Returning Student Self-Assignment

New Policies For 2013-2014

A number of changes and new policies have been incorporated into the assignment process for 2013-2014. Please read the following information carefully and thoroughly. If you have any questions, please contact Residential Services at (847) 467-HOME (4663) or at housing@northwestern.edu.

FALL 2013/WINTER 2014/SPRING 2014 CANCELATION TIMELINES

 

DATE	FEE
On or before Friday, June 7, 2013	Returning Students:  25% of Fall Quarter room charges Entering Students (freshmen or transfer): forfeit $200.00 prepayment
Saturday, June 8, 2013 – on or before Friday, July 19, 2013	Returning Students: 50% of Fall Quarter room charges  Entering Students: (freshmen or transfer) $1,342.00
Saturday, July 20, 2013 – on or before Friday, August 9, 2013	All Students: 75% of Fall Quarter room charges
Saturday, August 10, 2013 – on or before Monday, September 16, 2013	All Students:  100% of Fall Quarter room charges
Monday, September 16, 2013 – Full Contract Term	All Students: 100% of room charges for Term of Agreement (full academic year)

Room Selection Is An Online Process

Students will be selecting their rooms for the 2013-2014 school year online. Available rooms. Any available room will be displayed for room selection. Rooms not visible are either assigned or held for entering students.

There will be four primary assingment rounds:

General Room Selection with Roommate Pull-in is available to residents that have not participated in the previous room selections, nor are living in their Residential Colleges or exclusive-use facilities. Residents must have confirmed their roommate(s) in order to participate.

Assignment Order

Students will be broken down into assignment groups based upon priority number and allocated a specific login time. All numbers within an assignment group will be granted access simultaneously to the self-assignment room selection process.

For example, if Assignment Group #1 contains priority numbers 1 through 25, anyone with a priority number 1 through 25 will be able to select their rooms at the same time. Therefore, it is possible for a person with priority number 25 to self assign into a more desirable room than a person with priority number 1.

Room selection will progress in assignment group order until all available rooms have been assigned. Roommating groups controlled by rising senior priority numbers will be assigned first, then those groups controlled by rising junior priority numbers, and finally those roommating groups controlled by rising sophomore priority numbers.

Students without priority numbers, who have not been pulled in to a room assignment as a roommate/suitemate, will still have the opportunity to assign themselves to any remaining rooms/spaces after the assignment period for those with priority numbers.

Controlling priority numbers wishing to pull in roommates/suitemates will need the NetIDs and roommating passwords (not University NetID passwords!) for those individuals to be pulled in. Passwords may be created by signing into the Student Web Self-Assignment beginning Friday, April 12, 2013, at 9:00am. Those with controlling priority numbers must have these passwords in order to pull anyone into his/her roommate/suitemate group.

Undergraduate Housing

Northwestern University will be able to accommodate about 4150 unmarried undergraduate students in its residence halls during the 2013-2014 school year. Approximately 2025 spaces must be reserved for entering freshmen. If you will be an undergraduate student in September 2013, you may apply for a room or suite in any of the halls listed below, in accordance with the room selection policies and procedures detailed in this document.

It is anticipated that space exists for all returning students with a sincere desire to live in University housing. It is not possible to guarantee a specific room or hall assignment. Northwestern reserves the right to limit the number of upperclassmen returning to any residence hall so that an equitable distribution of freshmen will be maintained among the residence halls.

If you are a member of a residential college, exclusive-use residence hall, a fraternity or sorority, and have already been assigned to your residential college/house/wing for the 2013-2014, you are ineligible to participate in the process.

Contracting Procedure

A. Register Online for your Randomly Generated Priority Number

Any returning student wishing to live in a residence hall for the 2013-2014 school year should apply for a randomly generated priority number by visiting the priority number application website. You will need your NetID and password to access this page and be asked to provide some basic information. The web site will become inactive at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 8, 2013.

Anyone without a priority number may be pulled into a roommate/suitemate group by someone with a priority number, and must go online to select a roommate password in order to be pulled in.

Those individuals without a priority number and not being pulled in by someone with a priority number will be able to self select an assignment after all those with priority numbers have chosen their rooms.

B. Obtain your Randomly Generated Priority Number

During the week of April 15, 2013, students having applied for a priority number may log on at https://rms.housing.northwestern.edu to view their priority numbers. Priority numbers are non-transferable.

The numbers are priority weighted according to the following scale:

Rising Seniors: Seniors are given the highest priority and receive the lowest randomly generated numbers.

Rising Juniors: Juniors are given the next highest priority and receive numbers higher than rising seniors.

Rising Sophomores: Sophomores are given the next highest priority and receive numbers higher than rising juniors.

(For example, if 2,000 returning students apply for priority numbers online (500 seniors, 500 juniors and 1,000 sophomores), the seniors would receive numbers 1 - 500, the juniors would receive numbers 501 - 1000, and the sophomores would receive numbers 1001 - 2000. The numbers are then randomized within each priority group.)

Class standing will be determined by the number of quarters a student has been registered at Northwestern University rather than number of course credits. Consideration for transfer students and HPME students will be applied prior to receiving their priority numbers.

C. How Priority Will Work

Students applying to live together as either roommates or in adjacent singles are called “roommating groups.” For purposes of assignment, a roommating group will be awarded the same priority number as that of the person with the best priority number from amongst the roommating group's members. For example, if a roommating group consisted of a rising senior and a rising sophomore, then this roommating group would be assigned according to the rising senior's priority number. In short, the best priority number belonging to any member of a roommating group is that roommating group's priority number, as well.

RHA Executive Officers will be awarded senior priority, regardless of class standing, to insure placement into the required residence halls. Adjustments will be made based upon lists submitted to Residential Services.

D. No Housing Pre-payment Required

Returning students will not be required to pay a housing pre-payment in order to apply for University housing for the 2013-2014 school year.

E. “Squatter's Rights”

There are no “squatter's rights.” As well, specifically designed for medical/mobility impaired needs and blocks of freshmen rooms will not be available to roommate groups.

F. Where You Wish to Live and Your Proposed Roommates

After receiving your priority number, you will have a few days to determine your choices of residence halls, rooms and roommates. Discuss your preferences with all parties involved and make sure that everyone in your group has read over this information. Make a list of your choices of where you wish to live and with whom.

If you are selecting a double-occupancy room, you must have a roommate in order to select it. The same holds true when selecting a triple; you must have two other students of the same gender applying as your roommates. It is in your best interest to identify a roommate(s) in order to make the best use of your priority number. Students without roommates wishing an assignment to University housing will be accommodated after those with roommate choices are assigned, at the conclusion of the assignment process.

You will need to set a “roommate password” in order for you to be pulled in by a controlling priority number. Those with controlling priority numbers will need the NetID and roommate password for those within the roommate/suitemate group in order to pull them in.

The following list details which residence halls can accommodate which size roommating groups:

Four-person Accommodations

• Foster-Walker Complex (4 singles of the same gender)
• Gender Open Housing at the Foster-Walker Complex (4 singles of any gender)

Three-person Accommodations

• Allison Hall triples (2 male triples, 1 female triple)
• Bobb Hall Connection triple (male)
• Foster-Walker Complex (3 singles of the same gender)
• Gender Open Housing at the Foster-Walker Complex (3 singles of any gender)
• Kemper Hall (3 singles, may be mixed gender)
• McCulloch Hall Connection triple (female)
• Seabury Hall (3 singles of the same gender)

Two-person Accommodations

• Allison Hall
• Bobb Hall
• Foster-Walker Complex (2 singles of the same gender)
• Gender Open Housing at the Foster-Walker Complex (2 singles of any gender)
• Gender Open Housing at 1835 Hinman, 3rd Floor (doubles)
• Kemper Hall (2 singles or 1 double)
• McCulloch Hall
• North Mid-Quads
• Rogers House (double)
• Sargent Hall
• Seabury Hall (2 singles of the same gender)
• South Mid-Quads
• 1835 Hinman (double)
• 1856 Orrington (double)

One-person Accommodations

• Foster-Walker Complex
• Gender Open Housing at the Foster-Walker Complex
• Gender Open Housing at 1835 Hinman, 3rd Floor (single)
• Goodrich House
• Lindgren House
• Kemper Hall singles (if available)
• North Mid-Quads
• Rogers House
• Sargent Hall (1 male, 1 female)
• Seabury Hall
• South Mid-Quads
• 1835 Hinman
• 1856 Orrington (2 male, 1 female)

Assignment Procedure

A. The student web self assignment process will be held online beginning on Tuesday, April 23, 2013, at 9:00am.

NOTE: Please check this site regularly, as times may be adjusted daily.

https://rms.housing.northwestern.edu

There are four (4) assignment rounds, depending upon the type of room for which you are attempting an assignment.  These assignment rounds are as follows:

B. Online Room Selection

Students will be selecting their rooms for the 2013-2014 school year online. It will be possible to search for available rooms. Any available room will be displayed for room selection. Rooms not visible are either assigned or held for entering students.

C. Assignment Groups

Students will be broken down into assignment groups based upon priority number and allocated a specific login time. All numbers within an assignment group will be granted access simultaneously to the self-assignment room selection process.

For example, if Assignment Group #1 contains priority numbers 1 through 25, anyone with a priority number 1 through 25 will be able to select their rooms at the same time. Therefore, it is possible for a person with priority number 25 to self assign into a more desirable room than a person with priority number 1.

Assignments will progress in assignment group order until all available rooms have been assigned. Roommating groups controlled by rising senior priority numbers will be assigned first, then those groups controlled by rising junior priority numbers, and finally those roommating groups controlled by rising sophomore priority numbers.

Students without priority numbers and who have not been assigned will still have the opportunity to assign themselves to any remaining rooms/spaces after the assignment periods for those with priority numbers have concluded.

Controlling priority numbers wishing to pull in roommates/suitemates will need the NetIDs and roommating passwords (not University NetID passwords!) for those individuals to be pulled in. Passwords may be created by signing into the Student Web Self-Assignment beginning Friday, April 12, 2013, at 9:00am. Those with controlling priority numbers must have these passwords in order to pull anyone into his/her roommate/suitemate group.

D. Select Your Room

On the appropriate day and time, assignment groups will be permitted to access the Room Selection website. The controlling priority number will be making the room selection and booking all rooms for the members of the roommate/suitemate group. At the successful completion of this process, you and your roommating group will have contracted for on-campus housing for the 2013-2014 academic year.

E. The General Housing Waiting List

When all available space for upperclassmen throughout University housing has been filled, those without an assignment still interested in University housing for the 2013-2014 school year should contact Residential Services via email at housing@northwestern.edu.

F. Cancellation of Residence and Board Contract

Depending upon when you choose to cancel your contract, you may be held to part or all of the contracted rates.

DATE	FEE
On or before Friday, June 7, 2013	Returning Students: 25% of Fall Quarter room charges Entering Students (freshmen or transfer): forfeit $200.00 prepayment
Saturday, June 8, 2013 – on or before Friday, July 19, 2013	Returning Students: 50% of Fall Quarter room charges Entering Students: (freshmen or transfer) $1,342.00
Saturday, July 20, 2013 – on or before Friday, August 9, 2013	All Students: 75% of Fall Quarter room charges
Saturday, August 10, 2013 – on or before Monday, September 16, 2013	All Students: 100% of Fall Quarter room charges
Monday, September 16, 2013 – Full Contract Term	All Students: 100% of room charges for Term of Agreement (full academic year)

Please be aware that if you have not properly notified Residential Services of you cancelation and fail to report to your contracted room at the beginning of the Fall quarter, you will be held responsible for the Fall quarter room charge for your residence hall.

How to Complete the Process if you are not On Campus

As the room selection process is a totally online process, anyone with internet access may complete the self assignment process.

If you are without internet access, or cannot complete the process for any reason, you should contact Residential Services (housing@northwestern.edu). Due to the delicate nature of NetID passwords, it is not recommended that you share your NetID password with anyone.

Public Information

The following information is considered by Northwestern University to be public information: (a) student's name, (b) school, (c) class, (d) campus address, (e) campus telephone number (f) home address, (g) home telephone number, and (h) e-mail address.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this document is tentative; Northwestern University reserves the right to make changes to its content at any time.