience.

Necessities

• Alarm clock
• Backpack
• Bedspread, pillow, and mattress pad
• Blankets and sheets
• Class schedule and Undergraduate Catalog
• Clothes hangers
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Connect Ohio Book
• Desk lamp
• Dust rag, dust spray
• First aid kit
• Laundry supplies
• Notebooks, pens, pencils, tape, stapler, paper clips, scissors
• Raincoat
• Rolls of quarters (if not using Bobcat Cash)
• Shower bucket (to carry your shower supplies)
• Shower shoes
• Summer clothes (it's hot in Athens until October)
• Telephone and/or answering machine
• Towels and washcloths
• U.L.-approved surge bars or power strips
• Umbrella (we suggest two-one to have and one to lose)

Nice but not necessary

• Carpet or rug
• Computer, Printer, Ink Cartridges, Paper
• Dish washing soap
• Drying rack
• Fan
• Iron
• Memo board or bulletin board
• Molding hooks and removable adhesive
• Mugs and glasses
• Paper towels
• Radio
• Room decorations and posters
• Sewing kit
• Shoe bag or rack
• Silverware and microwave-safe dishes
• Stamps and stationery
• Stereo, tapes, and CDs
• Television and coaxial cable
• Under-the-bed boxes
• Bike with bike lock

Q14. How do I insure that both my roommate and I don't bring duplicate items?

For fall quarter most new students (freshmen, re-locating, graduate and transfer) will receive room assignment and roommate information mid-July. Fall quarter students who turned in housing applications May 1and later, will receive assignment information late August. Winter quarter assignment information will be mailed late December. Spring quarter assignment information will be mailed late March. Once assignments have been mailed, this information will also be made available to you online through a link on the Housing homepage.

We provide this information so you may make contact with your roommate(s) before you move in. Most roommates want to introduce themselves as well as clarify things such as who will bring the stereo and who will bring the iron. Because space is limited, it's a good idea to discuss what each roommate plans to bring, so you don't end up with two carpets, two TVs, and two stereos.

Q15. Is there anything I shouldn't bring?

Yes. For your own health and safety, the following items are prohibited in the residence halls:

• Weapons, including firearms and martial arts-related
• Cooking appliances, including crock pots, grills, toasters, or toaster ovens
• Alcohol (if you are under the legal age of 21)
• Candles
• Crock pots
• Explosives
• Fishnet or paper lanterns
• Hot plate or any open-coil cooking appliance
• Illegal drugs
• Microwave or refrigerator (refrigerator and microwave provided)
• Pets (other than fish)
• Posters that will cover more than 25 percent of your walls
• Toaster or toaster oven

Q16. Computers

Ohio University has a wealth of computer resources available throughout campus. In addition, students are provided the opportunity to participate in the Go Mobile Program www.ohio.edu/technology or bring their own computer from home. All rooms will come standard with an Ethernet jack and cable as well as an Ethernet hub and enough extra cables for all roommates to be online simultaneously (doubles, triples and quads only).

Please Note:

If the student is bringing a Windows computer to campus, the following instructions must be followed in order to secure the computer before connecting to the network.

If the student connects to a Windows computer to the University network without first following the instructions at the website above, their network access could be disabled.

For questions, please contact the Support Center by calling 740-593-1222 or sending e-mail to helpdesk@ohio.edu.

Q17. What if I need to ship some items before my arrival?

You may ship items to your campus address. Please time such shipments so that they correspond with your arrival. United Parcel Service will not deliver to the residence halls for fall quarter before Thursday, September 4, 2008, for winter quarter Monday, January 5th, 2009 and for spring quarter Monday, March 30th, 2009.

A Reminder

Residence and Dining Services contracts are binding for the entire academic year.

If you have signed the contract to live in the residence halls and participate in a meal plan, you've committed yourself from September to June. You will not be released from your contract in the middle of the academic year, even if you achieve 90 hours or 6 quarters in residence. The binding contract supersedes exemption categories based on hours earned or quarters in residence.