H. Selection -- Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions about Housing Selection

General Questions:

Who is required to live on campus? At Geneseo, there is a two-year housing requirement for students who begin full-time college work here. Students who transfer to Geneseo for the Fall semester are eligible for on-campus housing, but are not currently bound by the two-year requirement. January transfer students who have earned less than 30 credit hours are subject to our sophomore residency requirement, however.

I want to live with my friend in a corridor-style double room. How will this process work? If both you and your future roommate pay your housing deposit by March 26, you will both receive a Housing Selection Priority Number. You should then come to the College Union Ballroom on Thursday, April 14 at whichever selection time is earlier (i.e., yours or your roommate's). You will then be able to select your room together.

How are our priority numbers assigned? Priority numbers are assigned according to a formula that considers both your number of credit hours earned at the time of your application and the number of semesters during which you have lived in a residence hall, including the present semester.

What happens if I forget to pay my housing deposit by the deadline? Should you fail to pay your housing deposit by your deadline (a listing of housing deposit deadlines is available here), you will not be permitted to choose your room until after the official Housing Selection process. This will leave you with limited housing options from which to choose.

How can I live in my current room next year? If you wish to live in your current room (or current residence hall) next year, you might be interested in our Homesteading option. For detailed information about Homesteading, visit our Homesteading web page.

I want to live by myself. Are single rooms available? At this time, we are not offering superior single rooms (i.e., the option to "buy out" an entire room). However, medical single rooms are available for those with a documented need. In order to qualify for a medical single room, you must speak to Assistant Dean Dr. Tabitha Buggie-Hunt in the Office of Disability Services.

Questions about Suites and Townhouses:

How can I apply for a suite or a townhouse? All of our applications for suites and townhouses are online surveys, each of which is located on our Forms and Applications web page. Detailed application instructions for suites and townhouses are available on our Explanation of Housing Selection Processes web page within the Housing How-To Guide.

What is the likelihood of my group earning a suite or a townhouse? We invite you to examine the statistics provided in this link. The table provides the average number of academic credits and number semesters living on campus for students who were granted suites and townhouses in previous years. Although historical averages will not guarantee certain housing options, they might help you to predict the likelihood of earning your desired suite or townhouse type.

Is there any benefit to applying early for a suite or a townhouse? No. All eligible applications which are submitted before the deadline will be considered. Visit the Housing Selection Timelines page for detailed information about these deadlines.

What happens if I apply for a suite or a townhouse, then want to change my application? Your suite or townhouse group may withdraw or edit your application by notifying the staff members at the Residence Life Office (write to reslife@geneseo.edu). You may also welcome a new student into your suite or townhouse group prior to the Housing Selection event if an original group member decides to leave the group (see response to next question).

What if somebody unexpectedly leaves our suite or townhouse group? If a member of your townhouse or suite group decides to leave the group, your group may choose another student to replace the departing member prior to housing selection only. If your new group member possesses an equal or greater number of recognized credit hours and semesters living on campus, your group will retain your original suite or townhouse priority number. If your new group member possesses a lesser number of either, however, your group's priority number for housing selection will be adjusted (i.e., worsened) accordingly.

What if we can't completely fill a suite or a townhouse. Can we still apply? In order to be eligible for a suite or a townhouse, you must be able to fill every space in the suite or townhouse. Talk to friends and your friends' friends; some other students might be interested in living with you, too.

What if my application for a suite or a townhouse is not approved? If you're unable to earn a townhouse or a suite and you are required to or want to live on campus next year, we suggest that you attend general selection night on Thursday, April 14 in accordance with your individual priority number. There, you can select a space in a corridor style room (with or without a roommate) or select any available spaces in suite style buildings (e.g., available spaces in suites occupied by R.A.s).

Questions about Gender-Neutral Housing, Writers House, and Eco-House:

I'm interested in applying for a gender-neutral suite in Genesee Hall. How will this process work? The application process for gender-neutral housing is similar to that of a regular suite application. As with any application for a suite or a townhouse, you will need to completely fill a 6-person or an 8-person suite in order to be eligible for gender-neutral housing. (This means that you can only apply for gender-neutral housing as a member of a suite group, not as an individual student.)

The application will prompt you for your name and G-number as well as the names and G-numbers of the students with whom you wish to share a suite. In completing this application, each member of your group will also need to briefly describe why you want to live in a gender-neutral housing environment. Gender-neutral housing applications will be available on our Forms and Applications web page as of Monday, February 8; these applications are due by Friday, February 26. If your gender-neutral housing application is approved, you will be able to select your suite in Genesee Hall on Wednesday, March 31.

How can I apply to live in Writers House? Writers House is available to students of all class years. For more information about Writers House, feel free to visit the Writers House web site. Writers House applications will be available on our Forms and Applications web page as of Monday, February 8; these applications are due by Friday, February 26. You can apply to Writers House as an individual. Unlike the regular suite application process, there is no need for you to apply as a member of an established suite group, though you are welcome to request to live with a roommate and/or suitemates if your Writers House application is approved.

I'm interested in living in Eco-House next year. How will this application process work? Eco-House, a new housing option designed for students who are interested in sustainable living, will be established within Putnam Hall next year. The application process is virtually identical to that of Writers House. Eco-House applications will be available on our Forms and Applications web page as of Monday, February 8; these applications are due by Friday, February 26. You can apply to Eco-House as an individual. Unlike the regular suite application process, there is no need for you to apply as a member of an established suite group, though you are welcome to request to live with a roommate and/or suitemates if your Eco-House application is approved.

Questions about the Housing Selection Event:

When is Housing Selection? Where is it located?

What if I can't attend Housing Selection? If you are unable to attend the Housing Selection event at your designated date and time, you should complete a Housing Selection Proxy Form and ask your proxy to bring the completed form to Housing Selection. Any friend who is available to select your room on your behalf during your designated date and time can serve as your proxy. You can visit our Forms and Applications page to download and print a Housing Selection Proxy Form.

Questions about Moving Off-Campus:

Can I move off-campus halfway through the year? When you sign the Residential License Agreement form, you are signing an obligation to live in campus housing for the entire academic year. Students whose circumstances warrant a release from this housing agreement must apply for the release and have it approved by the Dean of Residential Living. Mid-year housing releases are not automatic and are granted under the following limited circumstances: graduation, study abroad, student teaching, non-local internship, commuting from your parents'/guardians' home, or a significant change in your family's financial circumstances (e.g., loss of income, unanticipated major expenses, etc.). All circumstances must be documented in your application.

The following circumstances will not justify a mid-year release from housing: signing an off-campus lease (you should never sign a lease if you have not yet been released from campus housing, as this could result in a double financial obligation for you); dislike of campus food (see CAS about any meal modification request); failure to get along with roommates (consult with your RD/AC about a change in rooms); or preference for a single room (some spaces in townhouses are typically available each spring; indicate your desire for such a space as early as possible to the Residence Life office and the Saratoga Terrace Area Coordinator).

I'm unsure if I'm living on campus next year. Should I pay my deposit anyway? Yes. If you decide that you will be living on campus, this will allow you to be housed as you wish and not after all other students have chosen their accommodations. If you choose to live off-campus, a refund of your housing deposit will automatically be granted if you request it by May 1. Appeals of this deadline for refund requests must be directed to the Dean of Residential Living. Students permitted to break their housing agreements after July 15 will pay a $150.00 administrative charge, in addition to losing their housing deposits, if they remain enrolled at Geneseo for the Fall semester.

Questions about Special Circumstances:

I'm currently student teaching or studying abroad. Can I request housing for when I return from a semester away? This form will prompt you to preference specific residence halls in which you wish to live. Should a residence hall space be available in a friend's room, you can also request to be placed in your friend's room upon your return.

Residence Life Geneseo